An ode to serendipity
I was reading this article from Manu and, by the end of the article, this sentence hit me:
But more importantly, there’s something else about this whole idea of chatting-with-a-computer-to-get-answers-from-the-web that I find incredibly off-putting: the complete lack of potential for serendipity. Clicking on links and landing on random sites has the potential to take me in unexpected directions.
The Universe, as I like to call serendipity, has never stopped surprising me throughout my life
While his point is mainly about the digital world, I believe serendipity is the magical sparkle that illuminates everything, the beauty of the unexpected, both the good and the bad.
I didn’t know that Horace Walpole (1717-1797) coined the term serendipity in 1754, in allusion to an ancient oriental legend of the “Three Princes of Serendip”, a fairy tale in which the heroes “were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of”.
And in the end, that’s exactly what it is: experiencing something you weren’t even looking for. Serendipity, to me, is fueled by a specific state of mind: open-mindedness, a loose gaze at what surrounds you, a “why not” attitude. A blind faith that things will unfold in the best possible way.
I often keep loose plans, especially when I wander on my own. You never know what could happen next, and that, to me, is pure beauty. That space where the unexpected can live.
Walking around with an open heart and open eyes has led me to countless memorable experiences. Those who followed my missives from Vietnam know that. During my wanderings, I tend to be drawn to sketchy places and dark alleys, but more often than not, this attitude has brought me to good things rather than bad ones.
I’m aware that I’m writing from a place of privilege, as a white cis man, but not all places are as dangerous as they’re portrayed on TV, and not all people are bad. People are generally kinder than you’d expect, but kindness doesn’t drive shares or clicks. Leaving space for serendipity helps reveal that hidden side of the world.
As I was talking to some friends some time ago, I rather prefer trust in the good people and have some unlucky experience than believe everyone is bad and live in fear and mistrust of others.
Circling back to Manu: I agree with him. The web is full of interesting people and diverse perspectives, wspecially if you explore it yourself, rather than letting algorithms do the walking.
That’s why I added the Wanderinks section to the website: to offer a starting point and encourage you to wander through the web as you’d wander through a city, getting to know others’ perspectives and realities.
If you want to be featured there, just drop me an email.
Happy wanderings!
— M
You can always read this piece on my website.
There, you can find further content, like my readings, check the current and past newsletters, or wander through the web with my Wanderlinks.