Reason #226: The Sanctity of Uncertainty
I was watching a movie last night entitled Sin Nombre. It is about a family trying to make it from somewhere (I believe) in Central America, perhaps El Salvador, to the U.S. Their lives, especially that of the teenage daughter, Sayra, become intertwined with a member of the street gang, Salvatruchas, who joins their trek while fleeing from gang members seeking revenge for his murder of the local gang leader. The movie is in Spanish. It is an excellent film, though very tough to view at times. It made me wonder why young people would get involved with gangs and turn to a life of hatred, violence and crime. The gangs are promoted as a sanctuary from the harsh realities of the lives these poor kids are growing up in. In the gang you have many brothers who will gladly kill or be killed on your behalf. There is honor amongst the gang members, at least in relation to themselves. However, I believe there is more underlying the appeal of a gang than just the feeling of certainty you experience by being part of something larger and more powerful than you feel you could ever be alone. It is the sanctity of “uncertainty” that provides the ultimate and most provocative motivation. And that is a principle that drives many human actions, be it the joining of a gang, or the taking of any major personal or business risk. Of course, the level of risk the we are willing to take depends on how great our need for “uncertainty” really is. For some, the adrenaline junkies out there, that need is much greater than it is for others. But we all have it. You often hear the statistic that one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. But why? I believe it is the uncertainty need that is underlying most divorces. As humans we tend to get to the point of being “fed up” with certainty, which we often refer to as boredom. So we decide to do something that adds a little spice, or danger, like join a gang, or have an affair. Either way, the same principle is at work. The same need is driving us, the need for uncertainty. I know I have it big time. If I look back on the course my life has taken I can see it at work at every major turning point. That big career change from being a lawyer to leaping headfirst into the entrepreneurial world. The decision to come to this country, which had loads of uncertainty involved with it. That fact, coupled with the fact that I probably have a higher need for uncertainty than the average person, has made this place so intriguing and stimulating for me. This need can drive us to take stupid and dangerous risks, with our lives and those we love, or it can spur us to tremendous bouts of personal and professional growth. I believe we need to recognize when it is working and harness it rather than allowing it to harness us. It is a need that can drive us upward to heaven, or downward to hell, depending on the decisions we allow it to provoke.
Tags: Salvatruchas, Sin Nombre