In a recent interview, psychotherapist and author Esther Perel said ”it’s the very things that can turn you on at night [that] you will demonstrate against during the day” (2). I want to explore this but not within the sexual sphere with which it was intended but from a sociological perspective. We all demonstrate certain aspects of ourselves publicly and hide aspects we wish not to display. It is not a new phenomenon that we behave in certain manners to please those around us. Societies and cultures worldwide have developed via the evolution of tribes to reward ‘fitting in’ and shunning those who don’t. Those who don’t conform lose their tribe and their survival rate alone is greatly diminished.

Life is too short to live in accordance with another’s passion

What makes modern times different is the rapid acceleration of technology. We are essentially hunter gatherers with the power of technology thousands of years past our cognitive capacity. We will never catch up and this is a problem. It has resulted in an acceleration of tribal culture, so much so that we can now instantly judge another’s behaviour and choices through a screen. Whilst tribal culture can be a positive part of people’s lives as it can encourage community, progress and empathy, it can also encourage hatred. Instead, like most things, it’s better to strike a balance.

We shouldn’t demonstrate against who we truly are in public but we should value our communities, colleagues and relationships. We should follow what we’re passionate about, taking on criticism along the way whilst also respecting other people’s choices. Life is too short to live in accordance with another’s passion.

Keep On Struggling

Gregor

Documentary I Loved - What’s My Name? - Muhammad Ali

This two-part documentary series by HBO chronicles Ali’s rise to the top in the world of boxing, his various fights against injustice and his charitable nature. The only narration is from the man himself and those close to him. Although flawed, Ali had one of the most noble and motivational mindsets of anyone in history and his stamp on sports, politics and religion will never fade.

App I Find Useful - Rise

I’ve been using this app for around two weeks and am finding it very useful. Firstly, it uses sleep data from smart devices to decipher your individual, ideal sleep time. It also shows your sleep debt which helps with knowing how much sleep is needed each night to make up for the debt accumulated previously. Lastly it predicts your energy levels throughout the day and even takes into account energy peaks as result of exercise.

Quote to Ponder

Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life - Jerzy Gregorek

References

1) Muhammad Ali Image - IMDB

2) Real Time With Bill Maher Season 21 Episode 12

3) Image Credit - RawPixel