The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Yes, there are a million situations in which this can be paradigm can be seen in action. Take for example, the events as depicted in the movie Magnolia (Tom Cruise was in this one!) among several others that happen in life…
Human behavior is yet another complex example which never ceases to amaze observers and people who are generally considered as people-watchers.
Even if we humans are considered unique, there are certain things to which we all respond similarly: resistance to change.
To put it succinctly, it is something that most people if not every human being are not comfortable with. Predictability and what is commonly accepted knowledge is what most prefer to go with instead of actually trying to think out of the box, even if it means only for a while.
And this has been the way things have always been, and always will be, and is easily observable as the centuries have numerous examples that have only repeatedly reinforced this "fixed" manner of thinking.
And yet strangely enough, change is the only thing that is constant which is something that is obvious yet we don't seem to realize this.
But why does this happen?
Because either people are stuck to their old ways of thinking and living which has perhaps been handed to them by the so-called enlightened ones or even the fact that they've drawn their inspiration from the elders that they've respected for so long now.
While these ideas and thoughts are practiced by the individual, it soon become a norm that is followed by the collective, and in doing this, it becomes very clear that society by itself accepts these paradigms without even questioning it sometimes.
What makes this even worse is the fact that when there are new revelations, people refuse to accept a new school of thought due to the fact that they were more accustomed or familiar with the old… or just that the fact that it seems to make more sense.
And sadly, these very people tend to ignore this school of thought (that turns out to be revolutionary later), and this ignorance has sometimes been adequately described as the "Ignaz Semmelweis Effect"
But what is the Ignaz Semmelweis Effect?
The Ignaz Semmelweis Effect
According to the conventional definition, it is "the reflex-like rejection of new knowledge as it contradicts entrenched norms, beliefs or paradigms" yet this definition has been derived from a situation where a doctor known as Ignaz Semmelweis suggested that if doctors washed their hands more often, it would reduce the childbed fever mortality rate tenfold.
And since they did not accept what he said, the mortality rate continued to flourish (for lack of a better word!) and the poor man ended up in a mental institution.
But how does this apply to us?
How we can avoid the Ignaz Semmelweis Effect
The important thing to understand here is the fact that one has to be open to any school of thought no matter how absurd it seem. And in matters of health and fitness, this can mean a lot.
A lot of people do not like to change their exercise routine or always find themselves living in denial in such a way that they do not wish to even try exercising in the first place. Or it could even be that they have heard 'experts' not recommend what is being suggested.
The truth is that we don't know enough in order to fully comprehend what is good or bad… so it's only in your best interests to stay open.
In Closing
Understand that Life is full of change, and in being able to go with the flow (by discarding ignorance and a resistance to change), this will mean that you can improve your fitness levels, your health and pretty much any area of your life.
