WHEN viewed through the right lens, the world can transform. Human beings have consistently proven themselves to be avid generators of change because of their ability to view the world through different lenses. As people grow, their perspectives change, and they often create new visions to shape the small parts of the world that they have access to. What if, however, our perspectives of the world were limited in growth? What if we were unable to see the world in its actual state? In such a case, would we still be capable of genuinely creating impacts?
Imagine taking a snapshot of the world as it exists today. What would such an image depict?
Of course, it is impossible to capture the entire world in a single image. So, we create mental pictures of it from the information that we learn. Lately, however, it seems as if every avenue of communication carries news about something negative happening in our world. It feels like our world has never been more violent, disconnected, or discontented than it is today. Although most measurable data and statistics indicate that the world is generally more peaceful and stable than it used to be in the past, we still do not feel as happy as we ought to. Thus, while the world is objectively developing in several areas, our perspective of it continues to be primarily negative.
Recently, I came across the fact that human beings may naturally tend to remember negative experiences more deeply and more vividly than positive ones. Sadness, anger, and fear are all emotions that are as natural as joy and happiness. Yet, we are more likely to remember a traumatising experience than a joyful one vividly. From an evolutionary standpoint, it is speculated that this tendency developed to increase an individual’s chances of survival. For instance, if we can remember frightening or upsetting situations more vividly, then we might have a higher chance of avoiding or surviving them when encountered again. In the modern world, however, this tendency has consistently served as a hindrance in the process of developing a positive, or at least realistic, worldview.
The truth is we are constantly bombarded with a mixture of information from various sources. The mass media and a multitude of other communication mediums provide constant updates, which can often be quite negative, about every aspect of the world. Sometimes, we find ourselves informed about a situation even if we never actively sought out information about the topic. This is not only overwhelming but quite disorienting, especially for younger people who have not yet had an opportunity to develop an understanding of the world. For example, imagine spending your entire life living in a home that is painted in dark colours and allows no light to enter. You may naturally find yourself feeling hopeless and saddened. The colours around you affect your emotions, even if you are not actively undergoing a situation that should evoke sadness.
Similarly, the constant stream of mostly negative information, paired with human beings’ natural tendency to remember negative situations, leads to a large mass of people who view the world as a sad and hopeless place. When this mass is mainly made up of young people, it leads to a future world that is run by individuals who have little hope for the world and lack the enthusiasm that leads to innovation.
Indeed, we cannot always predict and filter the kind of information that we receive on a daily basis. Nevertheless, the simple awareness that information can shape our entire outlook can be crucial in shaping not just our own identities but our very perspective of the world. When we receive negative news, we have the responsibility not simply to remember it but to see if there is anything we can do to change the situation or prevent it from happening again. If there is nothing positive that can come from a conversation, it is our responsibility to step away from it.
Our power to change the world is one of our most important assets as the human race. Let us make a promise never to let hopelessness weaken this strength.