READING TIME: 4 MINUTES
The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.
― Robert Pirsig, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"
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Fish don't know what water is.¹ They just swim around in it without paying attention. People are the same when it comes to their opinions. We don't know how we got our opinions, we just have them. We grow up with them, and read news portals that support them. In other words, we rarely focus on what we think, or why we think it. We just have opinions.
Have you ever read an article about the industry you work in, or about a subject you know really well? You can immediately spot the limit of the writer's knowledge. Even if the article is well-written, you will catch passages and think to yourself, "that's pretty much true, but it's off on this or that." You come away thinking, "it wasn't totally correct". Imagine now, that every article, about everything, is like that. It's close, but not really correct.
Have you ever read an article about the industry you work in, or about a subject you know really well? You can immediately spot the limit of the writer's knowledge. Even if the article is well-written, you will catch passages and think to yourself, "that's pretty much true, but it's off on this or that." You come away thinking, "it wasn't totally correct". Imagine now, that every article, about everything, is like that. It's close, but not really correct.
That's news. There is noise in it. In order to get the signal, it takes having a lot more context – more than can be transferred in one article.
Much of politics is news, and much of news is headlines. Noise. To really understand what's going on, you have to have more knowledge than what's in one article. You have to have either real-world, tangible experience, or you have to at least have read books or experienced something of greater depth in order to understand the nuance.
Much of politics is news, and much of news is headlines. Noise. To really understand what's going on, you have to have more knowledge than what's in one article. You have to have either real-world, tangible experience, or you have to at least have read books or experienced something of greater depth in order to understand the nuance.
So when you read an article, try to understand that there is probably a lot more that you don't know.
Cherry-picking the news daily – especially getting caught up in the headlines – is a good way to become dumber.
Cherry-picking the news daily – especially getting caught up in the headlines – is a good way to become dumber.
Why?
One reason is because so much of news, in general, and of headlines in particular, is aimed at triggering emotions. And emotionally-charged issues cloud judgment. In other words, news sites purposefully try to trigger your emotions. They make money off eyeballs.
Another reason is that if you spend all your spare time reading the news, you rob yourself of time you could use doing something in the real world.
I don't intend to denigrate the news or journalists. They are vital to a functional society because they hold politicians, and those with social influence accountable. The news informs.
I don't intend to denigrate the news or journalists. They are vital to a functional society because they hold politicians, and those with social influence accountable. The news informs.
The problem is that we as citizens, the general public, let our news sources define us. Our opinions are informed without question by whatever news portal we read.
The problem is not necessarily with the news, but with the way we let it affect us. We look at our news sources and then look outwardly. We see what we think are clear and obvious answers. And then get emotional when "others" disagree. We see "them", others who have different opinions, as stupid or immoral.
All the people you interact with in your daily life – the strangers you pass on the street, or bump into in stores or shops – have complex thoughts. Everyone was a baby who grew up and was shaped by their surroundings. Everyone has an internal dialogue going on inside their head – just like you.
Maybe take a few minutes every once in a while to look inwardly. Don't let your news sources define you. Seek facts over feelings. But most importantly, try to see the water. Try to see why you think what you think. How did you get that opinion?
All the people you interact with in your daily life – the strangers you pass on the street, or bump into in stores or shops – have complex thoughts. Everyone was a baby who grew up and was shaped by their surroundings. Everyone has an internal dialogue going on inside their head – just like you.
Maybe take a few minutes every once in a while to look inwardly. Don't let your news sources define you. Seek facts over feelings. But most importantly, try to see the water. Try to see why you think what you think. How did you get that opinion?
NOTES:
1. Foster Wallace, David. This is Water. Little, Brown and Company, 2009. This concept of fish not knowing what water is, comes from an essay written by David Foster Wallace and given as a college commencement address in 2005. It was published as a short book in 2009.
1. Foster Wallace, David. This is Water. Little, Brown and Company, 2009. This concept of fish not knowing what water is, comes from an essay written by David Foster Wallace and given as a college commencement address in 2005. It was published as a short book in 2009.