Impact on the author
Graphic by researchmanitoba.ca
Indeed, E. O. Wilson has shaped conservation psychology in many ways. One example is how his idea on the Theory of Island Biogeography helped descibe allopatric speciation (where new gene pools arise out of natural selection in isolated gene pools) and sympatric speciation (where different species arise from one ancestral species in the same area), which I learnt back in junior college. Having known some of these scientific knowledge before knowing of his name, Wilson has definitely impacted me in terms of my academic knowledge. Beyond that, however, doing a deeper dive into who he is as a person, has given me greater insights as to how one can reach our true potential.
Graphic by inspireyourpeople.com
One thing I find incredibly inspiring is his work ethic. Since young, he has showed great tenacity in the things he has done, as shown by the quote below:
“I don’t think being a workaholic is a bad thing. When I was 13 years old, during the first year of the Second World War, there was a shortage of newspaper delivery boys in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama. The 18-year-olds were all at war. So I took a job delivering 420 copies of the Mobile Press Registrar each morning. I’d take all the papers I could, load them on my bike and deliver them. Then I’d go back to the house, get another stack and deliver those. I’d make it home by 7 a.m., eat breakfast and go to school. I thought that was normal. I’ve always made it my custom to work long and hard. Doing something unusual requires hard work. I’ve written huge books. That’s hard work.”
Wilson has a “no-vacations policy”, and even after his retirement, he has been tirelessly working on ideas, concepts and spreading the word of conservation, showing his dedication to his work. He takes pride in it and indeed, he has created new ideas and disciplines in his field of work. He introduced the concepts of how ants communicate, the Theory of Island Biogeography, as well as Sociobiology. He was a major key player to the birth of evolutionary psychology as well.
This has impacted me as it gave me a chance to step back to reflect on my own life, and re- examine my approach towards work. To achieve great strides in any field, it is essential to put in the hard work and the determination.
Graphic from ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu
Another way Wilson has inspired me is through how he often seek to push boundaries and engage his imagination. In his Tedtalk Advice to Young Scientists, he mentioned,
“I found out that advances in science rarely come upstream from an ability to stand at a blackboard and conjure images from unfolding mathematical propositions and equations. They are instead the products of downstream imagination leading to hard work, during which mathematical reasoning may or may not prove to be relevant.”
He has taught me that, for anyone to break new grounds and make a name for themselves in the world, it is essential for them to use our minds to think of new possibilities. Don’t be constrained by only what we know of now, but instead, aim to venture beyond and imagine.
Perhaps it is difficult for many of us to explore ideas never touched on before, due to how conformity in ideas and thoughts are often times valued in society. However, this only results in homogeneity. We may fit into society’s expectations, but we will never realise our full potential. Thus, it is crucial for us to never just take everything at face value and to accept everything as it is. Push yourself. Think of the limitless possibilities out there.