"monetising anxiety is the great game"
Becoming unafraid to die, to lose, or to suffer.
It's amazing how little emotional intelligence Malaysians have. I am not referring to sentimentality, or passion ... we have that in spades, it disgusts me, but that is a separate issue from the first.
When I talk to people about motivations, some seem uncertain of what I mean. Getting anyone, to do anything, on Earth, depends on presenting incentives to the subject. All action is a matter of carrots, and sticks - if the subject feels comfortable, it is a carrot, if the subject feels uncomfortable, it is a stick. But many people do not have this understanding of themselves, or of society in general.
Absolutely nothing gets done, if someone is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. A content person does not breathe. Mostly, we can capture the sticks using a language of anxiety.
* Parents are anxious about the experiences of their kids, so parents do things, and whinge about sacrifice to make themselves feel better.
* Singles are anxious about their future experiences, so they do things, and whinge about passion as if it is something to be proud of - gold-plated anxiety.
* Carbon dioxide makes you anxious, so you breathe.
Many common anxieties lie in fear, which is a great motivator. Fear of death, kiasi, fear of losing, kiasu ... two memes from Singapore. Perhaps I have been overly conditioned by my parents who made fun of kiasu and kiasi people.
If you suggest to someone that they begin their moral belief system with two rules : you are not allowed to be kiasi, and you are not allowed to be kiasu, then you get some interesting outcomes.
No comments :
Post a Comment