By Ruel S. De Vera, Associate Editor
Sunday Inquirer Magazine

MALCOLM Gladwell redefined the discussion about radical change in his first book, “The Tipping Point,” a massively enjoyable and enlightening read. What that book also reminded me of was a long-standing debate I’ve had with myself regarding the nature of change inherent in the life of a person.

You see, there are people whose lives change subtly and steadily over a period of time, so steadily that most other people don’t even notice anything has changed. This of course gives the impression that a particular individual has a very stable, seemingly immutable life, or that the person exerts a powerful hold on his or her life. It makes for a very stable and somewhat boring year.

Others have an explosive quality to their lives. These are people whose lives change suddenly, violently. It lends a very chaotic quality to their lives, which leads to very eventful but also somewhat traumatic years.

The debate I’ve long had with myself has to do with the question of preference: Given a choice, which of these kinds of changes would you prefer for your own life?

Amusingly enough, it often feels that those with one kind of change often wistfully long for the other. That is because of the idea that we like what we don’t have. Those living with steady change find their lives secure and stable but also boring and routine. They long for the thrill of the unknown, the adrenaline high of having to deal with various crises.

One can argue of course that most everyone’s life is a combination of these two to some degree or other. True, but the question is both profound and theoretical. The common phrase I hear about eventful lives is that some people just naturally have lives full of “drama.” Happenings in their lives seem to just stop and go. Anyone who has been through this would opt to have a more seamless, more predictable life. Dealing with one emotional conflagration can burn you out, making you long for a quiet, undisturbed existence.

Perhaps the tricky thing about all this is that we all happen to live the so-called eventful lives. We don’t have a choice. We all long for the quiet, stress-free life, but can only get it in small doses. I suppose it is possible to find your own life to be static and somewhat somnolent. But isn’t it easier to put spice — and perhaps a detonator or two — into your life than to try and impose a logical stability to it?

Yes, this discussion is without conclusion or even much direction. But change works that way, too. It happens when we’re looking and when we’re not. It doesn’t seem to mean anything—but it does.

Read about all sorts of radical changes in the January 11, 2009 issue of the Sunday Inquirer Magazine.