INERTIA: THE WALL BETWEEN YOU AND PROGRESS

It is funny how the very epitome of talent in the present is a hindrance to the ‘progress’ of mankind. The reason – ‘INERTIA’. If you were to ask a doctor his/her opinion on a device which would prevent people from falling ill, it would be discarded into the bin, in front of your eyes as utopian thought process. What could be the reason for such behaviour from humans, in our present example – the doctor.

While at one end the reason could very simply be that this ‘device’ is nothing but placebo, a phenomenon in which the mind is fooled to believe the end result is happening through a phoney medicine/approach. BUT it still brings out a debate – do we as humans discard futuristic, progressive and new methods due to our own inertia and thereby elongate our miseries and prolong our progress. The desire to hold on, resist change, could go on to become the very reason for the disappearance for the species one day.

In the case in point, the doctor may be acting on sheer lack on information to him, but instead of probing a better possibility it is straight away discarded. Reasons:

·       One reason for such behaviour is sheer lack of time or rather interest by the doctor. But then don’t  the professional ethics of every field demand as a matter of duty that you should be updated about the latest in your profession. And updating yourself demand a constant endeavour to learn by trying the ‘new’.

·        Another reason, which to my observation, seems befitting our conduct, is our resistance to change. Because change is a lot of hardwork, a lot of unlearning followed by re-learning. A lot of risk taking, cultivating the nature of a child like curiosity, managing the fear of being ridiculed. All of which can be avoided, by simply discarding anything that tries to change status quo.

To make matters worse, it is when the so-called experts of present times (I call them ‘so-called’ because anyone who is not updated with the latest in not really an expert in my meaning of the word) who are the leaders of this pro status quo movement. These pseudo experts would be so hung on to their present, that they would go to the extent of figuring out more of their species and form a cartel to oppose. In the backdrop of this hypothesis, is it not obvious that anyone who stands apart, and choses to walk a different path is highly likely to succeed. The only requirement being to break your inertia!!!