Effortless knowledge. So awkward. Good in the world. Clearing the path. Chaos and calm. Communicating clearly. Complain with purpose.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
– Lao Tzu
1. “When all knowledge is made effortless, it’s treated as disposable.”
How Convenience Kills Curiosity – Joan Westenberg – (blog)
The theorem is simple: “The more effort something requires, the more meaning we assign to the result.” In our age of reduced friction and instant answers we’ve designed a system that reduces effort so dramatically we’re losing the sense of value of what it is we’re given.
Unexpected side-effects follow.
Type a question, get an answer—ideally without even clicking through to a webpage. The algorithm tries to anticipate exactly what you want, then delivers it with surgical precision. This seems like an unalloyed good until you realize what’s missing: the pathway of discovery, the intellectual side-quests, the context that situates knowledge within a broader landscape.
It does seem like a good thing, right? How great to just get the d*mn answer we’re looking for without all that superfluous noise. And yet, it might just be that noise wasn’t so superfluous after all.
Do this: Look for the side-quests.
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2. “The ability to genuinely connect with one another is at an all-time low”
The Epidemic of Awkwardness – Tom Greene – (Wit and Wisdom)
The pandemic shut us down. Maybe we were on the verge already, but our ability to connect with others took a serious hit, and for many, it was enough. Coupled with the technology we were already adopting, it all damaged many things, including our ability to build community.
Greene advocates deeper conversations and deeper questions as one way to rebuild.
With endless small talk and constant digital distraction, asking questions that matter might be the most radical act of connection we can offer. It says: I see you. I’m curious about you. Your story matters to me.
My concern is that given our increased isolationist tendencies, does someone else’s story truly still matter to you? It’s one thing to know the question(s) to ask, but it’s something else to actually want the answer. Valuing the answer is the part that matters.
Do this: Ask the questions. Listen to the answer.
3. “Humans are not by nature grateful creatures.”
The Beauty That Moral Courage Creates (gift link) – Arthur C. Brooks – (The Atlantic)
The main premise of the essay is that doing good for others is good for you, with a particularly poignant holocaust story as an example. But it’s also as much about what we see as what we do.
When you can see moral beauty in others, you will find goodness in yourself as well. If you’re frustrated with, or cynical about, the state of the world today, or if you simply want a sure way to get happier, looking for such moral beauty might be just what you need.
I think of it as a combination of “you are what you eat” and “you find what you look for”.
We should seek out moral beauty in our lives, especially in times of suffering, when we need inspiration and a reminder that there is good in the world.
He includes three techniques for doing so: the company you choose to keep, the actions you choose to take, and gratitude.
Do this: Seek out beauty.
4. “The person who clears the path controls its direction”
23 pieces of career advice I wish I’d known earlier(*) – Ryan Holiday – (Twitter)
On one hand the takeaway above is about leadership — as long as the leader is, indeed, clearing the path and not throwing more obstacles in the way of those who follow (as too many “leaders” are wont to do). But it’s also about independent initiative and action; those who clear the path — i.e. solve problems, identifies opportunities, etc — really do have an oversized say in what happens next.
Very rarely have I ever let anyone go because they did not have the skills to do their job. It’s almost always their unwillingness to learn those skills or their inability to take feedback.
I would expand that to include their unwillingness to learn new skills, and their unwillingness to put in the effort to do the work.
It’s an insightful list.
(*) The link is to a Readwise.io page where the entire Twitter thread is collected. Because Twitter.
Do this: Clear the path.
5. “Chaos is a part of life”
The calm life method — 5 habits of super calm people – Thomas Oppong – (Postanly Weekly)
As the title of the piece indicates, the author describes five steps to maintain some calm in what is inevitably a chaotic life.
Embrace a mindset of flexibility and adaptability.
It’s a tough lesson to learn.
A phrase I’ve been known to utter at various events is “we are nothing if not flexible”, meaning that when things inevitably change or even go off the rails, it’s on us to be ready and willing to adapt. The better we can do so, the easier it is to move on without drama.
Much of the anxiety I often see is exactly the opposite: the expectation that life should proceed without incident, and extreme discomfort when things (again, inevitably) don’t go as planned.
Do this: Stay flexible.
6. “Writing helps you communicate clearly”
The Science-Based Benefits of Writing – Anne-Laure Le Cunff – (Ness Labs)
It’s no secret I’m a huge believer in writing. I didn’t always feel this way, but life has convinced me that it’s one of the most important skills you can develop alongside whatever your vocation or avocation might be.
The act of writing forces you to organize your thoughts and break down complex ideas into simpler, more digestible parts. This process not only helps others understand your ideas better but also deepens your own comprehension of the subject matter.
If you’ve ever written up a question you plan to send to someone about a problem you’re having, only to find that just before you hit “Send” you understand the answer, you’ve experienced the benefit of writing.
What I often see is that people who are unwilling or reluctant to write, or those who feel they dislike writing, often feel that way not because of the writing itself, but because of what they’re expected to write about. I absolutely hated writing in school. Come to find out it wasn’t the writing I hated, but being forced to write about things I didn’t care about. Once I discovered my own passions, writing became second nature. I even built a second career around it.
Do this: Write.
7. “The best way to complain is to make things better.”
“Can’t complain” (but it might be worth considering) – Seth Godin – (Blog)
It’s no secret I’m not a fan of complaining. And, boy, is there a lot of complaining about.
Given all the complaining we do (about the weather, leadership, products, service and various ailments), it’s worth taking a moment to think about why we complain.
The obvious one might not be the main one.
The obvious reason to complain is to make a change happen.
And yet so much complaining has nothing at all to do with making change, but just pointing out (again and again) whatever it is we dislike about the target of our complaints.
Godin shares an interesting list of other reasons that we might complain, though. And while I can’t say it’s made me more tolerant of complaining, I can at least acknowledge some reasons it might have value. I still find it annoying, though.
Do this: Complain less, or at least complain with a purpose.
What I’m reading now
- Swamp Sweets – Jana Deleon
- Nudge: The Final Edition – Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein
- Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don’t, and Why – Stephen Martin, Joseph Marks (Audio)
My Reading List – everything I’ve read since 2021.
My Sources Page – the common sources I scan/read regularly.
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2. “The ability to genuinely connect with one another is at an all-time low” ✔