Thanks Charlotte. I have found through experience that people can adapt to the "yeah but" correction but only if you hold everyone equally accountable. I think it is just how we are built. We have ALL SORTS OF CLUTTER in our heads from our past. It requires discipline to fairly assess what we are currently hearing and seeing. As ridiculous as it might seem I am sure there are geologists who figure the Earth is 6400 years old. The first quarter of our lives is mostly reinforced stuff our parents want to place in our heads. Lots of it is useful.
Interesting essay here about how one of the most important elections may be behind us: https://www.slowboring.com/p/veterans-day-rerun-the-most-important - doesn't mean we should lose hope, but means we now have to work much harder to defend democracy. I felt distressed about the 2016 outcome at the time, but I certainly didn't see a literal putsch coming, so I underestimated how bad it would be.
It's not mainly about political parties anymore, it's more about pro-democracy versus anti-democracy (though yes, one party has more anti-democracy extremists than the other). We've put ourselves in a hole and have to climb out - I'm somewhat reminded of the pit scene from The Dark Knight Rises. (He does get out of the pit, but it's super-difficult and requires herculean effort.)
Love the Black Knight. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Will read the link. STRONGLY recommend "The Age of Acrimony". It is about how close we came to fracture after the Civil War. The horrible truth is the path from 1865 to 1915 was not terribly different than where we are as a country yet again. I think this is mostly the inherent weakness of our primitive brain that became advanced by keeping the primitive early brain and supplementing with a cortex. Recency bias is a simple example of this. We are so gullible (can't help it) for someone telling us "Only I can fix it" and "This is the most important election ever". We have probably come to a crossroad 3-4 times since the founding of the Nation. We've chosen well generally but not guaranteed. You can only win so many hands of blackjack in a row before your luck runs out. I think we are at a point where voters might get exhausted. We now have three very young SCOTUS justices who will undermine the will of the people for at least 30 years. It will be hard to navigate this peacefully. Can we count on the last two generations of Americans raised in the age of Social Media to tolerate being ruled by a bunch of people who weigh the age of people writing with quills heavier than current conditions. I am not sure.
AMENDED : The link is bad (no appended -45). It is also paywalled.
I think the design of Substack is not well thought out as they rapidly tried to clone features like Share, Chat. iPhone & Android apps, a web application. I am sure they did it to create a moat and risk that people will tolerate the Notifications in lieu of email. Running fast and breaking stuff along the way. Security and consistent behavior is usually the casualty. The "basic" platform is stable for about a year yet security stuff is pretty poorly managed. I don't think SHARE really works for the same reason as all they really do is forward a link and hope for the best. When I encounter something I want to share I revert to the EMAIL and forward it directly to email. Pretty clunky but it works. I think it was a big deal ten years ago when high-feature Web Apps entered the world so it seems strange this is so hard to implement.
Thanks for reading and commenting Paul. The goal was not to tell people what to think but encourage people to think for themselves and try to square their impulses with the available facts. My instinct is our impulses are suitable for split-second survival but the luxury of two brains means ignore your impulses and think about important stuff. It is the only route to enlightenment IMO regardless of where you land.
Well, if you need any bolstering, my father has been saying much of the same about crossroads (different words) to me for several years. He grew up Russian-Jewish under Stalin and spent much of his life in exile from the Soviet Union. I've learned a lot from him, and I don't think it's naive to be concerned. There's a lot he sees from within Russia now that most of us in places that might feel safer can't always conceive of.
Thank you Antonia. While it may not seem related at all I got some inspiration from an interesting Substack https://theturnstone.substack.com -- I think there is a confluence between the development paths of countries and when they come to crossroads. Basic development requires certain basics while the next step up the ladder requires different things. The inability to not tear down "the other" is very hard. The Soviet Union in a totalitarian model attempted to meld so many ethnic minorities. Force seemed to be the currency. It is horrible how the Jewish people became perverse pawns throughout the history of the Soviet Union. I would imagine you father would be a wonderful person to share his wisdom with. The other and the radical definition of them as a threat is a common pattern nearly everywhere. Most nations in abject fear choose homogeneity. I am so grateful to live in a country that has tried for hundreds of years to make a melting pot work.
