Why Are We Afraid of Change?

Why Are We Afraid of Change?

Change is the only constant in life.

  In the corporate world, it is often said that the only permanent reality is change. Change means that what was there yesterday is no longer present today, and what exists today will not be there tomorrow. Despite knowing this, we often try to keep things static because we fear change and are usually unwilling to embrace it.

Why are we afraid of change?

We fear change because, along with it, we have to change ourselves to align with new demands. This requires learning new skills and adapting to new environments. Since we are accustomed to the old environment, which feels comfortable, we are reluctant to put ourselves through the discomfort of acquiring new skills or adjusting to a new setting.

However, the interesting thing is that as soon as we see the benefits of change,

 

 we immediately adapt and become willing to learn new things. A prime example of this is the smartphone and its features. Today, even housemaids use WhatsApp because they realize it offers convenience and savings. The journey of change in any society reflects the direction in which that society is heading — whether it's advancing towards higher heights or falling into the depths of decline.

 

Unfortunately, our society has started a downward journey in terms of values, which has reached its peak today.

 Values often stem from religion or social traditions. Even today, our textbooks teach that when doing business, one should speak the truth and reveal both the strengths and weaknesses of a product. Now, ask yourself honestly, if someone were to follow this principle today, what would society call them? Everyone would label them a fool or naive, while someone who uses lies and flattery to sell their goods would be called clever and shrewd. Which label would you prefer to be called? The answer is obvious. When there is a contradiction between a society’s theoretical and practical values, it will result in the creation of a hypocritical society, which is exactly what we face today.

 

Not long ago, people in our
society proudly said,

“We may be poor, but we are honorable.” Today, "poor" and "honorable" have become contradictory terms. In our society, those who have money are considered respectable, and they are also regarded as the smartest and most savvy. No one dares to question the source of their wealth. The more dishonest and skilled in deception someone is, the bigger businessman they are considered. Society has redefined lies as necessity, deceit as politics, and hypocrisy as pragmatism.

 

There is also a term for
 fake products in our country.

Let me share a real-life incident. It was some years ago when I was browsing watches in a store, and I liked one particular watch. When I asked for the price, it was unbelievably low. I couldn’t understand what was going on. Seeing my surprise, the shopkeeper said, “This is a first copy, and no one can tell it’s not real.” I returned the watch and told him, “What you call a first copy, I call fake.” Today, the first copy has become widespread in our society. Sometimes, when I look at our society, I wonder, what kind of society is this? Or maybe, this society itself is a copy of something. Which copy? The first, the second, or even beyond? I leave that to your discretion.