The #Pandemic revealed our animal instincts. triggered by our reptilian brain which still rules the predetermined ways we react to a crisis. May automatically react in inexplicable ways.
Our subconscious mind has more power over us than we think and we are unaware of their influence on some of the most important choices, decisions and reactions we take that impact our lives.
Daniel Kahneman changed the way we think about thinking with his pioneering research, books & voluble commentary.
“Idea of human nature with inherent flaws was consistent with a tragic view of the human condition and it’s a part of being human that we have to live with that tragedy” — Daniel Kahneman’s profound comment that influenced the writing of Harvard Professor of Psychology — Steven Pinkers book “The Blank Slate”
His advice is still important today because we saw the herd mentality change in ways we had never seen before. Whether it’s panic, irrational happiness, unfounded insecurity, or fatalistic thinking.
Aside from people, economists, politicians, and intellectuals also played a role in the problems. Because of how volatile the markets were, investments, savings, and ways of making a living took a hit that was worse than the actual risks of the pandemic.
We moved back and forth like a swing in a hurricane. We ate up the content that was filled with hateful, stupid, and boring words from individuals who were responsible. We were scared by the alarming rise in infections and death rates.
Yet, traffic deaths increased year after year. Obesity & psychosomatic illnesses increase diabetes & heart attack mortality. Pollution causes chronic obstructive lung disease, and smoking & drinking kills and shortens the lives of some of our best skills & best years. All these are more than the dire numbers we got swayed caused by Covid 19. Think… Reflect .. Isn’t it perplexing?
We are influenced by accessibility biases, cognitive, statistical, content, and context biases, and impact. Surprisingly we allow such biases to rule us.
Don’t believe me? Pause — and reflect — How often did you check the scorecard on the infections, death rates ticker on our app or website or news scroll? and where did you focus ..? There was a recovery metric as well .. Isn’t it? and was this a Wimbledon or a Cricket match score that you had to see refreshed with the latest numbers every 5 minutes?
We felt sad because of how trolls and tabloids tried to get people’s attention.We let them tell us what to do and what to say. The websites lead us to analytic biases that get stronger when we click, like, forward or retweet something. Some bogus health questions!
Even after the pandemic is over, life after Covid 19 will still be hard because fears and pessimism will drive our everyday decisions. Check to see how your choices might have changed since 9/11 and the financial crisis of 2008. Think about airports and how people are checked at ports of entry. Think about the costs. You’ll be surprised to find out why we give up “Rationality and Intuition” to the reptilian brain’s “flight or fight” instinct.
Behavioural economics can be made clearer if people in power think about biases and heuristics. This can lead to a clear way to deal with both high-frequency data and the long-term effects of policy changes.
In my role as a MDM Solutions Owner, I often wonder why a business is asking for a particular metric or data point of view. It is becoming increasingly evident to me as Involve into an aspiring Data Scientist that the “Why” “Who” “When” What” Where” are more important aspects to seek, learn & understand than merely mastering tools and purging out reports “ad nauseam”
Heuristics come in all flavours, but two main types are the representativeness heuristic and the availability heuristic.
Biases, per se are unavoidable as humans are meaning making machines. Therefore, being aware of such impacts and influences can lead us to a conscious way to react and respond in humane, understanding, rational & empathetic ways.
Our thinking needs to be improved, our view of the world needs to be widened, and we need to combine fast thinking with musings, slow, careful thought with deep reflections and preponderance.
The “Why” — is a leading enabler to the choices we arrive at, therefore influencing our being a cause.
Do we need to forward that “Whatsapp” message, retweet, or like or express anger or resentment?
How does it add value or will it seek to inform or educate or inspire?
Will it trigger precaution or safety?
Is it meant to make others well-informed or make people feel good?
Does your reaction spread happiness and joy?
Is it something to celebrate?
Or mourn a loss that is heartfelt?
Being aware of our biases & influences of heuristics enlightens us to make a considered choice.
Civil Society is about civility?
Is our progress reflective of our refined thoughts and manifestations of civility?
Did we forget what it is to be humane?
Trust this write-up provoked thought in you? If it did, I shall consider my effort worthy of your valued time and attention.
PS: Examine how your biases undermine your relationship with your loved ones. What is the hearing that you are tuning into? What are the actions that unconsciously invalidate the people who love you? Or why you grow estranged after years of familiarity that it repels you into “I am right and they are the wrong syndrome”
Thank you!
