When An Alien, a Cat, and An Octopus Agree, It’s Truth

✏️ Highlights

Derek Sivers, an author of philosophy, among other things. He shared the most useful thing he’s learned in the last 5 or so years, and that is skepticism.

Skepticism is the main reason why he’s so happy in life right now. He explained that he practices radical doubt in everything that he does.

the moment in the movie The Matrix when Neo realizes the things coming at him aren’t bullets.

They’re simply code. Computer code, within the Matrix.

Nothing is objectively true Beliefs are placebos Rules and norms are arbitrary games that can be changed Refuse ideology These four ideas allow you to accept ideas individually. Here are some examples.

Nothing is objectively true True: I’m reading this post. Not True: My ex gave up on our relationship. True: My coffee cup is on the desk in front of me. Not True: You can only apply for this job by submitting your resume on the Internet.

a fact. And then we believe them. The

The only things that are indisputably true are things that “an alien, a cat, and an octopus can agree on”.

No beliefs are actual truths unless they’re evidence-​based.

When you create a belief to please someone, usually yourself, it’s not true.

One great norm that’s been completely debunked is the norm that everyone has to go into the office to work. Covid taught us that that’s not true. People are perfectly capable of doing valuable work from home.

Ideologies often are created to try and explain the complexity of the world and offer remedies that will make it better. There is no correct ideology. The right one for you is the one that works for you in your life.

Questioning things that people present as truths helps you stay curious about the world.

Derek Sivers, an author of philosophy, among other things. He shared the most useful thing he’s learned in the last 5 or so years, and that is skepticism.

Skepticism is the main reason why he’s so happy in life right now. He explained that he practices radical doubt in everything that he does.

the moment in the movie The Matrix when Neo realizes the things coming at him aren’t bullets.

They’re simply code. Computer code, within the Matrix.

Nothing is objectively true Beliefs are placebos Rules and norms are arbitrary games that can be changed Refuse ideology These four ideas allow you to accept ideas individually. Here are some examples.

Nothing is objectively true True: I’m reading this post. Not True: My ex gave up on our relationship. True: My coffee cup is on the desk in front of me. Not True: You can only apply for this job by submitting your resume on the Internet.

a fact. And then we believe them. The

The only things that are indisputably true are things that “an alien, a cat, and an octopus can agree on”.

No beliefs are actual truths unless they’re evidence-​based.

When you create a belief to please someone, usually yourself, it’s not true.

One great norm that’s been completely debunked is the norm that everyone has to go into the office to work. Covid taught us that that’s not true. People are perfectly capable of doing valuable work from home.

Ideologies often are created to try and explain the complexity of the world and offer remedies that will make it better. There is no correct ideology. The right one for you is the one that works for you in your life.

Questioning things that people present as truths helps you stay curious about the world.