Well, the Jewish people have been oppressed in many countries for much longer than the Soviet Union was around! That's a big part of what makes things today such a difficult tangle to talk about in an informed way, most people don't know that history and it was pretty brutal.
"Otherizing" is an awful human trait that leads to the worst of consequences, as we all seem to be learning over and over, and it's always those with the least power who suffer the most.
I would posit if you asked 1000 people with a four-year degree or more to define pogrom the numbers would be 15% or less. The degree of ignorance and apathy is deafening. In 2024 a significant portion of Americans listen to crazed rubes speaking of Ukrainians as Nazis. The stupidity and racism is disturbing. Any human being with even a modicum of consideration cannot be excused especially by a "yeah but"
It really, really, really is. But the level of ignorance of most humans about a lot of history is pretty high, as you know! You're doing your part to try to change that.
We are finalizing the votes for our book club for next year's reading. My favorite part of the book club is the excitement of the 12 books to be read for next year. It is SO MUCH BETTER than going to the library. I figure the more ways we can hack our psyches so we don't self-reinforce the better. When the list is finalized I always note that AT LEAST HALF of the books for next year I had no interest in reading and it always surprises me pleasantly.
The rabbit hole awaits. You’ve skimmed the surface well. Just enough to tantalize a deeper conversation over tea or zoom. There is more division in the world yet many communities coming together. I am trying on your optimism hoping the sleeves aren’t too long.
Thanks CK -- this sort of writing, as you know, challenges people. I hope that most just examine what it is they believe I guess. Hoping the comments will promote some thought. Already received a few direct comments and suppose there may be some unsubscribes pending. Loved "trying on your optimism" made me smiile
I figure the easiest way to not decide and avoid consequences is to say yeah but. Thanks for commenting Jillian. The corollary for being optimistic which I try hard to sustain is you need equal bits of hope/faith I guess in others.
This is such a consequential, deeply thoughtful piece, Mark. I do think America is at a crossroads in history and many would rather not face it. Those seeking to sweep troubling events like marching neo-Nazis and synagogue shootings aside with comments like "yeah, but" are only encouraging those who would destroy that beautiful experiment that is American democracy.
Thanks Ruth please share it with others you think might be open-minded. Many years ago I recommended a book to our book club. It was titled All the Shah's Men. An absolutely despotic child Shah was elevated to the throne in Iran thanks to the help of the CIA. His "modernization" was accompanied by a profound number of people disappeared for a generation. Iran was on the cusp of a flourishing democracy in the late 40s. They might have blossomed into a companion democracy in the region and two different children of Abraham could have flourished together. Instead, the Shah's autocracy hardened the hearts and preyed on the fear of the other. When the Shah was overthrown, Iran had this one man, one vote, one time experience. We live with that legacy of hate and misunderstanding almost fifty years later. The fight was all about oil. The British-Iranian Oil Company was later renamed BP. A legacy of theft and misery. In the late 40s, Mossadegh, the prime minister of Iran was ushering in democracy and Time honored him as the Man of the Year. He is a forgotten footnote of history. Sometimes when we pivot, the door behind us is closed and locked.
You often mention books I end up wanting to read, Mark! Now I'm interested in All the Shah's Men, as well as the one on Abraham, patriarch of three faiths. It's upsetting to think that our government, a beacon of democracy in the world, has supported autocratic regimes that that not only wreck things for their own people but create this "legacy of hate and misunderstanding" you write about. It's hard not to wonder what that region of the world would have been like today if Mossadegh's democracy has survived.
Sometime when you are RELAXING, maybe with a glass of wine Google "Anglo Iranian Oil Company". While it is inconsequential I never buy gas at a BP station.
This is a thought provoking history based opinion piece inspired by recent events and the upcoming election. Well worth reading carefully to gleen it’s wisdom.
"Yeah, but." Brilliant.
