I remember my grandmother’s old pendulum clock on the wall. It ticked slowly and steadily, the pendulum swinging back and forth. When I sat there and waited, time could feel endless. Sometimes it felt safe, sometimes unbearably slow. But no matter what I thought, the pendulum kept moving. Today I often think that much in the world works the same way. Our opinions, our systems, our development, everything swings back and forth like a pendulum.
Never completely satisfied
We humans are rarely satisfied with our doings. When we have achieved something, we immediately see what is missing. When we solve a problem, we discover the side effects. This applies to almost everything. In the climate issue, the discussion goes from that we must slow down growth to that we must accelerate technological development. In AI, the conversation shifts from that it is our greatest salvation to that it is our greatest threat. In politics, we hear promises that the state will take more responsibility one day and demands for individual freedom the next.
The pendulum swings and we follow.
Not black or white
The problem is that we often talk as if there is an absolute truth. Either AI is dangerous or it is our future. Either renewable energy is the solution or it is nuclear power. But in reality, most of what we see is just a moment in a movement. Just like when the pendulum is at its farthest right or left, it can feel like everything is leaning in one direction. But we know that the movement will soon continue, and that the balance somewhere in the middle is what gives the power forward.
When the pendulum is at the extreme
The difference between different issues often comes down to two things. How fast the pendulum swings and how far it is pulled out before it turns. In sustainability issues, we see this clearly. When we address a waste problem, we can also knock out the legs of the people who feed on that waste. When we ban plastic bags, we can unintentionally increase resource use in other parts of the system. The movement forward is coming, but it can create sharp conflicts of goals along the way.
It is in these extremes that we often experience the greatest frustration. When the debate becomes black and white and when the pendulum has swung so far that we lose the nuances.
Building robust systems
The question is not whether the pendulum swings, because it always will. The question is how we handle it. When the pendulum is pulled too far in one direction, we can either stimulate the movement or try to hold on to the balance. There are important lessons here. We need systems that not only optimize for the present, but that can handle variation over time.
A self-optimizing system constantly tries to be the best here and now. A self-organizing system, on the other hand, can adjust itself when conditions change. It is the difference between a monoculture and a forest. Between a top-down organization and one where teams can adapt themselves. Between a debate that demands clear answers and a dialogue that tolerates uncertainty.
Listening when the pendulum swings too far
When we notice that the pendulum has swung too far, we need to listen more. We need to see what happens not as endpoints, but as signals that we are in a movement. Those who demand quick answers can often be helped by someone daring to ask slow questions. Those who push for change may sometimes need to be reminded to also see those who are negatively affected by the change.
A personal pendulum
When I think of my grandmother’s clock, I remember the ticking. It was slow, almost annoying. I was bored, but in that void my own thoughts arose. Today I have a smartwatch that doesn’t tick, and an AI that gives me answers all at once. But that’s precisely why it’s harder to wait, and harder to think for myself.
The pendulum keeps swinging. And perhaps our most important task is not to stop it, but to learn to live in the rhythm. To understand that it’s not black or white, not static, but always in motion.
