Great article. It made me think of a quote from Red Green, ca. 2000: "We haven't really improved communication - we've just made it easier for bad ideas to be shared. Before the techno revolution, if you had a theory, you presented it to a friend or a colleague first to see if it had merit. You could limit the embarrassment. Now, if you have a theory, you create a Web site and broadcast it to the world. Life gets very difficult when everybody knows you're an idiot. It's bad enough when it's just your wife."
Great piece. Actions speak louder then words. I am on Substack seeking “truth”. I have lost faith in our corporate media, our Govt, our “elite”. One of my favorite quotes from Lincoln: “Better to remain silent and have them wonder if you are a fool, then open your mouth and confirm it”.
The term opinion pageant is dope too, really encapsulates the idea of the essay perfectly
I’ll be honest though, sometimes holding a weakly held opinion is enough for me to evaluate it which then leads to me deciding to disagree with the initial opinion and continue exploring for one that better captures my thinking.
I know that’s probably not the best way to go about it, but I’m constantly working through my thoughts and it’s the process that helps me right now.
Sort of like a hermit crab looking for a properly fitted shell. Hopping from opinion to opinion until I find one that fits well.
It takes a while… and I probably look foolish/ignorant often but it’s how I try to make sense of things
As a formerly woke person, I can confirm that I did not hold those opinions (solely) for the image; I was genuinely convinced of the things I believed in. But was I well-informed? Far from it.
I believe the reason for wokeness among the young is that they lack maturity and critical thinking, which makes their minds susceptible to emotionally charged takes. Their energy comes from personal injustices, and they genuinely want to improve the world, but they have f-ed up co-relations of problems.
Naval Ravikant has said something to the effect of "when you're young, if you're not woke, you don't have a heart. When you're old, if you're not <whatever is the opposite of woke>, you don't have brains."
Deeds can include informed, well reasoned and well expressed opinions. Better yet is a solid record of such deeds. Then critical reading and listening, avoiding confirmation bias, become key.
You’re my current professional commentator from whom my opinions are formed 😬 Love your delivery and content. You touch on aspects not frequently covered and have an element of Tristan Harris to your views, which I appreciate.
I think another problem is that we fanboy/girl over modern day thinkers and put them on a pedestal. Jordan Peterson is another one I view in this light. I know he’s not a god, but he’s able to so eloquently say what so many feel, but are unable to string together in any coherent manner themselves.
As Sean Whalen says, people speaking their truth become a lighthouse, a beacon and portal of truth, for others. Even if that “truth” is merely confirmation bias.
It’s hard to remember no one has it all figured out when listening to someone who sounds as though they do. I forget the exact reference, but we commence our life journey as a solid, crude piece of stone, slowly chipping away the excess to uncover who and what we are... never truly coming to completion. So when we encounter these thinkers who shed profound light into our lives, we must recognize they are merely helping in chipping away the unnecessary excess of our selves. And yes, sometimes huge chips can be thrown aside upon hearing a revolutionary insight, but it is not the be all and end all.
It’s a great opinion and excellent piece and one of the reasons I’ve moved away from twitter. I started to get tsunami swept up uncomfortably to go along with the conservative attack of woke McKinsey/WEF political prodigies. Breaking away from the herd was necessary so I could more comfortably form my own opinions of issues . Writers like you help straighten out muddled thinking . We all need to go out and buy that T shirt that projects a single fish swimming opposite to the large school of fish as our reminder of the importance of our own individuality.
An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.
Great article. It made me think of a quote from Red Green, ca. 2000: "We haven't really improved communication - we've just made it easier for bad ideas to be shared. Before the techno revolution, if you had a theory, you presented it to a friend or a colleague first to see if it had merit. You could limit the embarrassment. Now, if you have a theory, you create a Web site and broadcast it to the world. Life gets very difficult when everybody knows you're an idiot. It's bad enough when it's just your wife."