Thanks Charlotte. I have found through experience that people can adapt to the "yeah but" correction but only if you hold everyone equally accountable. I think it is just how we are built. We have ALL SORTS OF CLUTTER in our heads from our past. It requires discipline to fairly assess what we are currently hearing and seeing. As ridiculous as it might seem I am sure there are geologists who figure the Earth is 6400 years old. The first quarter of our lives is mostly reinforced stuff our parents want to place in our heads. Lots of it is useful.
Interesting essay here about how one of the most important elections may be behind us: https://www.slowboring.com/p/veterans-day-rerun-the-most-important - doesn't mean we should lose hope, but means we now have to work much harder to defend democracy. I felt distressed about the 2016 outcome at the time, but I certainly didn't see a literal putsch coming, so I underestimated how bad it would be.
It's not mainly about political parties anymore, it's more about pro-democracy versus anti-democracy (though yes, one party has more anti-democracy extremists than the other). We've put ourselves in a hole and have to climb out - I'm somewhat reminded of the pit scene from The Dark Knight Rises. (He does get out of the pit, but it's super-difficult and requires herculean effort.)
Love the Black Knight. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Will read the link. STRONGLY recommend "The Age of Acrimony". It is about how close we came to fracture after the Civil War. The horrible truth is the path from 1865 to 1915 was not terribly different than where we are as a country yet again. I think this is mostly the inherent weakness of our primitive brain that became advanced by keeping the primitive early brain and supplementing with a cortex. Recency bias is a simple example of this. We are so gullible (can't help it) for someone telling us "Only I can fix it" and "This is the most important election ever". We have probably come to a crossroad 3-4 times since the founding of the Nation. We've chosen well generally but not guaranteed. You can only win so many hands of blackjack in a row before your luck runs out. I think we are at a point where voters might get exhausted. We now have three very young SCOTUS justices who will undermine the will of the people for at least 30 years. It will be hard to navigate this peacefully. Can we count on the last two generations of Americans raised in the age of Social Media to tolerate being ruled by a bunch of people who weigh the age of people writing with quills heavier than current conditions. I am not sure.
AMENDED : The link is bad (no appended -45). It is also paywalled.
Ugh, sorry about the link. I fixed it but not sure re: paywalled. I received it in email with no paywall, maybe that's the way to read those.
I think the design of Substack is not well thought out as they rapidly tried to clone features like Share, Chat. iPhone & Android apps, a web application. I am sure they did it to create a moat and risk that people will tolerate the Notifications in lieu of email. Running fast and breaking stuff along the way. Security and consistent behavior is usually the casualty. The "basic" platform is stable for about a year yet security stuff is pretty poorly managed. I don't think SHARE really works for the same reason as all they really do is forward a link and hope for the best. When I encounter something I want to share I revert to the EMAIL and forward it directly to email. Pretty clunky but it works. I think it was a big deal ten years ago when high-feature Web Apps entered the world so it seems strange this is so hard to implement.
You pulled lots of large concepts together into one place. Thank you.
Thanks for reading and commenting Paul. The goal was not to tell people what to think but encourage people to think for themselves and try to square their impulses with the available facts. My instinct is our impulses are suitable for split-second survival but the luxury of two brains means ignore your impulses and think about important stuff. It is the only route to enlightenment IMO regardless of where you land.
Well, if you need any bolstering, my father has been saying much of the same about crossroads (different words) to me for several years. He grew up Russian-Jewish under Stalin and spent much of his life in exile from the Soviet Union. I've learned a lot from him, and I don't think it's naive to be concerned. There's a lot he sees from within Russia now that most of us in places that might feel safer can't always conceive of.
Thank you Antonia. While it may not seem related at all I got some inspiration from an interesting Substack https://theturnstone.substack.com -- I think there is a confluence between the development paths of countries and when they come to crossroads. Basic development requires certain basics while the next step up the ladder requires different things. The inability to not tear down "the other" is very hard. The Soviet Union in a totalitarian model attempted to meld so many ethnic minorities. Force seemed to be the currency. It is horrible how the Jewish people became perverse pawns throughout the history of the Soviet Union. I would imagine you father would be a wonderful person to share his wisdom with. The other and the radical definition of them as a threat is a common pattern nearly everywhere. Most nations in abject fear choose homogeneity. I am so grateful to live in a country that has tried for hundreds of years to make a melting pot work.
