On uncertainty
Mandalay, 2016
When the earthquake strongly struck north Myanmar, many of us were shocked that Bangkok, the capital of Thailand with increasing number of skyscrapers, was also greatly affected. Tall buildings oscillated and even collapsed. People there escaped to outdoors to stay safe.
As the strong earthquake centred near Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar, and the country is no longer democratic like ten years ago and controlled by the military government so that news and updated are not so transparent, I expect the places I visited in 2016 have been seriously devastated.
The wooden Mandalay Palace, 2016
Prediction, understanding and reality
Many of us may be shocked of the earthquake because we didn’t hear so many similar incidents occurring there, especially when Bangkok has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Meanwhile, we might hear Aung San Suu Kyi, the activist who fought for democracy for her own country, more than other kind of news from Myanmar. The military government also plays the role of blocking most information, and thus we are naturally less actively aware of what the country is happening especially when we live in the world full of information.
I googled to see if earthquakes in Myanmar are rare. The answer is no, according to Wikipedia.
In the age of social media, we know much more about the world, however knowing more doesn't mean understanding more and better, and even realising if there is something that is not told. All of us can speak out to share our own views and predict something. Unfortunately we still overemphasise things which is not vital, while overlooking most other things which do matter, resulting in Grey and Black Swans.
On one hand, we are too confident in knowing everything; on the other hand, it’s impossible for us to notice everything.
When I visited Myanmar, the country started opening up and people were able to choose the government. Almost everyone could have a smartphone connecting to the world through Facebook. More new buildings especially in Yangon. More tourists. More public transport improvements. I was sure it will be better but who knows the country has been dominated by the military government again, and Aung San Suu Kyi is in the prison now!
On accepting uncertainties
In history we have been working hard to create a safer and more comfortable world. Such actions can range from introducing various preventive measures, designing safer buildings which are more resilient to natural disasters, to collaborating with various people to fix issues together.
But some people opt for zero-sum games to protect themselves by harming and killing others. The dictatorship of Myanmar is one of the examples: the military government can manage to maintain their own status with the costs of killing all kinds of opportunities to improve Myanmar. As a result, both their citizens and officials suffer from this earthquake. The country has lost its momentum and people still live in poverty.
It’s normal that we hate uncertainties and wanna kill them. However this attitude can lead to more uncertainties. If we can accept its existence and live with them rather than feeling threatened, endless interpersonal conflicts will be avoided and most of the negative impact from uncertainties that we can’t prevent can, at least, be minimised.
Stay curious
If we are able to coexist with uncertainties, we can stay more curious instead of judgment, self-defence, feeling ashamed, perfectionism and unnecessary comparison to others, by discovering especially the “unknown unknowns” of the world. Curiosity can turn uncertainties into positive energy and opportunities in our life!
Hope everyone in Myanmar and Thailand are safe!
Bagan, 2016
