Nov 23, 2020
Decoding Transformation-‘Pragmatism’ series
‘Pragmatism’ series#1: “So What”: Time Machine alias Contextual Approach
It may no more be a miracle to go back and forth in time by skipping months or years. So what, can’t we by-pass a few months and move into the next year without anyone knowing it?. That was my 5-year-old daughter asking with conviction the other day. The voice was of the future generation to whom there is no word as impossible. The discussion was about a desire to eat a fruit which is available only during the Indian summer. After a few minutes of silence, I explained the plantation life cycle, including its harvesting period and consumption timeframe. A key take away was the initial response or reaction, So what that will enable the future generation to explore countless opportunities.
In a different context, the present and previous generations, the so-called young and old adults, including me, acknowledge that time travel is not a possibility. On another note, we all wish the dreadful year 2020 is removed from life history and perhaps will be the unforgettable year of this century.
The difference between the previous, present, and future generations is the belief and the mindset.
The future generation sports a mindset which is like a time machine that challenges the status quo and focuses on its destination by creating its path. The result could be infinite possibilities. Hence, an invention of the time machine that will transport humans back and forth is no more a distant possibility.
My mind is a time machine
-Richard L Ratliff
Whereas the present and previous generations sport a mindset filled with experiences, accepting the situations and focusing on the path which already exists. The result is still achieved eventually with a longer duration.
The intent of this comparison is no way to portray a superior angle but to pinpoint how a dynamically evolving situation can be responded to and embraced successfully by sporting a contextually aligned mindset like that of a time machine.
A contextually aligned mindset produces a contextually aligned solution. A contextually aligned solution could be changing the playing field itself. Consumption of fruit can be had by transcending the time into the future when it is available or genetically modify the growth cycle in a controlled environment to produce the fruit any time of the year. There could be a few more ways to create the fruit, too.
Another real-world example of usage of a famous phrase these days is We are where we are. Used when things do not go as planned and everyone involved acknowledges there are challenges preventing progress. Mostly all options have hit a roadblock, and then wait and watch approach followed for a better turnaround. This mindset is like the present and previous generation’s mindset.
Applying the Key approach of So what to this frequently used phrase we are where we are, it becomes — We are where we are, So what?. The focus now shifts on unearthing the possibilities to overcome the present situation through a contextually aligned solution.
With our day to day interactions and environment progressing at an ever-faster pace, the shift from physical to virtual, functioning in an auto-mode, information accessed instantly, and requirements getting fulfilled in record time frames, there is a sense of a deep assurance to witness multiple possibilities of what is considered now as miracles.
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