Well, the Jewish people have been oppressed in many countries for much longer than the Soviet Union was around! That's a big part of what makes things today such a difficult tangle to talk about in an informed way, most people don't know that history and it was pretty brutal.
"Otherizing" is an awful human trait that leads to the worst of consequences, as we all seem to be learning over and over, and it's always those with the least power who suffer the most.
I would posit if you asked 1000 people with a four-year degree or more to define pogrom the numbers would be 15% or less. The degree of ignorance and apathy is deafening. In 2024 a significant portion of Americans listen to crazed rubes speaking of Ukrainians as Nazis. The stupidity and racism is disturbing. Any human being with even a modicum of consideration cannot be excused especially by a "yeah but"
It really, really, really is. But the level of ignorance of most humans about a lot of history is pretty high, as you know! You're doing your part to try to change that.
We are finalizing the votes for our book club for next year's reading. My favorite part of the book club is the excitement of the 12 books to be read for next year. It is SO MUCH BETTER than going to the library. I figure the more ways we can hack our psyches so we don't self-reinforce the better. When the list is finalized I always note that AT LEAST HALF of the books for next year I had no interest in reading and it always surprises me pleasantly.
It's a great feeling, isn't it?
The rabbit hole awaits. You’ve skimmed the surface well. Just enough to tantalize a deeper conversation over tea or zoom. There is more division in the world yet many communities coming together. I am trying on your optimism hoping the sleeves aren’t too long.
Thanks CK -- this sort of writing, as you know, challenges people. I hope that most just examine what it is they believe I guess. Hoping the comments will promote some thought. Already received a few direct comments and suppose there may be some unsubscribes pending. Loved "trying on your optimism" made me smiile
Big decisions and big consequences indeed! Thank you for this, Mark.
I figure the easiest way to not decide and avoid consequences is to say yeah but. Thanks for commenting Jillian. The corollary for being optimistic which I try hard to sustain is you need equal bits of hope/faith I guess in others.
This is such a consequential, deeply thoughtful piece, Mark. I do think America is at a crossroads in history and many would rather not face it. Those seeking to sweep troubling events like marching neo-Nazis and synagogue shootings aside with comments like "yeah, but" are only encouraging those who would destroy that beautiful experiment that is American democracy.
Thanks Ruth please share it with others you think might be open-minded. Many years ago I recommended a book to our book club. It was titled All the Shah's Men. An absolutely despotic child Shah was elevated to the throne in Iran thanks to the help of the CIA. His "modernization" was accompanied by a profound number of people disappeared for a generation. Iran was on the cusp of a flourishing democracy in the late 40s. They might have blossomed into a companion democracy in the region and two different children of Abraham could have flourished together. Instead, the Shah's autocracy hardened the hearts and preyed on the fear of the other. When the Shah was overthrown, Iran had this one man, one vote, one time experience. We live with that legacy of hate and misunderstanding almost fifty years later. The fight was all about oil. The British-Iranian Oil Company was later renamed BP. A legacy of theft and misery. In the late 40s, Mossadegh, the prime minister of Iran was ushering in democracy and Time honored him as the Man of the Year. He is a forgotten footnote of history. Sometimes when we pivot, the door behind us is closed and locked.
You often mention books I end up wanting to read, Mark! Now I'm interested in All the Shah's Men, as well as the one on Abraham, patriarch of three faiths. It's upsetting to think that our government, a beacon of democracy in the world, has supported autocratic regimes that that not only wreck things for their own people but create this "legacy of hate and misunderstanding" you write about. It's hard not to wonder what that region of the world would have been like today if Mossadegh's democracy has survived.
Sometime when you are RELAXING, maybe with a glass of wine Google "Anglo Iranian Oil Company". While it is inconsequential I never buy gas at a BP station.
Okay. Will do (and don't) on both counts. I don't think it's inconsequential either. Thanks, Mark!
This is a thought provoking history based opinion piece inspired by recent events and the upcoming election. Well worth reading carefully to gleen it’s wisdom.
Wow, thanks so much John. I value your opinion. I tried to straddle the line and have people evaluate their beliefs.