It's a common question: how do I better understand my life? How can I better understand why things happen, why people act the way they do? Why do people make irrational decisions?
Well, I hopefully can provide you with a few answers. These answers are not so much answers per se as they are guidelines to understanding human behavior. It's important to recognize these as an diaphanous set of ideas rather than a concrete set of rules, simply because there are, and always will be, exceptions.
Now, a warning. This list is incomplete. These ideas are things that I, personally, have found to be true on a large enough scale to warrant inclusion.
So, with that, let the listing begin. I will explain everything post-list.
1: First Rule of Life.
People fear what they don't understand.
2: Second Rule of Life.
When truth and perception of the truth differ, actual truth becomes inconsequential.
3: Third Rule of Life.
Reaction will always be out of proportion to what is required.
4. Fourth Rule of Life.
Every plan will go awry.
So. That's it, for now. You want an explanation of those? I'll bet. While the ideas themselves are fairly simple, the things you can derive from them are relatively complex. For instance, the first rule is the basis for the second rule. Without the first, the second wouldn't make nearly as much sense.
As for an explanation, the first rule of life simply says that people have an innate fear of things that are beyond comprehension. Now, this is not to say that people fear change. Change is understandable. It is when there is something completely alien in front of them that people start acting irrational. This simple idea is what caused the Salem Witch Trials. People had no knowledge or understanding of the hallucinogenic properties of ergot. Thus, they fell back on their ingrained beliefs and killed people who caused the fear. The Inquisition, the Crusades, and almost all religious conflicts can be explained in this one sentence.
What can you learn from this? Educate people. Prepare people. Show people, very carefully, what is actually going on. Chances are their reactions won't be nearly as violent as they would have been.
Second rule. This is also a fairly simple idea. I have problem putting it into words though. The basic idea is that when people perceive that the truth is a certain thing when in actuality it is completely different, the fact that the truth is different has no bearing on their actions. Make sense? There's not much to get from this, except a better understanding of why people continue in courses of action that make so sense whatsoever. I won't get into examples. They're too common to try and name.
Third rule. This is also a very simple idea. Basic concept: people will never react exactly as they should. There are, of course, exceptions. But those are outweighed by examples of this. People will either react too much, or too little. Simple idea, but very important to understand. This rule completely explains the next one.
Speaking of which, the Fourth rule. You've probably heard of this before. The best laid plans go awry. Well, I've changed it up a bit. Now it's, "all plans go awry." Why? Third rule. You make your plans based on how you think people will react. When they don't your plans are shot. Maybe salvageable, but you won't be following that course of action anymore.
So that's about it. Four ideas, four Rules. Exceptions occur (of course) but they are far outweighed by situations that conform to these guides.
So remember, next time you're trying to make changes among an older crowd, it may not be you. It may simply be that the people don't understand it. And in not understanding it, they reject it out of hand. Stay patient. Stay persistent. Everything will change with enough effort.
