Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Rick Lewis's avatar

This observation leapt out at me. "As if having all the knowledge in the world at our fingertips made us lose trust in our own judgment." At a gut level this strikes me as being very true. It actually makes me mad when I see myself doing this. Many times I have a strong feeling about a course of action, or even in writing, just a sense of rightness or confidence in what I want to say, and then I will start collecting opinions, looking up alternative perspectives, wondering if what I'm thinking is really valid or accurate or useful, and then go back and start fiddling with the original expression. I'm even torn on the process of getting feedback on essay drafts. It's impossible to dismiss its value. It always seems to genuinely improve my writing, but there is something going on subtly that akin to this loss of trust in my own judgment in favor of all the knowledge of others. Haven't honed in on the perfect balance yet. But I'm grateful you put this idea into words. There's something here for me to work with.

Expand full comment
Oscar Obregon's avatar

Man, how do you do it? I just love how you take us from New York and back to the crazy tipping in New York going through parenting and advice and just life in general haha beautiful!

I relate a lot to your story, I also grew up in a somewhat protective family and was given a lot of advice, and then when confronted with real life had a bit of trouble, but as you very well point out, it's a muscle that you eventually (are forced to) develop, and there it becomes empowering. I've always thought that I will try to teach my kids through example, rather than through words (or explicit advice). Which makes me think if it's a loop, that them by lacking this protection and advice will be overly protective and advice-givers with my grandchildren. Ha! We'll see.

Also, loved knowing you flew in the Concorde twice, that would probably make for good stories!

Another gem, Silvio.

Expand full comment
18 more comments...

No posts