Misunderstanding required. Purposeful longevity. I told you so. Google as zombie. Emotional exfoliation. Memes easy, thinking hard. Knowledge vs. understanding.
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
– Napoleon Bonaparte
1. “Some people misunderstand you because they have to”
The quiet thrill of not being for everyone – Stepfanie Tyler – (Wild Bare Thoughts)
The takeaway above got my attention because it’s not a conclusion we often come to. Misunderstanding is rampant, and sometimes it is our fault, sometimes it is their fault, and sometimes … it just has to be. The quote continues:
it protects their narrative about who you are, who they are, how the world works. Your complexity threatens their simplicity, and you finally understand that this is not your problem to solve.
The essay is primarily about not changing who we are to fit in or be understood. Trying to do so often makes us less, and stifles our self-expression. I’m not sure how I feel about that yet, but the thought above speaks to me.
Do this: Try to understand and learn from misunderstandings.
#misunderstanding #understanding
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2. “People don’t thrive in longevity by mistake or luck.”
I’m an expert on ageing. Here’s what I know about thriving in later life – Kerry Burnight – (The Guardian)
Burnight coins a term “joyspan”. More than lifespan, more than even the newly popular “healthspan”, joyspan is the length of a life lived in joy. Unfortunately, people seem to approach aging in either of two ways: negatively, focusing on the decline and what’s lost, or positively, focusing on opportunities and connection. She includes examples of two individuals she encounters regularly who embody each.
The lesson is fairly straightforward and is a good reminder even if we already know:
The hundreds of predictors found in thousands of studies on what is necessary to thrive in longevity consistently group into four essential elements.
- Grow: They continue to expand and explore.
- Connect: They put time into new and existing relationships.
- Adapt: They adjust to changing and challenging situations.
- Give: They share themselves.
As the author points out, each is non-negotiable.
Do this: Thrive.
3. “Things that feel good might not always be a good idea.”
How to build a barn – Mike Monteiro – (Mike Monteiro’s Good News)
An entertaining essay on advice, pettiness and “I told you so”. Why we do it, why it feels good, and why it never helps.
We love being right. But even more than we love being right, we love it when someone doesn’t agree that we’re right, and then falls flat on their face. It feels so good.
It goes on with a couple of other observations I found humorous, and one more inspirational:
No one wants advice they didn’t ask for.
People who ask you for advice usually don’t want it either.
People would rather listen to a story that paints a picture of a good thing we can all walk towards, more than they enjoy a story about a bad thing we should avoid.
It’s a fun read. And yes, there’s a barn.
Do this: Keep those “I told you so’s” to yourself.
4. “The zombies are still wrecking society.”
One Extra Click – Ernie Smith – (Tedium)
The zombie in this case is Google Search, or rather, AI summaries and related information being crammed into search results by Google.
… if people are using the AI results on Google without the right level of skepticism, they will be in danger of being harmed by them. It‘s not a sustainable situation, living life as if zombies do not exist.
There are many things wrong with AI results as they stand now, not the least of which are the fact that they’re often inaccurate, already being gamed, and they’re difficult to opt out of.
As a publisher, I also view them as an issue. Ask Leo!, for example, has been search engine reliant for most of its existence, and that’s declined precipitously. (There’ll be some news over there this week about some fallout.)
Do this: View AI results with skepticism. Maybe click through to the source(s).
5. “A good laugh with a friend is like emotional exfoliation.”
This Is How To Conquer Anxiety: 4 Secrets From Research – Eric Barker – (Barking up the Wrong Tree)
I love this essay for two reasons. As someone becoming more acquainted with anxiety, I appreciate the approaches listed. While not easy in the moment, they’re sensible and good ideas to return to.
But even more than that are the metaphors and similes sprinkled throughout the piece. They not only make it fun to read, but they make the concepts much more approachable.
It’s like owning a parrot with a vocabulary solely consisting of your deepest, darkest fears.
Telling yourself “I’m not anxious, I’m excited!” might seem like telling yourself “I’m not broke; I’m just pre-rich!” except it actually helps.
Perfection doesn’t exist. It’s like Bigfoot or a comfortable airline seat.
If you struggle with anxiety I recommend reading the essay. If nothing else it’ll at least make you smile.
Do this: Acknowledge anxiety.
6. “Contagious thoughts outcompete true thoughts simply because they’re easier.”
Why the Best Ideas Don’t Always Win – Joan Westenberg – (blog)
This is a more nuanced look into why some ideas spread and some don’t. We’ve often come to blame individuals being attracted to concepts with which they already agree, but it’s much more complex than that, of course. For example, as the takeaway above points out, sometimes it’s just because the thought is easier to digest.
Contagion, not content, explains much of what survives in the zeitgeist.
A belief doesn’t need to make your life better. It doesn’t need to be factually accurate. It just needs to be good at spreading.
“Good at spreading” is both easier and more complex than most people take the time to consider. Thoughts that incite anger, play to tribal loyalty, or target the stressed all have a better chance at replication, regardless of their true “value”. It’s kinda frightening, and it explains much.
Do this: Remember, as Westenberg points out, “Not everything needs to be shared.”
7. “Understanding is taught through experience”
The Inner Compass: Cultivating the Courage to Trust Yourself – Lawrence Yeo – (ebook)
The takeaway’s full quote:
Knowledge is taught through information, but understanding is taught through experience.
Besides being an important insight, it encapsulates one of my biggest pet peeves in the education system: we teach knowledge. Not that knowledge isn’t useful, of course it is, but that’s where most education stops. We “teach to the test”, and once past students are left hanging. It seems like such a lost opportunity.
I’m partway through Yeo’s book, and as always, he’s an insightful writer.
Do this: Gain understanding.
Random links
- Everything’s going to be ok! – A story of dog vomit and what we’re all REALLY using AI for…
- Slowly Rotting from the Inside-Out – Asking AI how it would destroy humanity. Spoiler: it’s underway.
- Flight Of The Ultimate Navigator – The amazing flight of the Artic Tern.
What I’m reading now
- Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World – Anne-Laure Le Cunff
- The Hero of Ages – Brandon Sanderson
- The Inner Compass: Cultivating the Courage to Trust Yourself – Lawrence Yeo
- Creative Intellegence – Greg Storey
- Project Hail Mary: A Novel Kindle Edition – Andy Weir (audio)
My Reading List – everything I’ve read since 2021.
My Sources Page – the common sources I scan/read regularly.
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“Some people misunderstand you because they have to” ✔
“People don’t thrive in longevity by mistake or luck.” ✔