Galactic multiplier and capital L
THINK. Community is founded on leniency. Willingness of putting interest of the group above self. Individualistic societies. After all, striking the balance becomes a matter of personal freedom and what one is ready to subdue, while still feeling seen, heard, and respected.
'The Mark' by Frida Isberg is a very thought-provoking novel. With it's ‚Minority Report’ like theme of preventing anti-social behavior, set in the cold and remote Iceland, the story is told through the lens of four people living their lives in the wake of national referendum on... mandatory empathy test. While at the heart of this idea lies the need to assess a person's capacity for empathy, a proxy for societal fit, the divide it creates as unintended consequence is overwhelming.
Instead of being a vehicle for diagnosis and subsequent support (through therapy, rehabilitation, integration), it becomes a beacon of new polarization. It reaches the point of physical divides - 'unmarked' people are not let into some residential areas, shops, or public buildings; employees are being fired when they 'fail' or decline to take the test. The public debate is full of strong evidence on both counts, and following lives of the characters, with their intricate motivations, social and neurological backgrounds, it is hard to take a reasonably independent point of view. Well, isn't that a clever way of provoking us to avoid rush judgments?
Now, exchange 'empathy test' with any recently hot societal topic with clear opposing 'tribes'. Sounds all so familiar? As I reflect on the novel, my takeaway is need for listening and leniency.
The panels I attended in Dalkey, including Frida Isberg too, sparked my curiosity of generational differences and the continued narrative of humanity sliding down. I was wondering if there is some science backed research that examines this 'moral decline'. An article published in Nature by Adam Mastroianni and Daniel Gilbert is a perfect recap of what creates this (spoiler alert!) illusion. Here is a 25-minute version of the theory, well worth a listen, but the simplest way to explain the conclusion is that humans today are much more exposed and susceptible to negative news, while the memories of yesterday blur negativity and amplify positive aspects. This is why we tend to think that the world used to be better when we were younger!
FEEL. One thing to assume about your own emotions is that there is little space for objectivity. Instead of a classic, three-dimensional horizon, where objects become smaller and blurrier with distance, emotional perspective bends everything towards the self-center. Like a super-massive black hole, it overpowers particles of feelings with invincible gravity. Through that gravity, both commonly perceived small issue, same as tiny shreds of joy or gratitude, receive a galactic multiplier.
Am I trying to use the above flawed metaphor instead of expressing a very straightforward feeling: I recently travel from highs to lows and back again with a fierce force. What happened to my acclaimed vulnerability comfort?
The truth is that I feel the recent odds are stacked against me more than I am used to. So, in my usual spirit, I am trying to sense the boundaries of my control, while gathering stamina and willpower to carry on (ha, no wonder I love fantasy role-playing so much!). I wish magic potions and spells existed. The nearest equivalents are... relationships.
DO. Little that I knew, a true hero's journey was only to happen after the previous issue of the journal. Two flights and two trains to arrive at hospital bed in the evening. A week of anxious wait and remote work from a bench in the park. Countless coffees and self-distractions with chores as important as cleaning gutters or ironing. Thankfully, two weeks later things are more stable. The journeys are becoming a more constant overwatch.
As a believer in the power of habits and small incremental gains, I am on a mission to... stop forgetting. Or rather, transform thoughts and feelings into an outcome. Let's call it Legacy (capital L). Or positive impact on people I care about.
I think I have not been exploring as much as I do now in the last two decades. A simple math of input and output leads to an obvious need: better capacity to convert it all into writing, sharing, relationships and well-being. Note taking, connecting the dots, and managing one's time and priorities is a steppingstone. Any good suggestions out there?
It's all about balance, isn't it.
