Reflections 10th September

Beyond the Pale and Beating the Bounds

I love the way a train of thought leaves the station. Something is said or noticed, and before we know it, off we go. A carriage full of ideas talking to each other, pulled along by the engine of curiosity.

It started with a discussion as to why we are so prepared to be categorised by those whose intent is profit. It’s easy to create a category - say our age, our cognitive style, or preferences as to where we work to our education and rather than celebrate diversity and difference as engines for curiosity, we then define a very tight " normal " range and offer treatment for those who fall outside it. It’s even better when there is no firm criterion for normal because then we can find infinite ways to harness uncertainties to convince people that whatever they are, and whatever their strengths, they are not normal.