EF24 SHOW NOTES
Looking to play or download the episode? Click here… Title: EF24 (AMA-EF6): Is Less Really More When it Comes to the Pursuit of Wisdom or is Ignorance Bliss? –Ask Me Anything of Episode EF6
Episode EF24 Summary
Spoiler alert: You’re about to listen to an Ask Me Anything (AMA) of Episode EF6, which was Season 1, Episode 4 of the Evolve Faster Podcast titled Information Mainlining and the Folly of Modern Wisdom. The driving question of this episode (and this AMA) for you to think through is … what is wisdom?!
As a reminder about Episode EF6: Paul, a child prodigy who became a leading theoretical physicist in his early 30s, is facing a personal dilemma that is making him miserable—the realization that he might be woefully deficient in the one thing he most reveres. Although filled with endless knowledge, he isn’t wise. But how? Isn’t harnessing more and more information the key to becoming wise? In his attempt to figure it out, Paul might realize the obstacle he’s facing isn’t even close to being the final one. And can he feel like a complete person without it?
The fourth episode of the first season of the Evolve Faster Podcast Episode is driven by the big question What Is Wisdom? Is it possible for all of us to attain true wisdom and if so, how do we do that? Are there rules to the game or does each one of us have to take their own path towards wisdom?
To peek behind the curtain of Episode 6, we’ll dissect the following submitted questions:
- What does it mean that ignorance is bliss? And…is it?
- Does it mean we can never be wise if we acquire new knowledge nonstop? How long do we have to process new info to become wise?
- Is the pursuit of modern wisdom really a folly?
- Is knowledge power, even today?
- Does being a philosopher automatically mean the person is wise?
- How can I practically reduce the chaos in my life? Can I really be wiser with LESS info?
- Can knowing too much actually be harmful?
- Are you implying that wisdom is an attainable/ learnable skill?
- If our ego drives us to do big things, then why is it a bad thing?
- When we try to win ego games (be right) is this a big cause of our problems to seek wisdom?
- And more…
dedication
DEDICATION: Episode EF6 is dedicated to Bill Gates, a man well known to consume enormous amounts of books and leverage that knowledge to change the world in incredible ways. Gates started by programming a simple tic-tac-toe game and grew that meager start into the what would become the most influential software stack in the personal computing revolution. And now through his Gates Foundation, initially funded with billions of his own capital, it’s hard to imagine any living person who will have a more positive impact on the world.
Being one of the wealthiest people in the world and the co-founder of one of the biggest tech companies doesn’t come at a small price. And success isn’t a synonym for wisdom. Imagining him to be a Gandalf type of character is an exaggeration on its own. But in his case, wisdom has evolved from his particular brand of applied knowledge acquisition and global entrepreneurship.
Gates might not have a long beard or post wise quotes on Instagram and Twitter. But through wisely selected projects, he might save more lives and improve the planet more than any person in history. If there were a case study in the power of effective altruism, it would have to be him. He’s now tackling some of the root causes of climate change as well, which will also contribute to his extraordinary legacy.
HOW BILL GATES INSPIRES EF6
Episode EF6 is all about overcoming the step between being knowledgeable and being wise and discovering the obstacles that lie between. We can say Gates pulls this off, but our protagonist still has a long road ahead of him. Bill Gates is proof that you can information mainline and still become wise; the effort is not ‘folly’ as the episode title suggests if you approach the project strategically.
If you need more insight in Gates’ work, check out the links below:
inspirations
INSPIRATIONS: Albert Einstein, whose E = mc2 changed the world and became the foundation of modern physics. Who would’ve thought three letters, one number and an equals sign could influence so much. Aristotle, the Father of Western Philosophy which is an enormous achievement for a guy who lived two millennia ago with no WiFi connectivity. Alan Turing, a great computer scientist without whom you’d likely be reading this text on a different interface. He also invented Banburismus and it isn’t what you might think it is. George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher
references
Robert J. Sternberg, Balance Theory of Wisdom, www.robertjsternberg.com. http://www.robertjsternberg.com/wisdom/ (Accessed: Feb 16, 2019).
Hamideh Karimi, Yashar Salamzadeh, Does Information Overload Influences Creativity in Organizations? A Study in Iranian Context, www.researchgate.net, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323570753_Does_Information_Overload_Influences_Creativity_in_Organizations_A_Study_in_Iranian_Context (Accessed: Feb 16, 2019).
George E. Vaillant, The Wisdom of the Ego, Harward University Press, 1998.
South Park, S15E1,Humancentipad. http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s15e01-humancentipad
episode quotes
Any of these quotes make you think? If so, please support the show by sharing…
Ego is like dynamite. It can kill you but also help you achieve great things.
Too much Information can be counterproductive if you have no methodology for using the knowledge.
Animals without developed prefrontal cortexes don’t get depressed, overthink death or worry if their latest social media post will get ‘liked’ or not. Maybe ignorance really is bliss.
While ego has caused everything from genocides to reality TV, life would be quite drab without it.
Passively consuming information can quickly make you mentally obese.