The helpless fool comes to mind. I like the way the ideas in this piece focus around our actions which are almost always also interactions. I have often conceptualised intelligence/stupidity in a static way. The 'does' part might be the most important part.
Used to start each essay section with a quote each time, kept it up through college, got many compliments for it as a stylistic touch. Suckers.
Immediately bought the book as well. If Taleb and Bevan endorse it, I'm almost certainly going to enjoy it.
Very useful mental model you're discussing here, I found his Matrix/compass and added it to my notes. Especially for businessmen.
There was a book called the Science of Getting Rich, by a Wallace D. Wattles, which is a precursor to Napoleon Hill and the Secret and all the rest of it, but there was one quote that came to mind which is:
"You are to become a creator, not a competitor; you are going to get what you want, but in such a way that when you get it every other man will have more than he has now".
The rest of the book goes into creative visualisation, law of attraction, etc, but there's a great influence focused on the importance of focusing on being creative, rather than being competitive, giving rather than taking and so on.
As far as "New Thought" goes, it's the best one I've read, which, if I'm honest, isn't many - more a curiosity driven pursuit than a desire for legitimate advice.
"It’s almost as if these self-improvement guys are Bandits and their audiences consist of the Helpless…"
Great section here, perfectly articulates the problem with the 'self-improvement' (for lack of a better term, money twitter is much worse) corner of Twitter.
Insults are generally worthless, as is criticism. Praise specifically, criticise (very) generally is the rule I go by, and never, ever offering unsolicited advice, even to friends.
Otherwise known as being "easy to get along with".
The distinction between stupid and foolish is brilliant. I'll be adjusting my verbal repartee accordingly.
Stupid feels like a straight, somewhat childish insult.
Foolish feels more sophisticated, cutting you down from a position of supreme superiority, cutting past the bone and taking a fat chunk out of the ego.
Agreed on Wisdom over Intelligence as well. I've got some negative associations with the word intelligence, but none whatsoever with wise.
"The heart of wisdom is gaining wins as you help those around you do likewise. It’s helping without allowing yourself to become helpless. It’s generosity of spirit mediated by clear boundaries. It’s the delicate balance of self-respect and respect for others. It’s what we should all be cultivating, now more than ever."
Beautiful. You could probably write a damn good self-help book, at the small cost of your soul.
Lots to take away from this, thanks for writing it Tom.
Well, had to read it again to make sure I understood it all ! A denser newsletter than usual Thomas, thanks for the brain gymnastics.
I agree with most of it, but not so regarding the lose/lose proposition associated with the fact of calling people stupid (with a persuavive/commercial purpose). Indeed, it will cause more harm than good to the "receiving" party, but more often than not, it will be a lose-win situation: not everyone is self-conscious, not everyone has standards. People like you and I (and many others ofc) will either tell the person to fuck off or, if more enclined towards agreableness, politely smile and withdraw our attention (which is a premium currency too easily wasted on the wrong things). But many actually desire, deep inside, to be talked to like this. How many influencers and coaches insult their audience every day (and I mean INSULT, not a playful tough love banter) and are rewarded by tens of thousands of followers and customers? I cannot explain why, but there must be something related to self-loathing and the twisted desire to be humiliated and bullied into submission; trauma-bonding for guys who internalized verbal abuse and debasement and secretely get off to it. In that case, reinforcing the belief that they are stupid while telling them that only your product will "un-stupidify" them go hand in hand, and the crazy part is that many actually ask for it.
I'm also convinced that at the root of most stupidity that is not subnormal-IQ related, there is simply weakness. Which is maybe what you call "bewilderment, laxity or thoughtlessness". Weakness to learn, weakness to be willing to risk being wrong and having the courage to acknowledge it, weakness to say sorry and make amend when you wronged someone, weakness to realize you may not know it all and - in some domains of life - even be "inferior" to others. I've never met a stupid, or foolish person older than 20YO who was also bold, curious and assertive in their personal lives. And to clarify the stupid/foolish difference, I believe that you’re foolish as long as you’re ignorant of a subject. If you persist in your way when it's been proven wrong or untrue, then you (may be) stupid indeed, or delusional, which bears the same meaning to me.
But if I could remember only one piece of this beautiful newsletter, it'd be this one, "To always pursue the win/win in all scenarios is beyond just intelligent, it is at the heart of wisdom itself". Brilliantly thought and written !
You can't fix stupid. So to that very simplistic statement is your point about the word stupid being stupid. Why bother telling anyone? They are either truly too stupid to know and most likely won't fix it. In other easy picking cliches from movies, Forrest Gump said "My Mama always told me 'stupid is as stupid does'."
This is truly a great read. A very interesting, thought-provoking, (ego satisfying because I have been against label putting since any label sort of confines a person into a concept as opposed to being a nuanced being whether it is a way of putting someone on a pedestal or making them essentially deaf through counter productive labels).
