In Memory of Masha Etkind: Shaping Our Reality Against All Odds
In our journey through life, where we are often shapes who we are. James Allen's profound insight reminds us that we become the architects of our own circumstances when we realize the power of our inner creativity. This concept is beautifully illustrated by the flea experiment: Fleas confined in a jar with a lid learn to jump only to a certain height, and even when the lid is removed, they continue jumping just as high, conditioning themselves and their offspring to this limitation. Yet, when placed in a new environment with higher jumpers, they adapt and soar higher.
Our environments mold us, setting the tone for our beliefs and behaviors, which in turn further shape our environments. A woman aspiring to be an architect may face external obstacles in one setting, affecting her self-perception and what she deems possible. In contrast, another woman, resilient to such conditioning, might pursue her dream relentlessly, viewing challenges as surmountable. Where we differ is in our focus, and what we focus on grows.
Masha Etkind
This year, we lost a remarkable embodiment of this principle – Masha Etkind, a professor in Architectural Science. Her story, set against the backdrop of a Soviet Union that did not discriminate based on gender in certain fields, demonstrates how our initial environment can profoundly influence our beliefs and actions. Etkind grew up believing in her equal capabilities and carried this belief into environments that traditionally did not share this egalitarian view. Her success in these new, often challenging settings is a testament to the power of self-belief and resilience.
“I grew up in Soviet Union, which was Soviet Russia. With all its enormous atrocities and authoritarian regime, and all of the negative aspects of that society. One aspect was positive: There was no female discrimination. And therefore I grew up in the society as an absolutely equal member. So when I went through the school of architecture, we were 50% women, and we were expected to be as good as anybody else. So when I came to Canada in 1975, I didn't realise that architecture, even more so engineering, is men's world. I grew up from the point of view of gender egalitarianism, totally considered myself capable and equal to men. So I applied to graduate school at the University of Toronto, was accepted, and made the statistics of being one female graduate student. When I graduated and got my master's degree at UT, I started looking to work and it never occurred to me that there are no female faculty members particularly in the Polytechnic University which was absolutely men's world. But when you are not aware of it, and you're totally confident, you don't pay attention to limitations so I was to some extent very naive. And therefore successful. If I knew that there was such social expectations of women never being involved in this aspect of professional life, I probably would be to intimate to ask, but I wasn’t. (…)
In remembering Masha Etkind, we are reminded that while our environments indeed shape us, our response to them truly defines who we are. Like the fleas in the experiment, we too can break free from our conditioned boundaries. Recognizing our inner strength and creativity, as Allen suggests, is our liberation. It empowers us to adapt, to grow, and to soar, even in environments that pose new challenges.
Masha Etkind's legacy is a powerful beacon, illuminating the truth that our environments are but one part of our story. We have the power to redefine our narratives, to choose our beliefs, and to carve our own paths. As we reflect on her life and contributions, we see a clear example of someone who not only transcended her environmental limits but reshaped them, inspiring us to redefine our own destinies.
Etkind's world: Where ceilings were never built
In the tapestry of life, our environments indeed play a pivotal role in sculpting who we become, but it is our response to these environments that truly defines us. Just as fleas in a jar learn to jump only to a certain height, we too can become conditioned by the boundaries of our surroundings. However, the moment we recognize our own power to transcend these limits, we begin to reshape not just our realities, but also ourselves.
This realization of our inner strength and creativity, as James Allen suggests, is what sets us free. It allows us to adapt, grow, and soar even when transplanted into challenging new environments. Our focus, therefore, should not solely be on the world around us but also on the lens through which we view and interact with that world.
Masha Etkind's journey is a testament to this truth. Raised in an environment that did not limit her based on gender, she carried this empowering belief into settings where such limits were the norm, and yet she thrived. Her story is a powerful reminder that while our environments shape us, we hold the ultimate power to choose our beliefs, forge our paths, and define our destinies.
