"But part of it is ending the relationship where you relate to that harm as a kind of passive actor that history is just going to happen to, and building a version of yourself where you're playing a part in what happens. And with that shift comes a difference in your perspective, psychologically. Whether you are going to win or not, I think you just relate to disaster in a different way if you're thinking of yourself as someone who is going to act, who has a role to play in deciding how things go. It staves off certain feelings of hopelessness, certain kinds of fatalism, and it makes you invested in the practical possibility of things going well or at least better than they could. So that's important to me. It's not about thinking that things are going well, but it is about thinking that I'm not helpless, and that's important."
And it makes me wonder what percent of people have which mindset today - helpless/passive vs. active/has a role to play in deciding how things go.
Thank YOU Ryan. I love this point Táíwò makes. It's so deeply true. I think that split you outline has a huge role to play, and is a big challenge - if not the biggest challenge - that we're up against. Namely, how to instil that sense of agency in people when the rife uncertainties of our time cause many to naturally feel helpless.
Thanks Britt!
I think this point is super important:
"But part of it is ending the relationship where you relate to that harm as a kind of passive actor that history is just going to happen to, and building a version of yourself where you're playing a part in what happens. And with that shift comes a difference in your perspective, psychologically. Whether you are going to win or not, I think you just relate to disaster in a different way if you're thinking of yourself as someone who is going to act, who has a role to play in deciding how things go. It staves off certain feelings of hopelessness, certain kinds of fatalism, and it makes you invested in the practical possibility of things going well or at least better than they could. So that's important to me. It's not about thinking that things are going well, but it is about thinking that I'm not helpless, and that's important."
And it makes me wonder what percent of people have which mindset today - helpless/passive vs. active/has a role to play in deciding how things go.
Thank YOU Ryan. I love this point Táíwò makes. It's so deeply true. I think that split you outline has a huge role to play, and is a big challenge - if not the biggest challenge - that we're up against. Namely, how to instil that sense of agency in people when the rife uncertainties of our time cause many to naturally feel helpless.