Focused Solely on its Prey, the Cat Lost Track of its Surroundings
Have you ever seen a lion stalk its prey?
Hyper-focused on the kill, it loses sight of everything else. The apex predator, the lion, faces little-to-no danger from the outside world. But what happens when we humans attach our attention like this?
What happens when we lose sight of our surroundings?
“The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die”
— Neitzsche
Last weekend, before mandatory quarantine began here in France, I spent Saturday morning hiking the Nietzsche Trail in Eze.
About half way up, I crossed paths with a cat who surprisingly did not notice me. The cat was stalking a nearby lizard, too focused to see me. He was so entranced that I, a clumsy human, easily crept behind him, close enough to grab his tail (of course I didn’t)!
Have you ever been so focused on one thing that it seemed like nothing else mattered?
When we are attached like this, we become more susceptible to shocks as that which we once ignored rushes back into view.
It’s possible that only two weeks ago, all you could think about was your work. You might have spent days in the office and nights on email and calls — taking your safety and health for granted.
When news of COVID-19 became so real that we were all told to self-quarantine, thoughts of health & survival likely dominated your attention.
Work immediately fell away as health became paramount:
“2 weeks food supply” Check
”Masks and gloves” Check
”Social distancing” Check
Even though I’ve almost always worked remotely, I have still had difficulty getting back to work in quarantine. I spend hours glued to my phone and computer, reading and sharing every bit of COVID-19 news that I can get my hands on.
“Never waste the opportunity offered by a good crisis.”
— Machiavelli
However, embodying Nietzsche’s snake archetype, I might have cast off one skin for another.
I’ve spent days tracking the growth of the virus, watching the never ending news cycle, eyeing the markets, & possibly succumbing to the fear & panic that has rapidly swept the globe.
But what if this crisis offers us an opportunity to pause from the media blitz and to reset? An opportunity to refocus our attention?
Say it with me: “I choose to take back control of my attention.”
This crisis has reminded me of what matters most: my health, my relationships, & the sustainability of our collective humanity.
And this collective humanity is so much more than mere collective survival. What else might we be missing as the walls of our attention narrow on the COVID-19 threat?
One possibility: the Justice department has asked Congress for power to detain individuals indefinitely without trial during emergencies.
Security and freedom exist at opposite poles. After all, the highest security environment is a maximum-security prison. So what third order effects might we be ignoring now only to have them grab us by the proverbial tail later?
In my lifetime, I don’t believe we’ve ever seen emergency executive powers eased once they’ve been granted — and I don’t think we’ve ever seen emergency powers granted like the ones that are coming.
So stay calm, yes. Reconnect with loved ones and that which matters most, but remain vigilant my friends.
Much love,
Marc
This is an excerpt from the first edition of Marc Weinstein’s weekly newsletter, Look Up!, which addresses modern philosophy, consciousness, economics, and entrepreneurship.
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