I replied to a comment in which I said that the comment shook me with surprise. The idea that crossed my mind was is shocking good for the health of the mind or body?
This question took me into an inquiry journey the results of which I share in this post.
The Shaken Baby Syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome is a serious brain injury caused by violently shaking a baby such as being in a state of anger. It amazes me that playful tossing of the baby does not cause this syndrome. It is anger and being furious with the baby that does. Babies have soft brains and it takes few seconds of violently shaking them to cause brain injury to them.
I wonder how immune adults are to such violent and angry reactions from their managers. Anger and fury do not cause physical brain injury to the mind but what about self-respect and self-fulfillment. These intangible injuries could be quite severe. Anger is not a problem solver and more is a problem creator.
Shake and Bake Meth
Meth is short for methadone- a powerful synthetic analgesic drug as a safer option to use instead of morphine. The shake and bake method of making meth is fast and takes little space, allowing people to do it even while in their car.
It turned how this convenience has many associated risks such as high failure rate, extremely dangerous and cause fires and explosions. Shake and bake sounds music to the ear but not that all rhymes are safe. It can be deceptive with its convenience and ease but also costly in lives.
Shaken with fear
This is a mocking phrase to highlight that one is not scared of someone or something. An ancient Arab poet mocked a man who threatened to kill his enemy. The poet said that the man claimed that he would kill his enemy, rejoice in the safety, O enemy.
Handshaking
Warm handshaking has been called for because people believed that this warmth reflects the warmth of the heart. In contrast, cold handshaking reflects inattention such as inattention to customers and peer workers. Interviewees reflected badly on the interviewers if their handshaking was poor and indifferent.
Out attitudes change and flip over when it comes to the safety of our health. Research has found that you actually spread more germs by shaking peoples’ hands than you do by kissing them. Some researchers say that 80% of our health problems result from not caring to wash hands carefully.
I wonder how many people in this world still shake hands following the corona crisis.
Wake Up Shake Up
This is the famous program for children and it has many derivatives.
Shake Society
We experience this today with societies suffered major shakes from the coronavirus. This reminds me of The Black Death that shocked the world in the 1300s. It is considered a major event in European history, but it affected much of the world. The population knew far less about hygiene and healthcare than we do today.
In spite of the advancement of science and technology, the virus infected millions of people, and a few million died. Almost all economic sectors suffered huge losses. Societies shaken by the virus had to change so many social habits. Ban of meeting, of traveling, of gathering, even to go to work disrupted societies, and changed social values. This also allowed for the advancement of many new technologies. Examples include online teaching, remote working, and keeping isolated people busy at home. This was more than a shake-up. It was a volcanic shake-up. They shook our deep-rooted beliefs and values.
Shaking Beliefs
I mentioned that the coronavirus acted like a volcano and disrupted our beliefs. This reminded me of recent research that I find relevant here.
When in doubt, shout – why shaking someone’s beliefs turns him or her into stronger advocates is an area of huge recent research interest. The research found that if the Peoples’ beliefs are shaken, they become stronger advocates for those beliefs.
Did this post shake your heart and mind? Please share your thoughts.
Very informative article, as always.
Shake, shake can say so many things.
When I think of the term shock, I always think of something that can be useful to stir consciences, that induces people to change their individual behaviors and put pressure on governments to obtain adequate regulations. Shake consciences to overcome indifference.
Words are important. They are also so in this phase of climate emergency, in search of sustainable development. They are in the phase of communication and information to the public of what is happening. Above all to involve people and convince them to participate in the movement of change.
In a world that claims to be evolved, in which obligation and force should no longer be considered as effective methods, I believe that culture can generate change.
Books, newspapers, public and classroom discussions, radio programs and why not, contemporary paintings and works can do a lot. Every means is the right one if it is capable of shaking consciences, of attracting attention and sowing something that can be harvested and bear fruit.
Thank you Aldo, for expanding on the positive side of shake. I am indifferent from you and used to think along the same lines as you do. You expanded greatly on the aspect of the positive meaning of shake.
However, as the post explains, there are other aspects of shake and I surprised myself when ran across and thought of the various other aspects of change.
In your comment you mentioned “I always think of something that can be useful to stir consciences, that induces people to change their individual behaviors…”. I agree. I must add that I sent a new post to BIZCATALYST this morning on “A New Metaphor for Identifying Great Leaders”. The metaphor explains that for leaders to do this and shake their followers with kind persuasion they need to be light with empathy. If empathy is lacking leaders shall fail.