Great piece. Actions speak louder then words. I am on Substack seeking “truth”. I have lost faith in our corporate media, our Govt, our “elite”. One of my favorite quotes from Lincoln: “Better to remain silent and have them wonder if you are a fool, then open your mouth and confirm it”.
Solid essay man!
The term opinion pageant is dope too, really encapsulates the idea of the essay perfectly
I’ll be honest though, sometimes holding a weakly held opinion is enough for me to evaluate it which then leads to me deciding to disagree with the initial opinion and continue exploring for one that better captures my thinking.
I know that’s probably not the best way to go about it, but I’m constantly working through my thoughts and it’s the process that helps me right now.
Sort of like a hermit crab looking for a properly fitted shell. Hopping from opinion to opinion until I find one that fits well.
It takes a while… and I probably look foolish/ignorant often but it’s how I try to make sense of things
As a formerly woke person, I can confirm that I did not hold those opinions (solely) for the image; I was genuinely convinced of the things I believed in. But was I well-informed? Far from it.
I believe the reason for wokeness among the young is that they lack maturity and critical thinking, which makes their minds susceptible to emotionally charged takes. Their energy comes from personal injustices, and they genuinely want to improve the world, but they have f-ed up co-relations of problems.
Naval Ravikant has said something to the effect of "when you're young, if you're not woke, you don't have a heart. When you're old, if you're not <whatever is the opposite of woke>, you don't have brains."
Sadly, many of them never become adults.
Deeds can include informed, well reasoned and well expressed opinions. Better yet is a solid record of such deeds. Then critical reading and listening, avoiding confirmation bias, become key.
Thank you for your essay.
Opinion Pageantry!
Ironically, depending on your political affiliation, best exemplified by the picture of AOC in a 'Tax the Rich' dress at the met gala last year.
I'm not political, it just would of been funny and in keeping with the idea captured in this essay.
Good stuff man, thanks!
To give an opinion on such an insightful article on opinion will be an unnecessary opinion. This is the best action I could take immediately!
You’re my current professional commentator from whom my opinions are formed 😬 Love your delivery and content. You touch on aspects not frequently covered and have an element of Tristan Harris to your views, which I appreciate.
I think another problem is that we fanboy/girl over modern day thinkers and put them on a pedestal. Jordan Peterson is another one I view in this light. I know he’s not a god, but he’s able to so eloquently say what so many feel, but are unable to string together in any coherent manner themselves.
As Sean Whalen says, people speaking their truth become a lighthouse, a beacon and portal of truth, for others. Even if that “truth” is merely confirmation bias.
It’s hard to remember no one has it all figured out when listening to someone who sounds as though they do. I forget the exact reference, but we commence our life journey as a solid, crude piece of stone, slowly chipping away the excess to uncover who and what we are... never truly coming to completion. So when we encounter these thinkers who shed profound light into our lives, we must recognize they are merely helping in chipping away the unnecessary excess of our selves. And yes, sometimes huge chips can be thrown aside upon hearing a revolutionary insight, but it is not the be all and end all.
It’s a great opinion and excellent piece and one of the reasons I’ve moved away from twitter. I started to get tsunami swept up uncomfortably to go along with the conservative attack of woke McKinsey/WEF political prodigies. Breaking away from the herd was necessary so I could more comfortably form my own opinions of issues . Writers like you help straighten out muddled thinking . We all need to go out and buy that T shirt that projects a single fish swimming opposite to the large school of fish as our reminder of the importance of our own individuality.
So accurate and dystopian and depressing. Best article I’ve read in a long time, thanks for sharing 🤗
Well reasoned opinion founded on carefully ascertained fact is surely more valuable than refraining from forming opinions
Better than a opinion, just real fact !
I think your opinion is "based."
Just kidding. I think you have a well thought out point of view.
So what actions have you performed to make you a credible commentator???
It is quite simple really people should be judged by their character, not their opinions.