Finding 52: A Whale of a Story!

Need a Culture Boost?: Building Extraordinary and Adaptive Cultures Course Available Now!

Belongify is here! Check out the new website, and let us know what you think!

What It’s About: Joshua Zeman has directed a documentary film entitled, “The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52.” It is in theaters, and is available on many digital platforms. Zeman notes: "It's been said this whale has spent its entire life swimming through the oceans, calling out and never once receiving a response. No one has heard from this whale since the Navy stopped listening 10 years ago. No one's ever seen this whale. No one knows if he's the first of his kind or the last." People aware of the story nicknamed it, "The World's Loneliest Whale," because they hypothesized that it sang at a frequency that other whales could not hear or understand, one that rang out clearly at 52 hertz. Researchers and others think it might have spent its entire life in solitude, and the premise of being so alone has pinged the hearts of many followers. According to Zeman: “The idea of a creature being out there in the void, in the darkness, communicating across vast distances and never being heard, that just speaks to the human experience." Zeman concludes. "We're all trying to break through the noise, trying to be heard.”

So What?: Too often, people invest more in perfecting talking and less in listening. One important aspect of belonging and becoming part of something, is to be able to listen. People want to be heard, and love people who can really listen. If we can listen, we will likely connect with people and never be lonely. The theme of the film is that we have to listen to each other to be interconnected. Sometimes we all feel like 52, out there in the vast void, trying to be heard and even hopefully seen.

Now What?: Be inspired by 52, and if you can, watch the documentary. We might all benefit from asking ourselves: Why am I talking? Listen more, talk less. I know I need to heed this advice for myself. And work on the power of asking great listening questions. That’s a listening skill that few master. When you do, however, you will help others become heard more. How great is that?

Think Big, Listen More, Act Now,

Lorne

One Millennial View: Science is so weird. How did we possibly find this out? Y’know, in the grand scheme of things, I’m not so sure I honestly care about the plights of a lonely whale. However, my lack of caring does teach me that I should probably listen more. I’ll be watching this documentary.

- Garrett

Finding 52: A Whale of a Story!

Search Blog Posts:

Follow Us: