Ever listen to a podcast, watch a doco or read a book and feel really dumb because you can’t understand what they are saying? I love/hate it. I love it because it’s another thing to add to the list of ‘stuff I should know’ and hate it for the same reason.
It’s good to be ignorant, as long as you’re curious.
Alan Alda on the Inner Brain Podcast
I have heard it said many times that ‘simplicity is on the other side of complexity’. The challenge is to allow ourselves to feel ignorant long enough to learn all we can learn. I’m always asking if we must suffer to grow, but maybe a lot of our suffering comes from not being humble enough about what we know. It’s really uncomfortable, feeling dumb, especially for those of us who are used to understanding things, but it’s the only way to grow, at least intellectually. Is there anything better than when a subject starts out opaque, latent and mysterious and becomes ever more transparent, so much so that we can bore our friends {and readers} to tears with our knowledge? 😉
Anyone navigating the murky waters of independent publishing will know that a lack of understanding about the process is frustrating and sometimes upsetting. It’s not enough to write the stories any more, we must be publishers too. I admit I am not terribly farther down the road than I was this time last year, but at least I know now how much I don’t know!
Then there’s this guy…
I’ve read back over a few old posts here and on Medium and yep, there’s quite a bit to be embarrassed about! I am going through them slowly and editing/rewriting. It’s a learning opportunity and a lesson in humility, because this time next year I’ll be doing the same thing with this post.
My fave podcasts this week.
Jeff Salzman on the Daily Evolver. Progress and Chaos – the pendulum swings but the clock moves forward.
Jaron Lanier on Alan Alda’s Clear and Vivid on why we should delete our social media accounts…right now. I need to listen to this one again.
Stephanie Lepp’s Reckonings – my new fave – Interviewing Chris Ladd about his change of heart on reproductive choice for women and other things close to the hearts of many conservatives.
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