Forget emotional dissonance, Let's go with contagion!
Happy Fisherman at the Mercado de Mariscos in Panama City, Republic of Panama
Yesterday when I was in Whole Foods, I discovered the most joyous of men working behind the fish counter. It was a small moment, but a loud one. I could hear him from down the vegetable aisle. He was calling out the fresh list for the day, "Halibut, flounder, King Salmon-- FRESH and DEE--LICIOUS."
At first, I was too caught up in the inconvenience of grinding my grocery cart up the busy aisles. More like bumper cars than shopping, everyone was in a mad rush. There were few smiles and a lot of shallow breathing. It was Saturday and I think somehow we all forgot we chose to be here.
But as I approached the fish counter, the chaos faded into the background and Mr. Fishman’s smile became the only view in sight, so wide his teeth took up the width of his face. It was a beautiful fall day outside -- and he was inside working, but that didn’t seem to him bother him. He knew the lines were long but he was helpful anyway. He was patient with my friend, newly pregnant, who asked a marathon of questions about healthy fish for her condition. He even had time for a few jokes. It was naive of me, but I hadn’t realized someone could be this happy selling fish. My friend, also a teacher, noticed him too. “You know we should take students on a field trip to Whole Foods,” she said.
She teaches nursery, and that might just work for her, but organizing a field trip to WF isn't the easiest sell at the middle school level. Still, it did get me thinking:
We've got to provide windows into the worlds of those who model happiness. When we recognize positive disposition and positive behavior, the energy spreads. It’s contagious!
If I did bring students to WF I’d bypass the obvious scholarly questions: What skills does he use to weigh the fish? How does he differentiate their qualities and characteristics? What's the science behind keeping fish fresh? I'm aware that intellectual growth stems from these prompts. I just don't think it's what points to a more important value: how we choose to be with our work.
I see more value in asking them to assess how Mr. Fishman cultivates an entirely open attitude about work. What exactly about his attitude shifts the experience of shopping in a crowded and trendy market alongside a slew of frustrated customers to a joyful afternoon relating to strangers? What does he do to maintain that level of fulfillment? Does he spend time near the ocean? Does he step outside for fresh air? Does he keep himself anchored in gratitude for the people and opportunities his life has afforded him? I’m sure he can experience as much frustration as the rest of us, but something about his attitude tells me he has mastered the art of emotional contagion.
Recently I got my hands on Shakil Choudhury's book Deep Diversity Overcoming Us vs Them. It's helped me to open my eyes to the human responsibilities we have in creating positive attitudes for those around us, or at least authentic ones. Researchers have actually proven that humans' heart rate and blood pressure synchronize with the most emotionally dominant person in our vicinity. We experience it when we are drawn to the life of the party, to that high-vibe friend. This is emotional contagion. "We are designed to regulate, and be regulated by, others," says Choudhury. This aligns with so many teachings on dharma and purpose. Said so well by David H. Wagner, an experienced meditation teacher: "You deserve the best of life and life deserves the best of you."
What does this all have to do with the classroom? I've spent most of my teaching career in the framework of global education schools, (International Baccalaureate or language immersion), so I’m often asked what is a global curriculum and what skills, in particular, are we forging as global educators. By definition, global education is about investigating lives and issues abroad, staying versed in the history of multicultural perspectives, and learning second and third languages. But I'd have to insist that before any of that, it's also about truly recognizing the people we relate to daily and reflecting on how we exist among one another. What can each of our unique qualities offer to the collective experience? And why do we even care about making shifts and changes for a greater community? Then we can decide on what actions we'll take in the world.
(Thumbnail image credit James Fideler)