When I wrote on influence the last time, I used the analogy from physics about inertia and forces. In this post and several more to come, I continue along this line. Just as there are different types of forces in the world of physics, there are several types of influence; some good, some bad, some ugly. This is where choice matters.
Speaking of choice, I do not only refer to choosing the kind of inluence you want to be or expose yourself to. I also refer to an equally, if not more, important choice: the choice of response to different influences. Making this choice appropriately starts from understanding: understanding what kind of influences there are, identifying them when you see them and knowing what options there are.
In my next series starting at the end of this month, my attention will be on drawing parallels between the forces known to physics and the influences that mankind always has to deal with.
Speaking of choice, I do not only refer to choosing the kind of inluence you want to be or expose yourself to. I also refer to an equally, if not more, important choice: the choice of response to different influences. Making this choice appropriately starts from understanding: understanding what kind of influences there are, identifying them when you see them and knowing what options there are.
In my next series starting at the end of this month, my attention will be on drawing parallels between the forces known to physics and the influences that mankind always has to deal with.
Let's start with this basic classification. In physics, there are contact forces and there are non-contact ones. Contact forces do not exist unless there is direct touch between at least two objects. The force will arise as a result of the action of one or all objects in contact and/or their reaction. An example is the support force that bears you up when you lean against a wall. Non-contact forces do not require material contact, they act from a distance and in some cases they're so far away that the object experiencing the force does not even know it's there. An example is gravity. Most of us do not even realise that our body weight is simply the downward pull that the earth exerts upon our body.
In a more practical sense, there is the direct influence of parents and teachers (when you discount the effect of the internet) and there is, of course, the non-contact influence of celebrities, government policies and so on. Responding rightly to any of these requires that we know they're even there and that they affect us. A closer look at specific examples of each influence type will start at the end of this month.
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