SYNAPSE Podcast with Ilinca & Chris | Ep 2 | The Triumphs and Downfalls of Change
Chris and Ilinca are co-hosting this episode of the Synapse Podcast, the 2nd from the theme “Synapse Your Future | The Power to Embrace Change”. Throughout the podcast, they will be discussing both the positive and the negative aspects of social change within our modern society, through the lenses of anthropology, psychology, and technology. Furthermore, they will acknowledge how and why change has been such an important stepping stone for society to become what it is today.
Ilinca Sandu
Ilinca is the founder of the first student-run newspaper in her school. Her passion for literature, culture and media prompted her to bring up the idea to her school director, resulting in the creation of an innovative and thought-provoking club. She is fascinated by the relationship between the creative and the analytical, and discovering the intersectionality between her various areas of interest, such as poetry and business. As society becomes consumed with the ideas of consumerism and efficiency, Ilinca believes that humanity and compassion are the keys to creating powerful organizations that lead to positive social change.
Chris Sas
Chris’s contribution to founding the first student-run magazine of International School of Bucharest alongside Ilinca created a warm environment between students, teachers and parents. This „synapse” between the academic social sphere and current events, culture and creativity allowed for several initiatives such as the ‘Swimathon’ fundraiser – aimed to raise money for children with autism. His fascination with social and economic innovation and how it affects culture, politics and global affairs led to the desire to find outlets on how to inform and educate using mediums such as art. Innovation always manifests itself in culture. Chris is interested in exploring this phenomenon.
Both of them are looking forward to starting their academic studies in Business Administration, while actively supporting Synapse as Communication Managers.
We are caught in today’s routine and we often forget tomorrow’s challenges. Is the rise of the superstorms, floods, and devastating fires a powerful enough alarm bell? What if climate change pulls us into this vortex, in a spiraling chaos towards our end? Can we save tomorrow?
It is within the very nature of living organisms to change with the passing of time. Since the beginning of mankind, humanity has changed and evolved, in order to adapt to its environment and ultimately survive. In the year 2022, however, societal change has implications that are more complex and multifaceted than ever.
The rapid development of technology over the past decades, for instance, has allowed for brilliant discoveries to be made within fields such as healthcare and communication, improving the lives of millions of people and providing new opportunities to previously underdeveloped areas. On the other hand, such growth may cause individuals to become ultra-dependent on technology or cause social media addiction and other phenomena that may have a negative effect on the users’ mental health. These contrasting aspects of change within the field of technology are two sides of the same coin.
Moreover, it can be difficult for us as humans to accept change, despite whether we view it as good or bad. Certain psychological biases such as cognitive dissonance may make personal change and growth extremely difficult for certain individuals. Societal change ultimately has its pitfalls as various social groups hold conflicting personal and political ideologies, such as progressive vs conservative views, making it extremely difficult to decide on what change is ultimately “good” for society.