The helpless fool comes to mind. I like the way the ideas in this piece focus around our actions which are almost always also interactions. I have often conceptualised intelligence/stupidity in a static way. The 'does' part might be the most important part.
Used to start each essay section with a quote each time, kept it up through college, got many compliments for it as a stylistic touch. Suckers.
Immediately bought the book as well. If Taleb and Bevan endorse it, I'm almost certainly going to enjoy it.
Very useful mental model you're discussing here, I found his Matrix/compass and added it to my notes. Especially for businessmen.
There was a book called the Science of Getting Rich, by a Wallace D. Wattles, which is a precursor to Napoleon Hill and the Secret and all the rest of it, but there was one quote that came to mind which is:
"You are to become a creator, not a competitor; you are going to get what you want, but in such a way that when you get it every other man will have more than he has now".
The rest of the book goes into creative visualisation, law of attraction, etc, but there's a great influence focused on the importance of focusing on being creative, rather than being competitive, giving rather than taking and so on.
As far as "New Thought" goes, it's the best one I've read, which, if I'm honest, isn't many - more a curiosity driven pursuit than a desire for legitimate advice.
"It’s almost as if these self-improvement guys are Bandits and their audiences consist of the Helpless…"
Great section here, perfectly articulates the problem with the 'self-improvement' (for lack of a better term, money twitter is much worse) corner of Twitter.
Insults are generally worthless, as is criticism. Praise specifically, criticise (very) generally is the rule I go by, and never, ever offering unsolicited advice, even to friends.
Otherwise known as being "easy to get along with".
The distinction between stupid and foolish is brilliant. I'll be adjusting my verbal repartee accordingly.
Stupid feels like a straight, somewhat childish insult.
Foolish feels more sophisticated, cutting you down from a position of supreme superiority, cutting past the bone and taking a fat chunk out of the ego.
Agreed on Wisdom over Intelligence as well. I've got some negative associations with the word intelligence, but none whatsoever with wise.
"The heart of wisdom is gaining wins as you help those around you do likewise. It’s helping without allowing yourself to become helpless. It’s generosity of spirit mediated by clear boundaries. It’s the delicate balance of self-respect and respect for others. It’s what we should all be cultivating, now more than ever."
Beautiful. You could probably write a damn good self-help book, at the small cost of your soul.
Lots to take away from this, thanks for writing it Tom.
Well, had to read it again to make sure I understood it all ! A denser newsletter than usual Thomas, thanks for the brain gymnastics.
I agree with most of it, but not so regarding the lose/lose proposition associated with the fact of calling people stupid (with a persuavive/commercial purpose). Indeed, it will cause more harm than good to the "receiving" party, but more often than not, it will be a lose-win situation: not everyone is self-conscious, not everyone has standards. People like you and I (and many others ofc) will either tell the person to fuck off or, if more enclined towards agreableness, politely smile and withdraw our attention (which is a premium currency too easily wasted on the wrong things). But many actually desire, deep inside, to be talked to like this. How many influencers and coaches insult their audience every day (and I mean INSULT, not a playful tough love banter) and are rewarded by tens of thousands of followers and customers? I cannot explain why, but there must be something related to self-loathing and the twisted desire to be humiliated and bullied into submission; trauma-bonding for guys who internalized verbal abuse and debasement and secretely get off to it. In that case, reinforcing the belief that they are stupid while telling them that only your product will "un-stupidify" them go hand in hand, and the crazy part is that many actually ask for it.
I'm also convinced that at the root of most stupidity that is not subnormal-IQ related, there is simply weakness. Which is maybe what you call "bewilderment, laxity or thoughtlessness". Weakness to learn, weakness to be willing to risk being wrong and having the courage to acknowledge it, weakness to say sorry and make amend when you wronged someone, weakness to realize you may not know it all and - in some domains of life - even be "inferior" to others. I've never met a stupid, or foolish person older than 20YO who was also bold, curious and assertive in their personal lives. And to clarify the stupid/foolish difference, I believe that you’re foolish as long as you’re ignorant of a subject. If you persist in your way when it's been proven wrong or untrue, then you (may be) stupid indeed, or delusional, which bears the same meaning to me.
But if I could remember only one piece of this beautiful newsletter, it'd be this one, "To always pursue the win/win in all scenarios is beyond just intelligent, it is at the heart of wisdom itself". Brilliantly thought and written !
I love the underlying theme that certain trigger words should be replaced with language that evokes a kinder and perhaps active response.
You can't fix stupid. So to that very simplistic statement is your point about the word stupid being stupid. Why bother telling anyone? They are either truly too stupid to know and most likely won't fix it. In other easy picking cliches from movies, Forrest Gump said "My Mama always told me 'stupid is as stupid does'."
This is truly a great read. A very interesting, thought-provoking, (ego satisfying because I have been against label putting since any label sort of confines a person into a concept as opposed to being a nuanced being whether it is a way of putting someone on a pedestal or making them essentially deaf through counter productive labels).