Certainty

In the spring of 2011 we marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the US Civil War. As I watched the Ken Burns series on my local PBS channel, I was simultaneously horrified and mesmerized by the way soldiers marched single file, row after row into death - take for example Pickett’s Charge. I do not have the words to effectively describe Pickett’s Charge. Literally, these were dead men walking.

Throughout the series I wondered what kind of people willingly and wittingly make themselves target practice for their enemy. I can’t help but think that people in those days did have something fewer of us have today. These soldiers were courageous beyond words. But was it only their courage, commitment to their cause or obedience that compelled them onward to probable death?

Perhaps there was another ingredient, a necessary mindset, a perspective, an expectation even  – that life has little certainty to it. Life was perilous in those days. Those who survived childbirth (at least one in four children died at birth) typically never saw their 40th birthday. Death could come by way of unsanitary conditions, poor medical care, infectious diseases, pneumonia, contaminated food and water, syphilis, poor living conditions, accidents, the common cold and the like, all were regular parts of their lives. The possibility of an early grave from any one of a number of reasons was a constant reminder that life was uncertain. This understanding no doubt shaped the way life was lived. It is a striking contrast to the approach we’ve adopted in the US today, an approach that suggests that life can and should be free of uncertainty.   

Consider for a moment that the elimination of uncertainty seems to be the preferred approach to life today. The next time you watch a car commercial pay attention to the appeal to being certain (i.e. “worry free maintenance” or 100,000 mile warranties). A cell phone company wants you to be certain that you’ll have service because they provide “more bars in more places.” We are told to monitor our credit score so we can be certain that we’ll get loan approval and receive favorable interest rates. We go happily about our lives in part because of all of the things that we can be certain of (i.e. trains, planes and cars that work). 

We are insulated against many things that could end our short stay here on Earth. Our cars have multiple safety systems. Our food sources are regulated and inspected to ensure our safety. Our government preemptively addresses threats to our national security. We employ antibacterial soaps and virus killing cleaning products. Medicines and vaccines protect us against illnesses, parasites and other bodily invaders that could kill us. Maximum speed limits, road signs, guardrails, driver education, and law enforcement ensure relative order on our roadways and protect against the probable mayhem of people in cars with no rules.

Should we question this perspective? Is the life we live predicated on a belief that certainty is good and uncertainty is bad? Is the pursuit of safety and security a detour from progress and adventure? Has the notion of certainty so influenced our thinking that we feel entitled to always have our expectations met? Have we become a people sedated by the belief that a successful life is defined by a certain future with a secure retirement? Is the life that we live so governed by the need for certainty that it is devoid of any and all necessary risk?

Think about all of the ways that your life is buffered against probable harm. Now ponder if, when or how you’ve intentionally put yourself at risk? It could be suggested that we’re so heavily insulated from danger that we’ve lost the primal instinct, appetite and ability to take genuine risks. We shrink away from possible gain or benefit because we dwell instead on the possible harm or danger. Few are willing to accept as part of the benefit gained, the pain, hurt or difficulty that could accompany taking chances. Have we become conditioned to believe that danger is a bad thing and playing it safe is the only way to live? Is risk taking now only reserved for the “adrenaline junkies” (i.e. sky divers, bungee jumpers, speed enthusiasts and other thrill seekers)?

When we ponder risk taking we should also consider that it is and always has been part of our everyday human experience, and an essential factor in our progress forward.  

Certainty is certainly appealing, but in the end it has a certain sense of settling and isn't life more than just settling?

Eric