Duality Discussions

I come from a relatively silo upbringing without much outside influences, as schoolwork was the central focus. I had some fun in college but then dived straightforwardly into further education. The good side was that it made me strong on my stuff, while the downside was that I know I don’t know much about my surroundings. In my early years, this not-knowing was a constant reminder that I was not quite in the mix, but as I have acquired some grey hairs, I think not-knowing was not that much to matter anyway.

I have realized more that every individual has unique potential. They may have a little more sugar, while you may have a little more salt, and at the same time, your other friend, who usually goes around as a jack of all trades, may have some pepper with salt. Some are book smart, some are street smart, and some are handypersons. My high school friend was street smart; she knew every face at the school, whereas I was a book nerd; I would not understand plain jokes. But we were great friends, and we still are. After all, as Osho says (I don’t really take all his preachings, but have listened to some a few years ago), the water on the two sides of the riverbanks may seem polarized, but as you go down, the water becomes homogenous at the bottom of the waterbed. So, no matter how nerdy, weird, classic, or extravagant people are, they are all the same at the core.

I have written several creative pieces as articles on LinkedIn when I am on the creative side of thinking. However, I decided to structure them in terms of time and presentation and start writing them as Newsletters. No, I will not send you invites for subscriptions, as I respect your time, but I would appreciate it if you joined if my writings interest you.

My initial encounter with duality thoughts-

I have many contradictions. My worldview has changed from a “service to others” mindset to a “bringing light into the darkness” perspective. Before enrolling in the PhD program, as a healthcare professional, I used to think that providing care and service to sick people was my definition of worldview. Philosopher Immanuel Kant coined the term Worldview as a collection of human experiences, and I would assume that our worldview changes as we change. ?

This paradigm shift did not happen overnight. Conceptual analysis and philosophical understanding were some of the factors that contributed to it. I was forced to look at things differently. Every object, every action, and every function seem to have two sides to them. And the more I knew, the more I enjoyed this thinking. The enlightenment that came along was “there is no right or wrong to any given topic.”

If we see snow as a cold object, we can also consider it a symbolic function for winter, the time of climate change, the migration of birds, the holiday season, and bringing families home. There are so many views of looking at the same snow, and everyone is free to make their interpretations of the snow.

A duality discussion in a clinical setting could be:

Anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Psychiatrists may argue as mental health illness. Psychologists may say these conditions need counseling. But I think, in my opinion, it is good to have a little dose of anxiety and a little dose of ADHD along with OCD.

Anxiety helps us to make decisions to do something towards what is causing that anxiety. It motivates us to take action. We voluntarily take action and prepare ourselves. Thus, we become well prepared. And when we have done enough preparation, we may succeed. In short, anxiety may lead to success.

Similarly, ADHD keeps us active and energetic in completing tasks. A person may have a short attention span but can utilize these short, intermittent focus blocks to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. OCD traits can be beneficial in keeping us organized, cleaning, and organizing our surroundings.

I would love to hear if my discussions made you think of the duality of any particular subject.

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