Jan 18, 2023·edited Jan 18, 2023Liked by Silvio Castelletti
Of course, the irony is you're writing publicly about your decision to keep your thoughts to yourself, private and hidden.
I also like the paradox with which you end the essay Silvio and looking forward to reading that essay--but be careful: being flamboyantly, recklessly wrong is a well-trodden path. Nietzsche comes to mind. Bukowski also said something like "saying dangerous things with style is art", and that's almost an invitation to be recklessly wrong too. My advice is to decline it. (You probably remember Nietzsche went mad in Italy--Turino, I think. Perhaps too much classical light and rationality for his murky German mind . . .
Have you heard about the Overton Window? You're describing how it works without mentioning it. It's been dominated by the WEF / Authoritarian / Progressive / Left and reclaiming our human right to write and say things by widening the Overton Window back to the traditional dimensions of Western Civilization is one of the most urgent and essential projects of our life time.
Your willingness to silence yourself also recalls the resigned German attitude towards their many authoritarian and conformist rulers. Germans call it "Inner Immigration". Under sinister political pressure Germans learned long ago to withdraw into a kind of private exile within their own thoughts to avoid torture and death. Hardly a program for being fully human in any meaningful sense. Italians have had two millennia of woe from over-enthusiastic German admirers and, trust me, you don't want to adopt one of our German friends' most characteristic strategies.
Continue to cultivate your accomplished way of expressing your thoughts and ideas with your signature sprezzatura!
I love this. "...our culture and the times we live in pre-package our thoughts for us, taking advantage of the “thinking laziness” that has been affecting our minds for generations now." And I love how you call out the things we "use instead of thinking." It's a radical gift to think for ourselves outside of the Overton Window, as Chris says.
Still, I feel that once in a while, perhaps we ought to share our thoughts and have them hit the walls of the Overton Window. Maybe that helps widen the window or maybe you leave the Window where it is, and save the work for another day.
I have begun to understand the sharing of views as an alright thing to do, provided we can crack *how* to share our views: beyond the ego, as we might when we shoot the shit with friends over drinks or dinner. Which to me is how you share your views already, every time I read your essays... feels like a gentle, ponderous narrative voice. Not assaulting to my senses, and always food for thought. :)
"People say that your first reaction is the most honest, but I disagree. Your first reaction is usually outdated. Either it’s an answer you came up with long ago and now use instead of thinking, or it’s a knee-jerk emotional response to something in your past"
Fascinating Silvio. I've actually swung around to the other side.. I've started to believe that the *present you* is the *most authentic you*. Forget who you were yesterday. Or tomorrow. Who you are right now — is the most accurate representation of yourself. That doesn't mean you can't change. It just means that who you are right now is who you are right now.
What an interesting evolution Silvio! It's very illuminating to read about someone changing his mind on changing his/others minds. I recently heard a podcast with the guy from "The Subtle Art of not Giving a Fuck" and the subject has been on my mind.
Completely get the liberating part of just not caring, and then going one layer deep with Derek Sivers' comment just make it more profound and drives the point home.
Cheers on not caring, in the broad sense of the word ;)
You surprised me with where this went, from your confessions about arguing to the conclusion that freedom of thought is more rare than we think, and that freedom of thought is more important than freedom of speech. This is a very engaging consideration, and I agree with you. After all, true freedom of speech is actually dependent on freedom of thought. A parrot who isn't silenced doesn't have freedom of speech, they only have the freedom to make memorized noise. To be able to think for oneself is no small thing. In fact, it might require a lifetime of self-reflection and practice to be free to do so.
College convinced me that I suck at arguing, so I started holding my tongue more often. I used to feel ashamed about my fear of speaking up.
Reading your essay helped shift this narrative. Instead of wallowing in the shameful fear, I’ll just listen to others and enjoy the liberty of my thoughts.
Of course, the irony is you're writing publicly about your decision to keep your thoughts to yourself, private and hidden.
I also like the paradox with which you end the essay Silvio and looking forward to reading that essay--but be careful: being flamboyantly, recklessly wrong is a well-trodden path. Nietzsche comes to mind. Bukowski also said something like "saying dangerous things with style is art", and that's almost an invitation to be recklessly wrong too. My advice is to decline it. (You probably remember Nietzsche went mad in Italy--Turino, I think. Perhaps too much classical light and rationality for his murky German mind . . .
Have you heard about the Overton Window? You're describing how it works without mentioning it. It's been dominated by the WEF / Authoritarian / Progressive / Left and reclaiming our human right to write and say things by widening the Overton Window back to the traditional dimensions of Western Civilization is one of the most urgent and essential projects of our life time.
Your willingness to silence yourself also recalls the resigned German attitude towards their many authoritarian and conformist rulers. Germans call it "Inner Immigration". Under sinister political pressure Germans learned long ago to withdraw into a kind of private exile within their own thoughts to avoid torture and death. Hardly a program for being fully human in any meaningful sense. Italians have had two millennia of woe from over-enthusiastic German admirers and, trust me, you don't want to adopt one of our German friends' most characteristic strategies.
Continue to cultivate your accomplished way of expressing your thoughts and ideas with your signature sprezzatura!
I love this. "...our culture and the times we live in pre-package our thoughts for us, taking advantage of the “thinking laziness” that has been affecting our minds for generations now." And I love how you call out the things we "use instead of thinking." It's a radical gift to think for ourselves outside of the Overton Window, as Chris says.
Still, I feel that once in a while, perhaps we ought to share our thoughts and have them hit the walls of the Overton Window. Maybe that helps widen the window or maybe you leave the Window where it is, and save the work for another day.
I have begun to understand the sharing of views as an alright thing to do, provided we can crack *how* to share our views: beyond the ego, as we might when we shoot the shit with friends over drinks or dinner. Which to me is how you share your views already, every time I read your essays... feels like a gentle, ponderous narrative voice. Not assaulting to my senses, and always food for thought. :)
"People say that your first reaction is the most honest, but I disagree. Your first reaction is usually outdated. Either it’s an answer you came up with long ago and now use instead of thinking, or it’s a knee-jerk emotional response to something in your past"
Fascinating Silvio. I've actually swung around to the other side.. I've started to believe that the *present you* is the *most authentic you*. Forget who you were yesterday. Or tomorrow. Who you are right now — is the most accurate representation of yourself. That doesn't mean you can't change. It just means that who you are right now is who you are right now.
What an interesting evolution Silvio! It's very illuminating to read about someone changing his mind on changing his/others minds. I recently heard a podcast with the guy from "The Subtle Art of not Giving a Fuck" and the subject has been on my mind.
Completely get the liberating part of just not caring, and then going one layer deep with Derek Sivers' comment just make it more profound and drives the point home.
Cheers on not caring, in the broad sense of the word ;)
This resonated as I am a fellow arguer addict. I love Derek's view of being a slow thinker and embracing it. I need to do the same.
You surprised me with where this went, from your confessions about arguing to the conclusion that freedom of thought is more rare than we think, and that freedom of thought is more important than freedom of speech. This is a very engaging consideration, and I agree with you. After all, true freedom of speech is actually dependent on freedom of thought. A parrot who isn't silenced doesn't have freedom of speech, they only have the freedom to make memorized noise. To be able to think for oneself is no small thing. In fact, it might require a lifetime of self-reflection and practice to be free to do so.
Another Silvio gem :)
College convinced me that I suck at arguing, so I started holding my tongue more often. I used to feel ashamed about my fear of speaking up.
Reading your essay helped shift this narrative. Instead of wallowing in the shameful fear, I’ll just listen to others and enjoy the liberty of my thoughts.