Navigating the Noise: Empowerment in a Chaotic World
Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with information designed to stimulate us or keep us in the darkest places of our minds. Over eight arduous years, politics has become a phony dog and pony show of pomp, press, and pageantry, silencing the lighthouse keepers who warn us that we are on a collision course toward something dangerous.
On the other hand, people are so eager to end the assault against equality that you can feel the energy surge. This desire is uniting us with a palpable sense of relief. We see this battle for what it truly is—a struggle between the people and a perverted theater of distraction.
How can we feel more empowered in our political process? The answer lies in our choices. Our choices, even small or routine ones, can create the transformations we collectively seek. Transformations that foster a safe, equal, and just way of living.
Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, suggests that making small changes in our body language can shift our feeling of powerlessness to feeling empowered. This can help us better represent ourselves in an interview, a classroom, or even at the voting booth.
The modern-day sense of division seems more like a fast-growing world of illusionary tricks and sensationalized headlines. This is coupled with unhealed intergenerational trauma, further fueled by technology, artificial intelligence, and automation. Even checkout lines at the supermarket leave us feeling less comfortable in our familiar surroundings. Some of these are the pains of a growing civilization, while others are not.
Adding to this confusion are misinformation and disinformation campaigns. How could we not feel angry, misled, or uninformed? Misinformation includes news clips or sound bites taken out of context, designed to create a rush of emotion. Disinformation is more sinister, consisting of lies or conspiracies intended to derail our balance and critical thinking. Both manipulate our perception of life.
However, Amy Cuddy reminds us of the power we already have. Taking small daily risks will empower us. Practice a power stance, as she demonstrates in her 20-minute TED Talk below. And I’ll add:
Connect the dots by expanding your sources of reputable information.
Ask ChatGPT if something you read is true.
Google search topics that interest you.
Talk to your friends in a deeper and more sincere way.
We are naturally curious beings. I believe wholeheartedly that there is hope, even in unimaginable circumstances. A friend, a tool, or a resource always shows up when we need it the most. Yes, some days will be better than others. We struggle, make sense out of chaos, fall down, and get back up. On brighter days, we lead the pack. Perhaps extreme perceptions remind us that we are at our best somewhere in the middle.
Determining what is real and unreal requires us to listen for ship bells and foghorns, to look for the lighthouse beacon flashing. It’s the lighthouse keeper that keeps us safe. And the keeper is you.
Amy Cuddy
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash