The Paradox of Change

Most of us wouldn't associate fist-fighting with ballet, but at the Théatre des Champs-élysées in Paris in 1918, something strange and unprecedented occurred.

It was the long-awaited debut of The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, a Russian composer renowned for his avant-guard style. The audience was a "who's who" of the cultural elite, the glitterati of the day, all hoping to be challenged, surprised, and entertained. And indeed they were, to a greater degree than anyone had likely anticipated.

From the very first note it was clear the performance would be a radical departure from convention. The music was raw and dissonant rather than harmonious and melodic. The choreography was jarring and unrefined rather than graceful and fluid.

The crowd's reaction was immediate and visceral. Some were enthralled, sensing the dawn of a new musical era. Others were repulsed by this grotesque affront to elegance and beauty.

Murmurs in the audience grew louder and louder, until eventually there were full-throated disputes between strangers. The conductor's voice became inaudible to the performers, and he was forced to shout his tempo count to the dancers on stage. Heated arguments morphed into physical altercations, and the police were frantically summoned to the scene.

Stravinsky sat in the mezzanine level watching these bizarre developments. Who knows what he was thinking, but it might have been something along these lines:

What a strange species we humans are. We have spread across the planet, finding ways to settle and thrive in regions that are horribly ill-suited to our constitution. We've done this through our capacity to innovate as individuals and groups. Physically, we are slowly evolving. But culturally, we've been rapidly re-defining our norms over thousands of years. And yet I'm watching fist-fights in a concert theater ...

The eternal paradox of change is that change is inevitable, and that everyone resists it. Changing our minds is one of our greatest strengths as a species, yet we are deeply — sometimes violently — opposed to doing so. Our superpower is also our Achilles heel.

Intelligence is necessary but insufficient to navigate the complexity of modern life. We'll only make it to the other side if we cultivate and constantly reaffirm our commitment to learn from each other.

Stravinsky, if you're reading this in the afterworld, we thank you. It took a while for us to see the bigger picture, but you showed what it means challenge, engage, and transform.