Hello readers!
I hope you’re doing well in your respective journeys in tackling with the unexpected crisis. We are all in this together.
Our brains evolved after seeing a lot of crises. Our ancestors saw death due to snake bites, famines, natural disasters etc. Though these dangers are not common in the modern world, our brains are hard wired to produce the feelings of fear, urgency etc., which helped our ancestors back then. But these innate instincts stop our minds from thinking critically and objectively.
The COVID-19 crisis and the isolation due to lockdown must have provided enough time for us to recall all our instincts. Our future would be appearing uncertain and filled with negative prospects. The fear is understandable. After all, it is one of the rare times when our brains are responding to situations they are evolved to handle – crisis.
But crisis distorts our world view. It has distorted mine. From thinking to a prospect that the world economy would only fall from now on to a situation of war at borders due to India-China conflict at Ladakh, my mind had built many worst case scenarios. Many “What ifs?” troubled me – What if I remain jobless?; What if I get infected with COVID-19? etc., etc. I’m sure you would have had your own share of worrying questions. I won’t judge you for you that. It’s human.
But it’s also human to step back and think objectively. Our instincts may be over-powering us at the moment; but once they calm down, we have to give a chance to rational part of the brain to assess the reality. It is in this context that Hans Rosling’s Factfulness will help you.
Factfulness is a methodology of thinking. Hans Rosling describes ways in which we can control over instincts while we consume information. He backs up these methods with his rich first-hand experience as a doctor and health researcher in various parts of the world.
This book will also help as a stress buster. If you share any immensely negative view about the future of humanity, this book could calm your nerves. But be ready to be surprised how little you know about the world you live in.
I’ve read Factfulness at the right time. It is very relatable to the current situation. It gave me enough mental models to understand reality. I’m sure it would help you as well. It is a short read and you’ll definitely be better equipped mentally to deal with the current situations after reading this book. Don’t miss it!
Until next time..
Sai Krishna 