VIP Class Notes (Vicki)

Vocabulary

contradictory – mao dun de
i.e. Love and hate are contradictory ideas.

definitive – jue dui de
i.e. It is a definitive fact that humans need water.

switch off – to change to another mode
i.e. I switch off immediately after your class.

embrace – accept and forgive
i.e. You need to embrace changes because they happen all the time.

creativity – chuang zao li
i.e. I don’t have much creativity.

stability (n.)  – wen ding
i.e. Our parents always want us to have stability.

boredom (n.)– wu liao
i.e. I am suffering from boredom right now.

burn-out (n.) – extreme exhaustion
burn out (v.) – to exhaust oneself
i.e. You are going to burn yourself out if you keep going.
i.e. He had a recent burn-out because he worked too hard last month.

parallel universe – ping xing yu zhou
i.e. I believe in parallel universe.

anti (adj.) – opposite
antithesis (n.) – the opposite
i.e. People should consider the antithesis of the situation.

stationary (adj.) – not moving

intuition – zhi jue
i.e. My intuition is very accurate.

The chicken or the egg – which came first? It’s probably one of the most commonly cited paradoxes – a chicken hatches from an egg, so the egg came first, right? But then what laid the egg? The two ideas seem contradictory, and that’s exactly what a paradox is – a problem that seemingly has no definitive solution and can’t be logically solved.

And paradoxes don’t just exist in philosophical debates but also in our daily lives. How can work be flexible but maintain structure? How can we switch off if we’re working from home? Two contrasting ideas could cause people stress, but what if we accept the contradiction and change the way we look at it? This is what some experts call the ‘paradox mindset’.

A paradox consists of two realities that exist at the same time – even though that seems impossible. If you embrace just one of those realities and ignore the other, it can cause problems. For example, embracing change may lead to burn-out, while embracing stability may lead to boredom. Some experts have found the acceptance of both realities and a willingness to embrace them can improve both creativity and productivity by allowing you to navigate a path through the contradictions.

A 1996 study of geniuses by Albert Rothenberg found that those thinkers spent time considering opposites and antitheses. Consider Einstein. The theory of relativity was born out of the paradox that something could be moving and stationary at the same time, depending on perspective.

So, having a ‘paradox mindset’ and accepting the bigger picture may help you to better understand problems. It could also make you happier knowing that contradictions exist. As a result, it may lead you to improving your productivity and creativity. If it worked for Einstein, maybe it could be good for you too!