Somewhere Between Humble and Heeell No!

Why isn’t there training to deal with the work environment? Why isn’t there applauds for new ideas rather than experience? Why does it have to have been done for it to be considered as great or even good, to say the least? Beggars are not choosers, right? Following the wind and the crowd is being rewarded while new ideas are being reprimanded. All we have become are a bunch of yes men and yes women, no room for expressing your ideas because there is already a written manual of how things go. If you by any chance divert you either incompetent or under-qualified for the job.

So basically, if it’s hasn’t been done, haven’t been heard or just simply doesn’t make sense to them based on their experience, it’s not feasible or as plainly put "just not what we are looking for right now." Worse off if you so happen to be younger or not their agemate and present something foreign to their long-standing rehearsed terrain. But just because of those few zeros in your bank account you stick around.

I saw this post on LinkedIn which said, “What if we build a world for free thinkers.” It gave me mixed feelings, on one hand I was excited, happy even that someone understands and on another hand thoughts that kept my mind occupied were what had happened for someone to type those words on a keyboard and click send. So, let’s start with the meaning of “freethinker”.  According to the Dictionary.com, a freethinker is,

noun
a person who forms opinions on the basis of reason, independent of authority or tradition, especially a person whose religious opinions differ from established belief.

 

RELATED WORDS

revolutionary,progressive, uncompromising, insurgent

Forget the last part, and let’s look at a broadee meaning. Why? You may ask. Because there is no exclusion when it comes to the suppression of thinking out loud and freely. A crippling ignorance bliss to stick with the known and not allow room for free-thinking. Yes, it exists. It happens. Every day in fact. But too many people deem it as acceptable at their own discretion. Leo Tolstoy explains it better in one of his quotes saying, “Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges or beliefs. This state of mind is common, but it is essential for right thinking.”

Okay, let me elaborate. How many times has your idea been turned down because you were the youngest in the room? How many times was it said that your idea is not just what we are looking for? How many times where you asked if someone else has succeeded in the project you pitched? I’m not saying it happens all the time but 99% of the time it’s because your business idea, project or any innovation is foreign (according to them). But then again how do we grow if we stick to the known.

I know it might seem farfetched but it related to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's, Danger of a single story. She quoted, “A single-story becomes that which we judge all other people from; it is a one-dimensional perspective of something that is actually quite complex. It is a misinterpretation of reality.” Okay, what am I saying? Taking from the idea above, why deprive ourselves of new possibilities, new opportunities, and new ideas. Why focus on ‘what was done’ when we can determine ‘what will be done’. The world is evolving, times are changing and technology is taking over… What worked decades ago, is slowly becoming volatile. But then again, the free-thinking of one age is the common sense of the next.

We lead ourselves to be divided by age. An ill that is now being normalized. Younger adults have difficulty finding jobs and receive lower pay due to their perceived lack of experience, while older adults have problems achieving promotions, finding new work, and changing careers.

Ageism seeps into everything we have been doing for many decades.

•  It inhibits staff recruitment.
• It clouds the public’s view of what we do.
• It negatively influences philanthropy.
•  And it leads to onerous public policies.

But when will the fight end? When will we let the next generation lead? When will we let ideas lead rather than authority? Hopefully sooner than later!