Reality Change(s). #37 #cong23 #reality
Synopsis:
All our realities are our own. Recognising others realities may help us change our own. If we can change our reality by seeing others, thus the world changes bit by bit.
Total Words
Reading Time in Minutes
4
Key Takeaways:
- “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails” – adaptation is good
- In all encounters – strive to make them better
- Be tolerant
- Be interested in the small things
About Chris Reina:
Chris Reina has been involved in education since 2002, technology since 1981 and Making since 1971. (You do the maths). He is 1/3 of MakerMeet.ie – who deliver Maker-led, project-based S.T.E.A.M. workshops nationwide to primary, secondary, third-level and other institutions.
He feels passionately that education is the most important thing in the world and that teaching using Maker skills is the most rewarding job there is.
Chris loves cats, kayaking, kite-flying, steampunk, pedantic semantics and knowing the meanings of ligatures, aglets, gallibanders and lexiphanic.
Contacting Chris Reina:
By Chris Reina
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
Buckminster Fuller
As often happens – when asked to write words and the opportunity to include a quotation arises… I turn to Buckminster Fuller.
A polymath of wonderful quotations and a deep thinker, he never fails to deliver. As I pondered this quote… initially it appealed to me for its rebellious nature. After some thought, I realised it works far better as a quote to inspire research, creativity and deep thought.
We all live extremely different lives. Geography, generations and a lived experience all affect what we think, do, how we act and what shapes our personal reality.
As technology expands and progresses, the world in turn becomes smaller and all of us are swept up in the flotsam and jetsam of living. Reality changes for all of us, sometimes that reality is public, sometimes private, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
In the dawning of the new age of (AI) Artificial Intelligence, the world is set to change dramatically in the next few generations. This will certainly affect us all in many diverse ways. While we can’t predict what those changes will be – one thing is for certain – there will be people who use this for the benefit of others and there will be those who use it for the detriment of others.
We will need to learn how to use this new technology to shape our new realities.
While AI is the newest, greatest shiny thing… I find myself ruminating even further on how much we affect and change our own realities. How much do we shape the world we live in? Family, work, community? Those of us that are more privileged have the ability to shape our environment to a higher degree than those that are less privileged. Choice plays a large part in how we interact with the world, how we feel emotionally about it and how our mental health is impacted. The less choice we have, the more anxiety and downward spirals our brains inflict on us. Of course, the opposite can be true.
Being aware of people around us and how we can impact others reality has become a challenge for me. I actively try to be less grumpy and more aware of others who may be feeling anxious, down or just shit-sick of the way life is treating them. 2 cases in point…
1) Having come from a meeting which didn’t go very well, I stopped for a sandwich. The chap behind the counter was clearly just going through the motions and appeared to have been mentally kicked by this employer, customers and perhaps everyone else.
I simply commented on his tattoos and that I liked them. His demeanour immediately changed, he became more animated, interested and forthcoming. We chatted for a few minutes while he made my sandwich, we bid each other farewell and I walked away.
I don’t know how I impacted his life – quite possibly he thought “what a strange person that was” – but I know I left the experience feeling better.
2) I was in a supermarket purchasing my goods – got chatting to the young man at the counter who was scanning things nearly quicker than I could load them. Rather than feeling under pressure – I let myself consider what that skill could be used for… I thought he would be great at knitting. I commented that with hands that fast, he could knit a scarf in just a few hours.
He nearly exploded with joy – and asked how I could know he was a knitter? I (surprised) didn’t of course, but just thought he would be good at it. He explained his grandmother had taught him from a very young age and it was one of his favourite activities to do. At this point, the rest of the queue were listening to his story and he apologised to them starting to speed up. The lady behind me began asking questions of him we all stood there for almost 5 minutes just chatting.
After I paid and began to walk away, he gave me a fist bump. I swear to you… I’m still living on that encounter. The lady behind me waved and thanked me… I don’t really know why… but again, I know I left that encounter feeling on top of the world.
Perhaps we do shape reality more than we know and just maybe we do reap what we sow.