A few years ago, a math problem went viral on the internet, and got millions of people “fighting” about what was the correct answer.

Although the problem, 6:2(1+2) is extremely basic to solve, people arrived at 3 different results (9, 1 and 7).

One of the 3 results, 7, was easily proven wrong, and the internet kept fighting over 9 and 1.

To whoever understand the most simpe junior highschool rules of algebra, it should he obvious that 9 is the correct answer.

And it sounds silly that anybody could find anything else.

Indeed, rules are crystal clear at this level, and not subject to any form of interpretation.

Yet this very simple problem polarized internet, with people fighting over the right answer.

The reason why this happened is because the second group, the one which answered “1” to the problem, thought they knew a rule the “9” group didn’t know.

This rule doesn’t exist, but in their reality, it did, and they would swear that the multiplication on the right had to be done before the division.

Each side was right in its respective reality.

But in our shared common reality, you do divisions and multiplications on the order they are written, from left to right.

And the answer is indeed 9.

Now, try to think about it..

..if such a basic math problem can divide the internet and make people spend hours of their time turning against each other over the answer,

What’s happening with more complex issues?

It’s clear at this stage that what we consider as real is not necessarily linked to rational views.

Anybody can google algebra rules and find out what’s the right answer in 5 minutes.

Yet people were there, debating based on their own worldview on it.

So when we face issues such as a pandemic, which is arguably the most challenging event humanity has faced,

You can’t expect people to be rational.

It’s not a simple math problem anymore, it’s about our life and those of our loved ones.

The fear factor adds up to the complexity.

Death makes people scared.

Of course it then becomes extremely hard to stay rational, neutral and objective.

We want to belong to a group, and we want to believe our group is right.

So we pick a side.

Some say governments need to be listened to, and we should follow the rules so we can go back to normal.

Some say it’s a conspiracy, and the virus is a scam to put chips in our body and control our brain.

And we fight with the other side, trying to prove them we’re right.

However, unlike with the math problem, both sides are probably partially wrong.

But the same idea remains.

The most emotional of us, go towards the least rational path, and only gets further from the truth.

“This virus is too dangerous, I need the vaccine.”

And

“The vaccine is just a way to microchip us, I will never take it!”

Are both governed by fear.

And prevent us from seeing what’s actually going on, (not so) behind the scene.

The hard facts that no one can deny.

The direction where the money and the power go.

With all of us being so busy arguing over which side was right, we forgot to look at what was happening right in front of our face, in plain sight.

While we were debating on facebook about whether the virus was real or not, and whether masks were efficient,

The richest beings on the planet got 27% richer in a a matter of months.

So-called “democratic” government passed the most liberticide bills, which won’t ever be revoked, even “after covid19”.

Nothing will ever go back to normal.
Normal is what we have now.

And the more we spend time fighting with each other about whether paper masks can stop a virus, and whether PCR tests are efficient,

the less we focus on getting ourselves ready to thrive in spite of the upcoming chaos and insanely challenging world we will have to live in.

Those who stay calm and rational will be able to see and seize the most incredible opportunities.

Those who panic and let emotions taking control, will probably end up stuck in some sort of modern slavery.

This sounds worse than death to me.

How do you get ready for what’s to come? I don’t have a complete answer to that.

But part of my version of the solution involves:
– telling better stories
– buying lands, building places & growing food
– building strong bonds with like-minded beings
– solving problems other people can’t
– resilience, surrender and patience

And getting anywhere near there somehow implies to give up on most short term victories.