Some Things I Think

A tapestry of thoughts and observations

I'm reluctant of the idea that people are thirsty for ancient wisdom. It seems that's only the case insofar as that wisdom can be commodified and exploited. Preferably sold in an online course. Ideas that don't advance one's climb on the never-ending self-improvement ladder are rarely popularized. No wonder we don't see any revival of Aquinas or Hegel. Those guys didn't offer us a "manual for living."

In a world of possibility, constraints keep you sane.

Having a liberal education is not optional.

A good predictor of intelligence is how you react when you're proven wrong.

Good ideas don't just come out of the ether, they're slowly simmering in your mind, coming to the right temperature based on your own thoughts and experiences.

When you lack any direction in life, reading a self-help book may do you more harm than good.

Most of the time, the answer you’re looking for is obvious. And close to home.

You don't need to travel to another country to find yourself.

Getting old is mandatory. Being an adult is not. Way too many people are children in adult bodies: reacting in the same impulsive ways, prioritizing present pleasure over future success, thinking only in black and white.

Related to the one above: But that doesn’t mean that you should repress the child in you. We need to balance "growing up" - becoming a mature and responsible individual - and preserving the childlike curiosity, flexibility and wonder that we had in our youth.

Too many people are experts in a very specific niche in their domain, while lacking more subtle qualities needed to be a decent human being, like compassion or emotional intelligence.

One of the most underrated skills in life is having a good bullshit detector.

The commercialization of minimalism has made it lose its ethos. What started as a trend that rejects consumerism, has been appropriated by brands and marketers to enable more consumption.

For most people, the barrier to success is their unwillingness to look bad for a short period, until they get good.

Authenticity is overrated. Oftentimes, we understand the encouragement to be authentic as a license to never change. To remain the same. This, coupled with our tendency for existential inertia and operating on "autopilot" can result in actions that reflect who "we think we should be," precisely because we've already been that person.

Your actions can create your identity, but it's better to be clear on it beforehand, so it’s the identity that informs your actions.

We usually observe what's present. But noticing the negative features of objects or situations will disclose a new layer of reality. Look for what's not there, what doesn't make sense, what wasn't said.

Most people never truly live; they are only getting ready to live. Working hard to make money to buy stuff they were told they need, so they can live a life others can envy. Always waiting for the final piece of the puzzle that would make them relax. But that never comes.

Knowing intellectually what's the right thing to do doesn't mean you'll actually do it. Reason doesn't always track morality.

Those who can convince people that our current world was inevitable, can also make us think that the future can only look a certain way.

We live in the age of the image. A picture truly is worth one thousand words. The problem is, while images are easier in persuading people, they're also easier in deceiving them. When belief based on visual evidence trumps well-crafted written arguments, public discourse will be controlled by those who excel in putting on a show. And most importantly, images keep us distracted. No book can command our attention quite like a social feed.

We've been brainwashed into thinking we can have our cake and eat it too. Work 70-hour weeks, but compensate for it with a ten-minute meditation session.

It's dangerous to be locked in one worldview. “The world is awful.” “The world is much better.” “The world can be better.” All these statements are true, simultaneously. Acknowledging all three is a first step to a better world.

The paradox of importance: The more weight we attach to an activity, the more we can screw it up, because we’re too invested in it going perfectly.

Asking better questions is more valuable than knowing more facts.

Knowing what you need to ignore is almost as valuable as knowing what to pay attention to.

Beware of Fast Dreams. They're the McDonald's equivalent for meaningful dreams. Fast Dreams are high in approval, but low in nourishment. A few examples can include getting a certain kind of car, achieving a career milestone by a particular age or getting a revered prize in your field. While Fast Dreams satisfy your hunger in the moment - leveling up your social status feels good - you will be left starving for meaning.

One of the most important decisions in life is deciding what you're going to suck at, so you can focus on what you'll be great at.

Sometimes, mediocrity disguises itself as balance. A tennis player doesn't practice serving with both hands just to remain “balanced.” In pursuit of excellence, the scale has to tip to one side. It can't all be even.

Everyone should write a memoir.

A society which values only optimism will produce pathologies of pessimism.

See enough people perform the same ritual, activity or job, and you’ll stop questioning it. The behavior loses its poignancy; it becomes "normal." This way, it enters in your range of acceptable conduct. We can get used to almost anything and accept almost anything with repeated exposure.

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I’d like to thank

Miche Priest

and Justine for their notes on this article.

This post was inspired by Morgan Housel.