Mind and Mechanics

                                        

      

                                        Physics was my favorite subject long time back, before I had to say good bye to it. Physics, like every other science talks about the pattern of behavior of things. Particularly it theorizes the pattern of physical behavior of matter. Somehow, I managed to clearly understand this pattern and hence immediately became fond of it and good at it. There is a state called "stable equilibrium" in mechanics which explains, for example, the state of a Ping-Pong ball kept in a semi spherical bowl or more simply speaking the state of a pendulum at rest. This is a stable equilibrium because if one displaces the Ping-Pong ball in the bowl or the pendulum at rest and leaves them, after some swirling and swinging both will come back to rest in the same position. No matter how much you displace the objects in stable equilibrium, they have a tendency to revert to their original position. Similarly atoms and molecules have a way of organizing themselves into the most stable configuration. After observing myself and people around me for a long time I have found this is true with human beings too. Like chemical compounds and objects in stable equilibrium, I feel our minds too like to come back to a state of equilibrium. This equilibrium is different for different people and one is at peace with himself and surroundings in this state of equilibrium.

                                        Exploring the outside world or learning new things (curiosity), looking inward, having deep thoughts or introspecting (introversion), wanting to be engaged with a big group of people, socializing (extroversion),  the feeling not to think too much, pleasure oneself, relax and appease the senses(Hedonism).. etc are some of the tendencies in human beings. There are many more such tendencies which come into play in human minds in different combinations and different degrees. By mental equilibrium, I mean this combination of different tendencies in one’s mind. An outright introvert can only be at peace with himself when he is alone, thinking about his actions, engaging in deep thoughts or sharing something close to his heart with a close friend etc. Similarly people with different tendencies are at ease with themselves when they have the freedom to act according their tendencies. If one asks an introvert to involve in a loud group conversation which is utterly pointless, he has to strain himself, exert a lot of energy to come out of his equilibrium and go into a new mode.  Similarly an extrovert will be at extreme unease when left alone and asked to enjoy something pleasant on his own. He enjoys talking and that gives him positive energy. The curiosity of an inquisitive person doesn’t die even if you anesthetize him. Even if we try to change our behavioral tendencies, we eventually fall back into our natural equilibrium without realizing. I feel no tendency is bad or good in absolute sense. They can only be good or bad based on whether they are helping oneself to achieve one’s desired goal or not.

                                        

                                         Recently I went on a weekend trip to Lonavala with a bunch of people from office. Majority of them are hyper-active people who could enjoy chitchatting for hours on matters that could seem silly to a 3^rd standard student. They kept pulling my leg about being aloof and silent most of the time. I wondered at their inability to understand a personality type. In spite of the energy that they exhibited through the trip and the fun and humor in their conversations which made me smile thousand times, my best moments on the trip were the ones when I got up in the morning and sat in the balcony looking at the distant mountains, thinking deeply, enjoying the nature from my bungalow.

                                          So, the whole point of my observation is not that one has to accept his weaknesses as one can’t do much about it. I would say there is no weakness at all in the way our minds are designed. One has to choose ones calling by understanding his tendencies. Just like the way every compound on this earth has a unique property and use, we can choose to do something that suits us in a unique way, where the mind does not spend too much energy moving from its equilibrium. This is also to sensitize people regarding different personality types and appreciate the people the way they are. Remember, the best in us comes out when we are least strained.