Reading a newspaper article yesterday enlightened me to a new terminology! How very refreshing, given that its been ages since I came across anything intellectually gratifying. muahaha..here it goes
The psychologist Martin Seligman gave the world the term "learned helplessness". His expriments indicated that animals that perceive themselves in a situation of unavoidable discomfort will finally just learn to accept the situation unconditionally.
Human beings do that too. We learn to act helpless, even if we have the power to change circumstances. "Once that happens, they become passive recipients, and there is no motivation for them to do anything."
Im sure this rings a bell to every Singaporean. Especially the guys... Learned helplessness... NS. No analogy required. haha. We have a common name for it even, "Lan-Lan Suck Thumb".
NS aside, hasn't it always been said and told that Singaporeans are an apathetic bunch? Think of the average you and me. How often have we felt that, "This is impossible, there is no better way than that, I will need this before I can move on, I cannot achieve this unless I am like them", etc. Often even in school, we are told that "things are just this way". "Accept this", "Just do it like this". Helpless.
Over time we have learned to be helpless, that unless we have this and that, we are helpless. Are we really ever helpless? How much of our life have we let slip out of our hands by simply denying that we can clench our own fate?
Think Michael Phelps. The goofy guy who won 8 olympic medals, breaking 7 in world record times. Many have told him it cannot be done. The rest is now legend.
For all of you out there who have a dream, don't lose faith! Life is lived in your own way. And for those who don't yet have a goal in life, take heart and carve your own path.
Don't learn to be helpless!!!
