I remember the time when I was much younger and the word radical was always equated with being a rebel, an outsider of sorts who refused to follow rules or conform to social norms.
Among my peers, nobody wanted to be called a radical by our teachers or anyone for that matter. Being on our best behaviour was preferred over the weight of that heavy label.
Fast forward to today, the same word has taken on a different meaning for me.
Similar to how the word cryptocurrency has been transformed in my mind from just a piece of speculative money to a mini-universe of decentralized possibilities.
For me, the first radical change came quietly, almost unnoticeable. It was a simple decision to question some of my inherited beliefs after reading 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' by Daniel Kahneman.
Like what's the point of accepting inherited traditions without understanding their true purpose?
For example, I had this assumption that success mostly entails climbing the corporate ladder as quickly as possible, but when it was examined thoroughly through multiple angles, I discovered another assumption that led to another(about happiness, about time, about what really matters in life, etc) and I began to follow this thread of dismantling and rebuilding a core aspect of my worldview at that time.
So much for reading one book that I thought would just improve my decision-making.
The very qualities that once made me feel like an outsider, such as my tendency to question or this inability to accept "because that's how it's always been done" turned out to be some my great strengths now.
I'm sure the teenage me who feared being labeled 'too different' would hardly recognize the adult me. Most often than not, profound growths we experience tends to entail taking a radical departure from the familiar.
Word Evolution
I think it's really fascinating how words evolve in our collective consciousness.
Some examples, 'viral' transformed from something frightening to a marker of cultural success.
'Disruption' shifted from a negative business term to a celebrated form of innovation.
'Mindfulness' escaped its niche spiritual origins to become a mainstream tool for mental health.
'Organic' expanded from a simple scientific term to a lifestyle choice and perhaps, a moral statement.
The biggest of them all is probably the word 'social'. Now, it also encompasses huge digital networks of human connection instead of just in-person gatherings like before.
Like these concepts, I'd like to think that 'radical' has been redefined by the urgency of our times. It's mostly accepted that we live in a different era now.
An era where incremental changes prove insufficient. Because it doesn't match up with the unprecedented challenges we face.
Tomorrow's Common Sense
Some of us are mildly freaking out on the transformation of work in an age where seeing the growth of AI models and infrastructure is making us question whether our current skills will be relevant tomorrow, or if we need to radically reinvent ourselves.
In this context, radical thinking leading to radical change has little to do with rebellion. But everything to do with the necessary response to a world evolving faster than our traditional solutions can handle.
In a way, we're also living in an age of originality, since radical change requires coming up with a few original thoughts, at least.
But I digress, now I'm far less hesitant to consume any content that's labeled as 'radical'. In fact, hearing or seeing the word spikes up my focus to be more attentive on what's being discussed.
Because I've gained this insight that tomorrow's common sense begins as today's radical thought.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.
Thanks for the curation, I appreciate it :)
Whenever I read your thoughts, I feel like I am reading my Son's thought. He is also on the same wavelength. Everyone calls him a radical person. But the thing is what he was talking some years ago, now people are coming to him for advice on that, who at one point of time claimed him crazy.
Whenever you break the norms you are labelled as something but the thing is not everyone makes the effort of exploring life in it's full breadth, so for the people who do it, they come out in all different names.
Interestingly, the same feeling arises in me when I read your posts. I experience aspects of my mom that I'm familiar with whenever I read your post. She's quite the explorer, very spiritual, loves gardening and conducting experiments on herbs, food ingredients etc. Definitely a creative soul too.
Yes, I think "being different" feels more right than wrong, the more we move away from a world of preconceived ideas to questioning the foundations or source of ideas, concepts etc.
Thanks for stopping by :)
I think the word "radical" is often given different meaning by different reasons, for sentimental purposes as well. As a young man, radical meant someone who is ready to do crazy things
Right. Doing crazy things is needed sometimes to wake ourselves or the people around us from the slumber of old ideas or way of doing things that are no longer working in our present environment. I do worry though on the unintended consequences that often come with doing crazy things. But it's like yin and yang, they just go together.
Thanks for stopping by :)