It’s not too late, don’t be the Boiling Frog!
I came across this term ‘the boiling frog’ (or the boiling frog syndrome) in a book called ‘SuperThinking’. It was quite funny to read about it. But coming to think of it, the number of honest implications it has in everyday life situations is quite remarkable.
Boiling Frog syndrome can be visualised as a frog being slowly boiled alive in a pot of water. If the frog was released in boiling water, it would quickly jump off and save its life but since it is put in tepid water and the water is slowly allowed to boil. The frog would not anticipate the danger and would be boiled to death in it because of its inability to take actions at the right time.
That sounds harsh. But when I read further about its implications, I realised this was more true about humans than frogs or just any other creature. Time to introspect. The decision to not jump off from the boiling water pot like the frog has landed us into most of our problems. Personal Problems, Environmental Issues, Relationship problems… the list could go on and on.
Let’s take the example of Climate Change. It’s not a new issue. It has been with us for years and even decades. Many of us have not been concerned about it like we are concerned about other issues. Governments across the globe have failed and are still failing to take any remedial measures. In short, no collective action is being discussed. The ability to not take actions at the right moment has landed us in the very same water pot. Thus, the water continues to boil while the frogs enjoy in it.
The stubbornness or denial to accept situations that are heading to a dead-end is one of the main reasons and symptoms of this syndrome. Whenever a pattern appears in life situations, it is necessary to do a short-term and long-term analysis and make sure that we are not in a boiling pot.
Jump while you still have the strength!
Takeaway: The stubbornness or denial to be caught in a difficult situation can ultimately lead to more loss than quitting or taking necessary actions. Adjusting to situations is not always a smart choice.
-Aditya Darekar
