♪ “..It hurts so good…” ♫
The human paradox is that we crave change and growth and resist it just as savagely. Cognitive Dissonance: an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously.
I am no psychologist. I am an introvert, though, and I have a theory that we introverts have more of a struggle with change than do the trail blazers.
It takes me longer to embrace new ideas, methods of operation, and technology. Once on board I am an enthusiastic, even obnoxious, convert.
Why do we resist? Fear of assimilation? Nostalgia?
Beyond “a certain age” every generation longs for the good old days, and this is despite the fact that their good old days were someone else’s scandalous deviation from what was accepted as proper. “If God had wanted us to travel at 30 miles per hour we would have been born with wheels”.
Is resistance futile?
Perhaps not in some respects. Antiques and memorabilia and each generation’s longing for throw backs to simpler times will continue to appeal to many.
In an MP3 generation vinyl is making a comeback. “Retro” is cool in fashion. But whether you call it progress or degeneration humanity shall continue to hurtle itself forward because the human mind must envision and create to remain alive.
Stagnation kills a lot of things.
Facebook was the domain of only the young only a few years ago.
I was at a social media event recently where it was stated that 67% of all Facebook users now are grandparents, many of them doing cyber business there seven days a week.
The young will probably do everything first, but I know that an increasing number of people in my own age group do follow trends almost fanatically and are in the line ups for the newest piece of technology.
I will vehemently defend your right to be a Luddite.
I shall also attempt to master the new technologies and realities that will drive business and yes, the arts, into the future.
I am spotting another paradox.
In times past, the most highly educated were the enlightened ones who wanted to forge ahead. Ironically, it seems to be most educated people I know, the ones who insist on creative license and freedom to improvise, who are spearheading the passive resistance. Interesting.
Wendy Reis Editing (Blog) 