A Treatise on Extremes

Our infatuation with exceptional talents and standing out from the crowd may be misguided. The world highlights prolific accomplishments of “successful” human beings, narrating attributes of success to the profiles of such individuals. These people must possess something that we do not have, otherwise, they would not be more successful nor attractive and inspiring to us. This tangled thinking is egoically driven; somebody has to win the lottery, otherwise, nobody would play.

Reading books on behavioral economics, psychology, and human thinking as an exploration of my self has led me to question how much we can attribute to our own devices? And how much is left to randomness? In a world of limitless possibility and an overarching zeitgeist that informs our sociological being, our actions seem very inconsequential. Reflecting further on our ability to exhibit free will and discern an absolute personality, the idea of imparting excellence unto the world and succeeding above other seems even more daunting.

Domination and excellence are in our genetics, power hierarchies have evolved with us over millions of years. Darwinian fitness to our current environment allows selective traits and abilities to excel, while others shrink. Over-fitness to a particular environment may spell disaster in the coming months, while the under-fit lie suppressed, waiting for their next opportunity. We see fashion trends and financial stocks explode and seamlessly go into the nether. Evolutionary cycles are omnipresent and they compete for our attention because they are hard-wired into our evolutionary success. As human beings, our success relies on our ability to discern trends and position ourselves higher on the totem pole.

But, “that’s not me,” many argue … “I’m an altruistic person who cares for others, and the power game does not apply”.

Taking the moral high ground is a defensive strategy (rather than shameless admission), it attempts to dispel your own human nature. When considering two ends of the spectrum —the spiritually enlightened and the psychopathic, one completely altruistic, and the other impulsively self-serving, both derive a sense of fulfilling their innate drives. One gains from cooperation, the other from competition. Either way, both are looking to enhance their lives by fulfilling a deep sense of purpose, whichever their predisposition may be.

There exists a dichotomy between the two ends, a dichotomy where society could not exist without the other. Humanity requires cooperation, structure, and order. While, chaos, leadership, and results drive the collective and champion growth. But, it is on the extremes that things begin to get murky and unravel; the leader who initially drives results through extreme narcissism, faltering on their own hubris, or the not for profit saint who cannot put a functioning initiative together.

As humans, we are attracted to over-fitness; hyperbolized examples of humans in a particular domain. But we fail to see the one-sidedness of the extremes. The demise lies in this dichotomy of attraction, whether it is through cooperation or selfishness, the inconspicuous downside is never present. As I ponder attraction and inspiration, I realize that over-fitness is something to be avoided. It is only a short matter of time before things regress to the mean, and the popular kids are soon forgotten.

As humans, we love to learn and be a part of something. Exceedingly, we are driven towards learning new skills or becoming a part of a new group. However, once the novelty wears off, we become less attracted and move on. It’s a form of ADHD, trying to achieve exceptional results, moving on from one thing to the next, yet never fully achieving the mark. Our attempts to grasp for higher social landscapes continually pervade us, because nothing remains status quo. Working in the health industry, I have witnessed many clients and trainers take on exceptional goals, such as running a marathon, being extremely flexible, or wanting to lift more than ever — most likely, because of an extremist narrative. I would ask why? What is it that you are trying to achieve by attempting to model this extreme? Why pay so much attention and effort to this narrative specifically? It undoubtedly happens that motivation and reward decline as the novelty wears off, only leading to disappointment.

It is much better to admit our human nature and to understand that the extremes are where we are attracted, but they are also where people suffer and nature discriminates the most. It is much better to be on the moderate side, anti-fragile if you will, by collecting a platitude of experiences and resources to be well-equipped for whatever circumstance life can throw at you. Profound examples of moderation come from our most basic drives, such as for water, food, sex, or sleep. Too little, or too much of one of these things can cause an imbalance (an extreme). We are driven for an eclectic pablum of activities, and we thrive when we honor this law of nature. Perhaps then, the individuals who are most likely to succeed are the ones that are moderate in their approach and subsequently, less vulnerable to change; those that are dynamic, adaptable, and capable because they have the resources and well-roundedness to succeed.

This attitude reminds me of a polymath, a person with a wide range of knowledge and capabilities. It may be best to hedge against downside risk by actively seeking out things that you are not inherently attracted to or good at, but could substantially benefit from. And to systematize the things you are already good at to make space for these new endeavors. Additionally, it would be prudent to rely on others for their strengths, creating mutualistic relationships within your community. Focusing too much on competition and positioning without disavowing yourself from what you clearly are not, will leave you isolated, exhausted, and vulnerable. Embrace novelty and a variety of activities, while allowing yourself to depend on others for the items that are truly outside of your domain. Your experiences will be joyful and they will create a robust sense of self with ample opportunities for personal satisfaction.

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