I do not think people hate change because they are scared (might be a smaller factor), but mainly because they would need to accept that their past behaviour, values or concept of the world was wrong or not good enough (if not, why would you need to change then anyway?).
People have a desire for consistency in their own behaviour, as this comforts them that their past decisions have been right.
Change destroys this illusion, And people hate it…

So with that…

I live by the ‘just do it’ philosophy. It’s never as bad as you think and once you dive into it, it’s much better then you imagine.
The more you know about the change your going to make, the less fear that will come with it. Educate yourself about human psychology, the risk your taking – whatever you need. Then just do it.

It’s worth it.

I think people are scared to change but will do it for 2 major reasons.

1) They risk losing something. The risk of losing something is much greater than the benefit of gaining. (Influence-Science and Practice by Cialdini).

2) The current way of doing things becomes more painful than the thought of changing. To use the monkey example, the monkeys get SO hungry that they overcome the risk of the water to reach for the banana.

In my experience however, that shifts with most people when they KNOW that they need to change or die. Of course there will always be exceptions, but seeing my mom pass away two weeks ago I know that she fought harder to stay with us than she had fought at anything else in her life.

I think the crucial part is whether people know that whatever it is they need to change equates to survival. Usually they don’t. They can quit smoking next week, start exercizing next month, lose weight after Christmas etc and they seldom see these things as being critical to do now.

Corey thanks for that great story by the way, I love it!

Although culture has largely replaced instinct, the drive to adhere to it at all costs is based in instinct, I think.

This is not to say that we’re always right in clinging to what we have been taught, only that there is a quite valid biological drive in that direction. Culture is supposed to serve us in a positive way, after all, not drive us to self-destruction. Unfortunately, all too often these days it does the latter.

So this is where mavericks come in. I think there are always a few people around who for whatever reason, innate genetic drive or something cultural, feel a need to question and tinker with everything they see. I think it’s their job to nudge the general population in a different direction in response to environmental changes. I think that’s how we’ve managed to survive for as long as we have, and how we have wound up with so many different cultures worldwide.

Mavericks have something to teach the rest of us about adaptation to change. Meanwhile I think it would be more useful to adapt a hacker’s mindset to social problems such as resistance to positive change, rather than condemning those who resist change as being somehow morally weak. Their morals are perfectly strong, they just sometimes lead them in the wrong direction. Kind of like people who insist on continuing to live in tents on the ground even though their land is becoming flooded–they’re meeting the perfectly legitimate human need for shelter, but because of that biological drive to follow their culture they aren’t taking into account that the water table is rising or the river is flooding.

Sorry for the ramble, hope I make sense.

Most powerful is Corey’s story about the way we behave without even knowing why. This is exactly what happens in racism, especially in children. They don’t know exactly why they are to hate a certain group but their parents raise them with that behavior and they just follow along.

I seem to have been a maverick most of my life since I choose to do things I enjoy even if I am the only African American in the group. I ignore the caution of those seeking to only affiliate with their own race. When those “monkeys” caution me not to reach for the banana I thank them for their concern, and do what I want anyway.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not an adrenaline junky seeking life-threatening adventures. I just enjoy Neil Simon plays, Vivaldi, among many other sane and ordinary things.

It’s interesting to watch what happens when I walk into a group, a play audience, a church all of whom claim to welcome people of races and creed. When I’m the only one of my race (sometimes along with being the only woman)there is a decided shift in the atmosphere.

Some people think racism is no longer a problem in our culture. Others think I’m overly sensitive.

But it’s there, subtle and painful. I’ve been asked many dumb questions over the years: “Where did you learn Handel’s Messiah?” “How did you get a house THIS nice?” “Our products start at $500 ma’m.”

And regarding my Ph.D. I often get disbelief and then grilling about where I went to school,etc. I stop these inquiring minds cold with “Is this an interview? I don’t remember applying for a job with you.”

Among folks in my own race I’m seen as a maverick too for venturing into these “chilly” environments. When all along the truth is. . .

I just want to enjoy a play, a concert, traveling to other countries. I just enjoy my life.

Watch out for my book (if I ever get it written) ‘How the Digital Revolution is Making School the New Alternative Education’.