Change, the oft-overused cliché, is as real as birth and death. One may romanticize it, anticipate it, welcome it, dread it, fear it or go through all of these emotions at various points in time. As an educator, an adult, a human being struggling to make sense of the uncertainties around me, I ask myself the following question: if change is all-encompassing, omnipresent and imminent, how do I make sense of education, relationships, social media, work and the world around me while navigating uncertainties all the time? How can I attempt to live meaningfully in this world without feeling a sense of inadequacy and hopelessness?
Borrowing from Mark Antony in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, I must say I write here not to answer questions but to raise more of them. Perhaps that is the first step.
While speaking of navigating uncertainties, it might be prudent to also speak of the concept of clarity. Seeking clarity seems like a natural process for a thinking mind engaged in a question or faced with a change or uncertainty of some sort. But what is clarity? Is clarity an absolute, unchanging entity that one is seeking? Is it a goal that one aims to reach or is it a dynamic, living concept that changes or refines as we engage with questions in life? In other words, what does it mean to ‘seek clarity’?
A colleague once offered her insight on the subject: if we were to look at the bewildering and confusing messages that hit us every day in the media, if we were to understand nuances of our own upbringing (much of them born through privilege) and if one were to set a path for oneself that comes through reflection, as a revelation—not as a popularly accepted notion, not from hazy notions of being liberal and democratic or secular, but through notions that are crystal clear to you through engaging with that mess— then perhaps one could call that realisation clarity. The act of seeking clarity means not taking what is given to you, or thrown at you, for granted; not taking your situation at face value; recognising the questions, the pain and not brushing those aside.
And now I set forth bravely to refine my question and find, while attempting to do so, that I have more to add to the pool.
- How do I equip myself to meet uncertainties?
- Would evolving a system of beliefs or principles anchored in texts or long-forgotten voices of the past help?
- Do I nurture and strengthen the ‘certainties’ I know and use them as a shield in my encounter with uncertainties?
- What can I draw from within me to navigate this space when I know nothing more than the fact that something is changing?
- What is the right place of knowledge?
It is a Pandora’s box! And the questions do not stop! My attempts to reflect on these questions have led me to some insights, three of which I share below.
During a conversation about the current state of politics, a friend of mine asked me one day if I have ever changed the newspaper I consumed news from. The question caught me off guard and I sat on it for a long time. The more I thought of it, the more uncomfortable I became. For, if one extends this question to any other source of information, media and even the people we surround ourselves with, it is really asking if we unconsciously only seek what we want to hear, like to hear. Being relatively unruffled and comfortable in an echo-chamber, a comfort zone of sorts, surrounded by people and views we have been conditioned to accept, may bring a sense of comfort and certainty amidst the chaos. But this so-called illusion of certainty needs critical examination. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone to actively seek and engage with different views (and people) becomes necessary for one to let go of the stronghold of unshakeable faiths, ideas and beliefs.
Often, one feels the need to debate passionately and put forth views effectively during a conversation. There appears to be a need for speaking and talking in today’s world, resulting in a cacophony of noises, all waiting to say, speak, talk. In the ensuing din, one wonders about the need for listening and quiet. As teachers, we demand of our students to listen carefully. It is time we asked ourselves whether we fully, truly listen to another with an open mind while in conversation. When there is truly listening, one might notice that the burden to defend and respond lessens considerably. Listening carefully to other voices and to one’s own questions may be revealing, liberating and empowering in one’s quest for life and meaning.
Holding on to an opinion steadfastly and remaining consistent are often glorified. In our relationship with people and things that evolve, change and morph with every passing second, there is a greater need for a certain tentativeness. Science has shown us that no theory is irrefutable; the numerous attempts to understand the origins of the universe are proof enough! Knowledge is valuable but may be limiting. Education must encourage one to be curious, seek and question, all with a sense of openness, humility and tentativeness.
The quest to discover what I can draw from within me to live in this ever-changing world ridden with uncertainties shall continue undeterred!