Seth's Blog : Which kind of truth?

Organic chemistry doesn't care if you believe in it. Neither does the War of 1812. Truth is real, it's measurable and it happened. Truth is not in the eye of the beholder. There are facts that don't change if the...

Which kind of truth?

Organic chemistry doesn't care if you believe in it. Neither does the War of 1812. 

Truth is real, it's measurable and it happened. Truth is not in the eye of the beholder.

There are facts that don't change if the observer doesn't believe: The age of the Eiffel Tower. The temperature in Death Valley. The number of people in the elevator. 

On the other hand, there are outcomes that vary quite a bit if we believe: The results of the next sales call. Our response to medical treatment. The enjoyment of music...

If you believe that this wine tastes better than that one, it probably will. If you believe you're going to have a great day at work, it will surely help. Placebos work.

We make two mistakes, all the time. First, we believe that some things are facts (as in true), when in fact, belief has a huge effect on what's going to happen. In the contest between nature and nurture, nurture has far more power than we give it credit for. In countless ways, our friends and parents matter more than our genes do.

At the same time, sometimes we get carried away. We work to amplify our beliefs by willfully confusing ourselves about whether the truth is flexible. It makes belief a lot more compelling (but a lot less useful) if we start to confuse it with truth.

But belief is too important and too powerful to be a suspect compatriot of the scientific/historical sort of truth. 

We can believe because it gives us joy and strength and the ability to do amazing things. That's enough.

       

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Seth's Blog : Plasticity

It's possible that you're the way you are, that you do what you do, that you react as you react, and that it can never be changed. Believing this is incredibly sad, though. Each of us is capable of just...

Plasticity

It's possible that you're the way you are, that you do what you do, that you react as you react, and that it can never be changed.

Believing this is incredibly sad, though.

Each of us is capable of just a little more. A little more patience, a little more insight, a little more generosity.

And if you can do a little more, then, of course, you can repeat those changes until you've done a lot more.

       

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• The FLASH drives
• Sort by price
• Hobson's choice, Occam's razor, Wheeler's which and the way we decide
• On demand vs. in stock
• Finding the thread

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Seth's Blog : The FLASH drives

Fear, loneliness, anger, shame & hunger. They drive us. They divide us. They take us away from our work, our mission, our ability to make a difference. And yet, sometimes, they fuel our motion, leading to growth and connection. When...

The FLASH drives

Fear, loneliness, anger, shame & hunger.

They drive us. They divide us. They take us away from our work, our mission, our ability to make a difference. And yet, sometimes, they fuel our motion, leading to growth and connection.

When a variety of FLASH shows up, it almost never calls itself by name. Instead, it lashes out. It criticizes what we've made or done. And mostly, it hides behind words, argument and actions, instead of revealing itself.

As you've guessed, correcting the false argument is futile. Logic doesn't work either. You can't reason with FLASH because it is, by definition, unreasonable.

Worth repeating that: We're rarely reasonable. Most of the time, we're afraid, lonely, angry, shameful or hungry.

Sometimes, we can address those emotions by seeing that reason can help our problem, but mostly, we start and end with the emotion.

Recognize it.

Pause to allow it be seen and heard.

And then, if we're willing, we can dance with it. We can put the arguments aside, the demands and the expectations and sit with the emotion. Not get defensive, because the emotion isn't about us or our work at all.

Then, maybe, we can begin to bring civilization back into the conversation, the story of us, the opportunity for growth and connection, and ultimately, the power of thought and reason and forward motion.

       

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• Sort by price
• Hobson's choice, Occam's razor, Wheeler's which and the way we decide
• On demand vs. in stock
• Finding the thread
• Choose better

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