Fixation on Histology

Humans have long understood the powerful pull of curiosity—in proverb and myth, curiosity kills the cat and curious Pandora unleashes evil into the world.

Curiosity is the yearning to understand. It motivates the pursuit of knowledge, as each answered question uncovers new mysteries that urge us to wander further into the unknown. When this drive is focused and codified, we call it science, the Latin word for knowledge.

And yet, the pursuit of knowledge has always frightened humanity. In order to understand and, perhaps, bring comfort to people, myths were created as explanations for the many mysteries of life.

Myths are stories that are based on tradition. Some may have factual origins, while others are completely fictional. But myths are more than mere stories and they serve a more profound purpose in ancient and modern cultures. Myths are sacred tales that explain the world and man's experience. Myths are as relevant to us today as they were to the ancients. Myths answer timeless questions and serve as a compass to each generation.

Unlike fairy tales, myths are not always optimistic. True to the nature of life, the essence of myths is such that they are as often warnings as promises; as often laments as celebrations. Many myths are instructive and act as a guide to social norms,

Each generation of storytellers adds another layer of fact and fiction to the myths, such that the themes and characters of myths are timeless, and endlessly relevant, as they are reinvented and reapplied to the lives of each new generation. A myth is a sacred, paradigmatic story symbolizing a particular group's beliefs and values. It therefore expresses what it means to be a member of that group.

I am proud to be a part of the Gen X generation but I won’t let it define me, just as we should not let myths or generational stereotypes define our interactions with colleagues in the laboratory. My workshop at the NSH Virtual Convention, Five Generations: Debunking Myths & Boosting Morale, examines how to meet the needs of five distinct generations in the workplace without defaulting to myths or negative stereotypes. Learn how you can not only bridge generational divides, but harness those differences as a source of strength.

There are only two weeks left to register for the Virtual Convention, taking place October 13-15th! If you can't make the live sessions, you can still earn up to 60 CEUs as all sessions are recorded and available for 30 days after the event! Click here to join me and your fellow histology colleagues at the Virtual Convention!