I’ve been writing for several years about the unconscious (likely genetic) drive to preserve homeostasis … aka status-quo, familiar, known (of identity and worldview)
Not only do I consider myself to be somewhat of an expert in this subject, I also consider myself to be fairly articulate and clear in my writings about it.
Which is why I was SO PISSED when I heard Sam Harris out-quip-me in a casual comment he made in a recent podcast.
Sam said: “Each one of us is the olympic world champion at remaining EXACTLY WHO WE WERE YESTERDAY”.
That is such a beautiful, clear and eloquent way to stay it, that I’m profoundly humbled. What he means is that every prior second of your life, has been spent practice, training, repetition (of your nervous system) to be exactly who you are now. NO ONE has practiced YOUR SPECIFIC identity/personality more than you … hence “world champion”.
The answer to “why” is “evolutionary mandate” … the reason you are here today is because your ancestors kept their operational behavior within the familiar tolerances of their parents. This is a survival tool. In other words, the kids who went outside the norms, and made friends with the crocs, never made it to child bearing age. So this is built into all of us…
And the way out is to make a game of facing discomfort … only by getting OUTSIDE your familiar comfort zone, can you retrain your nervous system.
My incredibly talented oldest daughter painted this for me …