Yesterday in class, our discussion delved into various global challenges, and I assigned one team the task of presenting on global socio-economic challenges. The discussion became quite heated (I believe because there are so many challenges in the world today - especially those that other people don't understand), prompting one of my typically reserved students to raise his hand. Eager to hear his perspective, we all shifted the focus to him, asking for his insights and potential solutions to mitigate these challenges.
To our surprise, he calmly suggested, "I have a brilliant idea. Why don't we all just ignore those issues, assume they are not there, and live our lives happy. Y'all are stressing on things we can't fix?" The room fell into a momentary silence as we looked at him in disbelief. He remained unmoved, steadfast in his perspective. His proposition raised a thought-provoking question: Why are we getting worked up about things we have no control over?
After class, his statement lingered in my mind, leading me to reflect on instances where I've allowed worry to consume me when perhaps the more fitting response was stillness and doing nothing. It's not an endorsement of ignoring challenges, but rather an acknowledgment that sometimes, addressing our personal challenges requires a moment of quiet reflection and inaction.
In essence, while it's essential to address global and personal challenges actively, the student's unconventional viewpoint serves as a reminder that there are moments when stillness and a brief pause can provide clarity and a renewed perspective. It's not about ignoring issues, but about discerning when our actions will be most effective and when a moment of tranquility might be the best course of action.