“Strip the false novelty” - this is interesting...
As I think about it now, it applies to both the dark and light sides of possible outcomes.
Both positive and negative outcomes can be unsettling due to their "novelty", so perhaps the real issue to address is indeed the fear of novelty itself.
and totally, inversing/reframing is the fun way to go, so thank you for the reminder!
The older I get, the more I find myself reframing everything, all the time. I think that's a huge key -- to look at the world through as many lenses as possible, including the past.
that’s interesting, but as I started thinking about it now, I realized I probably have the opposite tendency (which is also currently being reframed 😉).
From the headline, I thought this was going to be an article about the curse of the polymath that is over overthinking everything and trying so hard to be smart that you end up being stupid. What are your thoughts on that problem?
Interesting. I don't think that's a specific polymath problem but a bit of a personality problem. What you're describing sounds like Analysis Paralysis which can be dumb because you can't actually take any action. But I've met a higher proportion of discrete experts suffer this than polymaths mostly because polymaths will often find a workable solution in a different area. But now you've motivated me to write another one "So Smart that Your Stupid." :)
Systems Engineering has the moto: "The science of good enough." and polymathy relies on systems thinking so I'd say polymathy has a cure for that as much as individuals might suffer from that. What do you think?
Yeah you’re probably right it’s not a polymath problem per se, but maybe linked to a similar trait.
What’s that saying: a weakness is a strength overplayed? (Or something) like they are two sides of the same coin. When taken too far, the strength becomes a weakness.
I have a strength that I quickly see “the whole picture” including many paths reaching different conclusions, to an extent that seems to be either more, or just faster, than other people seem to.
This has advantages but I often quickly overthink everything, and get wrapped up in trying to find the most complete, smartest solutions, I become blind to simple obvious solutions right in front of me.
Adding a Polymathic view, for me, amplifies both the good and the bad side of big picture vision.
I might augment just slightly: It's not a polymath problem per se, but:
perhaps those of us inclined to consider more things when thinking about a particular problem (EG, going across multiple domains or sectors that aren't typically considered), are also somewhat inclined to have a bit of analysis paralysis. After all, there is a threshold of thinking intensity that you need in order to consider multiple domains, and I'd argue that the type of person who ends up analyzing things too much has a similar amount of thoughts/thinking running through their heads.
The sheeple: I WANT a car, house, vacation, credit-card, cheap-food, immediate-results, etc. ...
The FREE & autonomous: I DO NOT WANT monthly installment, life-long debt, pointless show-off because of the Johnes'es, chronic disease due to poor nutrition/untested vaccines, expensive mistakes due to premature, poor decisions, etc. ...
I like to use inversion to help determine my goals/skills to work on. Rather than search for great skills out of the gate, what are skills that complement my desire to “not be stupid.” Great post. Love Andrew’s post on looking on the dark side too. Regularly acknowledging the dark allows you to appreciate the light while focusing on what you can to keep the dark maintained.
Thanks, Kyle! I love it when a little spark jumps across minds. Michael and I have done that several times now, and it feels like you're right there too. "Invert, always invert!"
As Baja commented here, it works for the light side, too. I hear a lot of 'things could/should be better,' and so their light side isn't questioned. However, in order to get to that left, how much darkness is required? Only when you look at how good we have it can you ascertain whether we should burn everything down for a bit more.
Inversion is the way to go. Invert words, sentences, ideas, people. A whole other world opens itself up. Great piece, guys.
Thanks and agree. We need to do a collab of our own. I love your insights.
“Strip the false novelty” - this is interesting...
As I think about it now, it applies to both the dark and light sides of possible outcomes.
Both positive and negative outcomes can be unsettling due to their "novelty", so perhaps the real issue to address is indeed the fear of novelty itself.
and totally, inversing/reframing is the fun way to go, so thank you for the reminder!
The older I get, the more I find myself reframing everything, all the time. I think that's a huge key -- to look at the world through as many lenses as possible, including the past.
totally! plus, I think the older we get, the more we feel that old frames are worn out (or just plain boring already).
and of course, that includes the past, as you mentioned.
It’s usually soooo refreshing to see past events through new lenses (even just as thought experiments to begin with)
That’s why it’s probably important to collect ‘lenses’ we can try and play with when needed 🫧
That’s a great point. Though we also have an odd tendency to view the future as always worse and the past as never as bad as it really was.
that’s interesting, but as I started thinking about it now, I realized I probably have the opposite tendency (which is also currently being reframed 😉).
That's a great point that it's both the dark and the light.
From the headline, I thought this was going to be an article about the curse of the polymath that is over overthinking everything and trying so hard to be smart that you end up being stupid. What are your thoughts on that problem?
Interesting. I don't think that's a specific polymath problem but a bit of a personality problem. What you're describing sounds like Analysis Paralysis which can be dumb because you can't actually take any action. But I've met a higher proportion of discrete experts suffer this than polymaths mostly because polymaths will often find a workable solution in a different area. But now you've motivated me to write another one "So Smart that Your Stupid." :)
Systems Engineering has the moto: "The science of good enough." and polymathy relies on systems thinking so I'd say polymathy has a cure for that as much as individuals might suffer from that. What do you think?
Yeah you’re probably right it’s not a polymath problem per se, but maybe linked to a similar trait.
What’s that saying: a weakness is a strength overplayed? (Or something) like they are two sides of the same coin. When taken too far, the strength becomes a weakness.
I have a strength that I quickly see “the whole picture” including many paths reaching different conclusions, to an extent that seems to be either more, or just faster, than other people seem to.
This has advantages but I often quickly overthink everything, and get wrapped up in trying to find the most complete, smartest solutions, I become blind to simple obvious solutions right in front of me.
Adding a Polymathic view, for me, amplifies both the good and the bad side of big picture vision.
I agree on all counts👊🏼
I might augment just slightly: It's not a polymath problem per se, but:
perhaps those of us inclined to consider more things when thinking about a particular problem (EG, going across multiple domains or sectors that aren't typically considered), are also somewhat inclined to have a bit of analysis paralysis. After all, there is a threshold of thinking intensity that you need in order to consider multiple domains, and I'd argue that the type of person who ends up analyzing things too much has a similar amount of thoughts/thinking running through their heads.
Looking forward to the "So Smart" article!
The sheeple: I WANT a car, house, vacation, credit-card, cheap-food, immediate-results, etc. ...
The FREE & autonomous: I DO NOT WANT monthly installment, life-long debt, pointless show-off because of the Johnes'es, chronic disease due to poor nutrition/untested vaccines, expensive mistakes due to premature, poor decisions, etc. ...
They aren't looking at the repercussions.
{...repercussions...}
What a nice euphemism for life-long, self-induced serfdom !!! 🤣🤣🤣
I like to use inversion to help determine my goals/skills to work on. Rather than search for great skills out of the gate, what are skills that complement my desire to “not be stupid.” Great post. Love Andrew’s post on looking on the dark side too. Regularly acknowledging the dark allows you to appreciate the light while focusing on what you can to keep the dark maintained.
Thanks, Kyle! I love it when a little spark jumps across minds. Michael and I have done that several times now, and it feels like you're right there too. "Invert, always invert!"
Love it
As Baja commented here, it works for the light side, too. I hear a lot of 'things could/should be better,' and so their light side isn't questioned. However, in order to get to that left, how much darkness is required? Only when you look at how good we have it can you ascertain whether we should burn everything down for a bit more.
❤️👊🏻