If one can spiral downward, then could one not spiral upwards?
Disclaimer “This is just a thought experiment and has not been edited as of yet. I am trying to get used to the platform and just enjoy the process. ”
What is negativity bias?
With the help of AI I got this definition:
Negativity bias is a psychological phenomenon where individuals give more weight to negative experiences than positive ones. This bias can impact decisions and behaviors, and it is believed to be a survival mechanism that evolved to help our ancestors pay more attention to potential threats. Despite the many positive experiences a person may have, a single negative one can often have a greater impact on their mood and behavior.
How does this affect us and society at large?
So i have to give props to the inspiration of this thought experiment to the book: Amusing Ourselves to Death – By Neil Postman. In this book he relates previous iteration of progress in various forms of written media and the aftermath that ensued. Thought out human history many things were passed down through the spoken word and with this there would have been natural alterations of story through common changes in language and life. But there was also a innate built in scalability issue which would help filter out snake oil salesmen.
Imagine a time when there were various metrics of success and not just monetary in the current sense. Three was glory and adventure and making a name for yourself and tour legacy. When you had the skill to hunt and take care of yourself then the amount of money you would need would be far less then those that were unable or probably the better term would be un-wanting to learn.
Now before the printing press people would actually rewrite books by hand. The level of effort required was extremely high and there was also a built in barrier to entry. While those with modern ADHD or hypomania were out exploring and living and slowly over time making the world safer those that did not have these traits and maybe were not heralded as these great movers of society had more space to live and thrive.
But…
As we may look at keyboard warriors living life behind a screen having and sharing ideas of how things should be with no real life experience. These people would have lived through out history as well would they have not?
While those that were out living and loving and fucking there would have to be those that were more recluse and they would need outlets as well and writing great works would be there arena and claim to fame. But lets consider these 2 types of people. One is living and experiencing and one is observing as writing and creating at times some idealized version of what love is and what success is.
People forget then before modern governing bodies there may have been gate keepers but the saying your network is your net worth has had many iterations through out history. There had to be a rat pack for every generation and in every field of study. There was no better business bureau, you were to blatantly lie to sell your wares. just because it is old does not make it automatically based in truth.
Think of all the lived experiences of those that did not have the ability to read and write that shaped the world all the facts and practical truths that have been lost long the way. All the written works that were burned when civilizations were overturned. How people and civilizations were controlled by a great story of god kings and divine rights to rule provided by powers that were unexplainable in the times.
The Printing Press
Now i have started to think of the printing press as the first real step in making the written word accessible to more and over time as we have the blessing of hindsight; thought people that were out living life and didn’t have the ability to write and share there knowledge now do with a blog to a sub stack. The printing press had down stream effects of better and more accurate education.
As the world has gotten safer those that would have been warriors and pioneers going into the unknown have had to figure out other outlets to feed there souls. As gate keepers have been removed main stream media has become legacy media and is going the way of the tabloids and independent media is now becoming mainstream and falling for the same pitfalls. The only difference is that what would have taken a generation is now happening before our eyes and the same play book isn’t working anymore.
I am starting to believe the more i write and the more i get comfortable with sharing this side of me that those that were the warriors and the they people they would not see as creatives are actually some of the most creative individuals as they would die for a cause or a belief once upon a time and they expressed there creativity through action in a time that was not as safe as it is now.
“It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war.”
― Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings
Now is a time where at scale you can be a warrior in a garden but the only thing is that you might not ever get to be a warrior first. You have to self impose the struggle to be able to be that warrior in the the garden.
In times of extended peace you have to look for adversity and situations that take effort. Writing for me is a joy but it takes effort. Finding something bigger then yourself into it in service of the idea. Seeking out those that feed your soul with laughter and challenge you on your shortcomings and all through the lens of integrity.
Now with more and more people able to share there lived experiences and practical truths with others with out the gate keepers of the past. We can spiral upwards by sharing and having honest discussions to that the snake oil sales men that have always been around can once again go back to the outskirts and not be a default setting.
Bhupesh Gulati aka Bhu
