Irrational EnvironmentsFiguring Shit Out
Figuring Shit Out
I think there are two very defined ways to deal with things that life throws at you. Let’s call them modes. The “modes” we live in. I assume that we all live in self-interest (another argument to be had). Meaning we all live to fend for ourselves (excluding mother-son relationship).
Let’s call the first mode rational behavior. Behavior that is “based on or in accordance with reason or logic.” This is common-sense behavior often used in day-to-day situations. Us humans are comfortable with rationality because it MAKES SENSE. We love things to make sense (at least some of us, others prefer really hard problems).
Now the second mode is much more difficult to understand; and that is the mode of irrational thinking. Irrationality is not logical or reasonable to understand. And we are not that comfortable with the thought of that. The thought of trusting ‘gut’ decision making over logic and reason we don’t know how to interpret it.
These irrational behaviors are what excite me.
This whole time I have been trying to take a rational approach to exploring an irrational topic — trying to make sense of illogical decisions. Something that is impossible! Yet this is really important.
The reality is that you are required to make crucial decisions during times of irrationality. During times where nothing makes sense and you are relying on your fight or flight instincts to hold you together. These are some of the most important times in your life:
As a big time CEO making a strategic business decision when one of your partners just turned on you (for no immediately apparent reason) — you need to know what to do.
If you are in a life or death situation with an active shooter, nothing makes sense. But it is all about making rational decisions in the light of irrationality.
Life represents the battle between rational and irrational environments. And humans piece them together to form society.
Sometimes life gets you down — you are put in shitty situations. Last week I was right by a shooting. The next day an earthquake. This week car got broken into. SHIT HAPPENS. And it will continue to happen. Life continues to throw environments at you that don’t make any sense. Why did someone steal from us? Am I going to stop parking my car now? No.
Life goes on, you must also.
Woah. You read the whole thing! Thank you so much. I’d really appreciate if you shared this with a friend!
Let’s continue this conversation
twitter — @jrdngonen
email — jordangonen@wustl.edu
By jordangonen on June 14, 2016.
Exported from Medium on February 17, 2018.