The world is complicated, paradoxical, and contradictory.
To make sense of it, to thrive in it, you must cultivate what John Keats called “Negative Capability”—the ability to hold conflicting ideas in your head at the same time.
Here are 8 ways to cultivate Negative Capability:
To make sense of it, to thrive in it, you must cultivate what John Keats called “Negative Capability”—the ability to hold conflicting ideas in your head at the same time.
Here are 8 ways to cultivate Negative Capability:
1/ Read widely & from people you disagree with
Epicurus said, “One sage is no wiser than another.”
The Stoics believed this too—that we should actively engage with anyone who can be a source of wisdom to us, regardless of the school of thought from which that wisdom arose.
Epicurus said, “One sage is no wiser than another.”
The Stoics believed this too—that we should actively engage with anyone who can be a source of wisdom to us, regardless of the school of thought from which that wisdom arose.
2/ Study deeply
Marcus Aurelius chided himself “not to be satisfied with just getting the gist of it.” Instead, go “directly to the seat of knowledge.”
Seek out tutors and mentors. Linger, as Seneca said, on a small number of master thinkers, reading and re-reading their work.
Marcus Aurelius chided himself “not to be satisfied with just getting the gist of it.” Instead, go “directly to the seat of knowledge.”
Seek out tutors and mentors. Linger, as Seneca said, on a small number of master thinkers, reading and re-reading their work.
3/ Put yourself in rooms where you’re the least knowledgeable person
Marcus Aurelius said: “go straight to the seat of intelligence.”
Spend time with people who have different perspectives and expertise. Ask them questions. Absorb as much as you can from them.
Marcus Aurelius said: “go straight to the seat of intelligence.”
Spend time with people who have different perspectives and expertise. Ask them questions. Absorb as much as you can from them.
4/ Know that timing & context are everything
When asked about his contradictory advice, Confucius replied: “Ran Qiu is over cautious so I wished to urge him on. Zilu, on the other hand, is too impetuous, so I sought to hold him back.”
Every person and situation is different.
When asked about his contradictory advice, Confucius replied: “Ran Qiu is over cautious so I wished to urge him on. Zilu, on the other hand, is too impetuous, so I sought to hold him back.”
Every person and situation is different.
5/ Embrace epistemic humility
The physicist John Wheeler said that “as our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.”
The more you know the more you realize there is much more to know.
The physicist John Wheeler said that “as our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.”
The more you know the more you realize there is much more to know.
6/ Keep your identity small
@paulg said the more you identify with things—being a member of a certain political party, being seen as smart, being seen as someone who drives a fancy car—the harder it is for you to entertain new points of view.
You want to remain a free agent.
@paulg said the more you identify with things—being a member of a certain political party, being seen as smart, being seen as someone who drives a fancy car—the harder it is for you to entertain new points of view.
You want to remain a free agent.
7/ Don’t always have an opinion
It’s possible, Marcus Aurelius said, to not have an opinion.
Practice the ability of having absolutely no thoughts about something.
It’s possible, Marcus Aurelius said, to not have an opinion.
Practice the ability of having absolutely no thoughts about something.
8/ Flexibility is key
Plenty of people have been buried in coffins of their own making. Before their time too. Because they couldn’t understand that “the way they’d always done things” wasn’t working anymore.
Cultivate the capacity for change, flexibility, and adaptability.
Plenty of people have been buried in coffins of their own making. Before their time too. Because they couldn’t understand that “the way they’d always done things” wasn’t working anymore.
Cultivate the capacity for change, flexibility, and adaptability.
That's 8 ways to cultivate Negative Capability. You can read more here (ryanholiday.net)
And if you liked this thread—every day, I send a short (~500 words) email for @dailystoic. Join 545K+ others & get the free email delivered to your inbox: dailystoic.com
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