Rationality

Moral duty to become more rational.

#Consume

Philosophy

  • Easier and more effective to learn from others mistakes
  • Critical to look at things from as many different angles as possible. For Good things: think about what could have gone differently. What was luck ? What good Planning? Bad things: Think how much worse it could have been. What was luck ? What bad Planning? Moderate positive reactions to “good luck”. See where it could have failed. What could have been improved? Whatever happens, no matter how bad have a way of looking/thinking about the situation to improve.
  • See desires for what they are: A response of an algorithm trained 50k years ago in a different environment.
  • Learn how to learn from those you disagree with or even offend you. See if you can find the “truth” in what they believe. - Kevin Kelly
  • “When you fall, pick something up”

  • We are all biased even when/if we don't think we are. Removing/Acknowledging this bias can allow outsized returns/performance.

    > Eg: > Q: Who is the best/smartest person you work with? > A: “The one who agrees with me most often is X” > Most people unlikely to think highly of anyone whose view opposes your own. > Strive to recognize and reduce this bias. > Try to use EQ/BQ to see where/when I have gut reaction to something, can check that for bias

  • Moderate positive reactions to “good luck”. See where it could have failed. What could have been improved.
  • Whatever happens, no matter how bad have a way of looking/thinking about the situation to improve.
  • See the role model in everyone. Important to try to emulate you want to be. Role models can be amalgamations of people. Look for qualities that you want to emulate in other people, even if you dont want to be like the person.
  • Make yourself dependable.
    • Deserve the things you want.
    • Its more important to deserve the things you wan than to have them.
  • Try to maintain objectivity > Automate good techniques: use check lists/protocols ect

  • Need to tolerate both types of errors:

    > Type1: “letting the bad in”

    > Type2: “kicking the good out”

    You are unlikely to be optimal unless you have some tolerance of both

  • Want to be a learn-it-all not a know-it-all > Humility is the key to growth and leadership. Stay humble and see what you can learn.
  • "Dont sweat the small stuff" good Stoic advice. > When you spend time and energy on things that dont matter, you are making them matter. > This changes how you live your life, who your are. > You are what you repeatedly do. > Dont be something you dont want to be.
  • Pillage from all sources > "Never be ashamed to quote a bad writer with a good saying" -Seneca > Look for wisdom independent of where it comes from.

  • The art of having no opinion > Mechanism for suppressing innate bias.

    > Most opinions are reactionary and unrelated to whats really happening

    > Definitely true of today's politics. Different sides have opinions that are really reactions based on their current stance/posture.

    > Becoming and independent/orthogonal rational thinker requires suppression of reactionary positions/thoughts

  • Self-improvement is good, but it matters what you are improving in.

    > Doing things better is not necessarly equivalent to becoming a better person, which is the ultimate goal.

Baltasar Gracian

> - Know how to take a hint. The truths which concern us most can only be half spoken, but with attention we can grasp then whole meaning. When you hear something favorable be skeptical. When you hear something unfavorable follow up. ( > - Do not be the slave of first impressions. Dont satisfy your will with the first object nor your mind with the first preposition. Wait for the 3rd or 4th edition of the news. > - Many men do not esteem what they understand and venerate what they do not see. Many praise a thing without being able to say why if asked. > - In all things if you know little, stick to the safest. To know little and seek danger is to seek ruin. "Security is schrewder than singularity".

Poor Richards Almanac

> - Observe all men, yourself the most > - The way to see faith is to shut the eye of reason > - Many complain of their memory, few of their judgment. > - The best physician knows the worthless-ness of most medicines. > - He that wont be counseled, cannot be helped > - Reading makes a man full, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man. > - Good sense is something all need, few have, and none think they want. > - Being ignorant is not so shameful as being unwilling to learn.

  • "I would rather by right than consistent" Winston Churchill
  • Good designers never start by trying to solve the problem given to them. They start by trying to understand what the real issues are. (The design of everyday things)
    • Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach. (Cultivate the art of flexibilty) (Awaken the giant)
  • To show reverence for the wise is itself a great good for him that reveres. (Epicurus)
  • In a joint philosophical investigation he who is defeated comes out ahead in so far as he has learned something new; The wise man will be grateful for being corrected. (Epicurus)
  • We often dont know what we are about to do, say, or think until after we have dont it. (Good reason to journal) (The Design of Everyday things)

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