So,with this, a ‘Paradigm Shift’ is a move, a change or an alteration to the above definition of a paradigm. Those people already confused by the above definition of paradigm are most probably further confused by the addition of the word shift.
For this reason, we use a historical context and use examples and illustrations to best explain what a paradigm shift is and how it impacts upon all of us.
Let’s take a somewhat typical modern circumstance. You are socializing in the evening with some workmates. Your mobile phone rings. You excuse yourself and chat talk on the cell phone for a few moments. After finishing, you put the phone away and rejoin the conversation with your colleagues. You explain the phone call was from an old classmate who now works in Beijing and that she has informed you that she will come to Guangzhou on a business trip next week and wants to have dinner with you when she comes. Your colleagues nod in understanding and resume the conversation. Nothing strange, nothing unusual. No one is surprised. Right.
Now,
let’s go back several hundred years to the Ming Dynasty. You stand
in front of the Emperor’s Palace in Beijing and hold in your hand
a small rectangular box.
You tell the Captain of the Guard that you want to show the Emperor this
device that allows you to talk to someone in Guangzhou by merely pushing
the numbered buttons. They immediately arrest you and throw you in prison
as some sort of crazy person. If you persist with your claim, they have
you beheaded and that is the last of you. The Middle Kingdom is in a different
paradigm; there are many evolutionary processes that must occur before
it can shift to the one within which we live.
Now,
let’s go back 40 years. You work for the 1960’s predecessor
of China Telecom. You go to your boss with this great idea. “Hey
boss, let’s make a small portable phone the people can carry in
their purses and pockets and use on the bus or train or anywhere.”
He replies, “You stupid fool. Telephone need wires that go into
the wall and connect to building relays that connect them to telephone
lines.
How stupid can you be? I don’t care who your uncle is. Your fired.
You are too stupid to work here.” China has still not shifted to
our current paradigm.
From
this, we see that some paradigm shifts occur because of inventions. Others
occur because of education, experience or travel. You learn a new use
for your product and this opens a whole new market for your company. You
learn a new farming technique from another village that allows you to
double your crop yield,
feed your family and now have surplus produce to sell to others. You pass
a university entrance exam that presents a key to going to the provincial
capital to study. You read a book that opens your eye to understanding
a personal difficulty. You meet a handsome young man who sweeps you off
your feet and proposes marriage. All of these situations move you to a
new paradigm. Your circumstances have shifted and you now look at the
world in a different way.