The psychologist Daniel Gilbert developed a theory of believing and unbelieving. He proposed that understanding a statement must begin with an attempt to believe it in the first place. In another word, you must first know what the idea would mean if it was true, then you can decide whether to believe it.
‘These "circuit breaker" measures
to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Singapore include
a shutdown of most workplaces and a full roll-out of home-based
learning for students. - DPM Heng Swee Keat’
I’m sure you all have
experienced in person or watched through video how people have been panic
buying before or after announcement. Panic buying is a response to the tendency
to create a mental image that makes sense to us yet surrounded by uncertainty.
Since other countries impose lockdown, we instinctively associate the policies
that the Singapore government introduces as lockdown measures, without even
considering the true intentions of containing the spread of the virus.
Numerous
recent safety measures in the education domains have also been set in place, from
taking of temperature taking twice daily to full home-based learning for
students in all schools and institutes of higher learning. This raises a
question as to how students can be socially responsible amid uncertainty.
Here, I propose a
2-pronged solution: Pause and Trust.
·
TRUST the government and trust the experts in the
subject matters. Comprehensive and robust measures are evidence-based.
·
PAUSE. Do a thorough read-up on the measures taken,
including the rationale behind the measures before posing a judgment. Kahneman
was optimistic in his book Thinking Fast and Slow that there
are two different psychodramatic characters in us: System 1 and System 2.
System
1 (the
character responsible for making intuitive decisions) could be tamed and
complemented by its associate, System 2 (the character responsible for
rationalising). He proposed that we should rationalise our intuitions. Pause,
and avoid letting your intuition solely govern your decisions surrounded by
uncertainty.
Our
System 1 may be representing those who are panic buying or spreading fake news
to create unnecessary anxiety in the community. However, our System 2 may be
more rational in every aspect. For example:
1.
It is impossible for everyone to be happy.
2.
The risk of exposure may be too high for
institutions and the ministry to take
3.
Home-based learning could be a better
alternative after all (flexible study schedules, seeking comfort in the
confines of home)
Well, just think about it, maybe this pause is an education for everyone; for us to share housechores, for us to decide things together, for us, once, to have more time for our loved ones and everything that you used to love to do. And perhaps it is also time for us to relearn how to love the Earth better, love ourselves better and of course love people around us better.
Let's feel the nature once more!!
- Current affairs enthusiast
- Freelance Writer and blog owner
- Undergraduate in Psychology
- Certificate of Practical Counselling
- Administrative Assistant to Psychological Care
Ward (Statistics, planning and researching Ward Activities which include
emotion discovery, therapeutic games, poetry appreciation, and assisting
Psychologist and Psychiatrist in monitoring patients' progress)
- Officer in the Boys Brigade (Training and
Finance Officer. Attended Intentional Mentoring training (inclusive of
summits and formal training) and overseeing Mentoring and character
development of youths)
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