Sensemaking

Is it even possible when so much appears not to make sense?

Source: Samanta Santy, unsplash.com

Are we in an alternate universe?

We often hesitate when someone claims they can make sense of it all, because it can indicate they have an overworked appreciation of their own insight, or an underworked understanding of what the heck is going on. In other words, they are blind, biased, or both.

And I hope I'm neither.

But I know I'm not.

However, I do know that together we might overcome our individual limitations, and find the insight we so desperately need in order to navigate this crazy upside down world. That is not just the view from Australia, at the backend of the world, but the view from every window looking out. It seems upside down and back-to-front, as if we have all tumbled down the rabbit hole with Alice, into some alternate universe.

But alternate universe or not, we shall do our best to understand the meaning of things. In this we side a little more with the philosophers than the scientists, seeking meaning rather than measurement, mystery rather than models.

The search for insight

I spend much of my time looking at the world and trying to make sense of what is going on, traveling to new and interesting places to meet new and interesting people. Everything is driven by curiosity, and a deep desire to know.

This desire to understand is a fundamental human desire. You hear it in the two year old child incessantly asking 'why'? Although it may be suppressed, it never quite goes away. It always lurks within. From the existential 'why do I exist', to the moral 'how ought I act'; from the political 'why do we have such a divided polity', to the social 'how can we live together amidst such division'. All questions we can explore together.

Ultimately, making sense should serve making a new and better future together. Not some dreamy Shangri-La, but at least far removed from the dystopian world of Terminator, Hunger Games or Soylent Green (a 1973 frightener set somewhat presciently in 2022).

For many many years, I have asked myself ‘where will the world be in five year’s time … and how do I get there first?’ This question launches a curiosity about what is going on, a search for thinkers and influencers who are shaping the future, but more than anything else deep reflection and a search for insight in the gaps and the blind spots, the unseen and the less obvious.

Historically I asked the question for myself, in order to make wise shifts to be a part of the action. This has led me to make counter-intuitive moves that did not look safe to those who played safe. Far better life on the edge than life in the centre where all is fixed and rarely moves. But what a life I have been able to create, and what friends I have been able to make. These kinds of moves, that focus on following one's purpose, create meaning and fulfillment in ways that following the money or the role are never able to do.

This life has now created for me the time and space to ask the questions and seek the answers for those who lack the time and space. And I am able to do that from a wonderful place, surrounded by rich natural beauty, on a farm in rural Australia. We get lots of rainbows:

Source: author. One fine day on the farm

Now I find myself asking the question for humanity (if I may be so bold).

‘Where will the world be in five year’s time … and how do we get there first?’ We. You and me together. This community of sensemakers who search together, grappling with the questions the world confronts: climate change, inequality, oppression, war, poverty, political paucity.

How do we make sense of the anger and the greed, the distrust and the mistrust, the conflict and confusion? How do we ensure technology is a servant and not a master? How do we upgrade our moral character to meet the demands of the immediate future?

But those are not really the question. The ultimate question is:

‘how do we live … together?’

How do we infuse our lives and our world with truth and beauty and goodness as we navigate our way into the future?

That’s what Sensemaking is ultimately all about. Understanding that may help us to live fulfilling lives, and contribute to a flourishing society.

And so this letter is a conversation with the future, with me, and you, in five year’s time, that we can prepare ourselves just that little bit better. So, please launch into the conversation below, and let us know about your rainbows and rabbit holes, your questions and queries.

As we go forward in the conversation, let's try to find a way to be our best selves. Join with us on this quest.