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: Albert Einstein, whose E = mc2changed 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 and novelist who besides his great work, had a knack for wise aphorisms to stop and make you wonder. Episode EF6 was further inspired by Monika Ardelt, Plato, Socrates, Francis Bacon, Erasmus, Arthur Conan Doyle, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Leonardo da Vinci, Buddha. For a full list of data and references, please see Episode EF6 Show Notes.
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.
Season One: The journey begins as we embark on 11 episodes on big questions relating to MIND. What is the truth? Can we trust reason? Why do we have emotions? Does happiness define the good? What is identity? What is creativity?
(EF1) Trailer: The Evolve Faster Podcast (Extended) Trailer
(EF2) Intro: Life is a Near Death Experience: Welcome to The Evolve Faster Podcast
(EF3) S1-E1: All Aboard the Experience Machine: Destination…Unknown (Season One, Episode One)
(EF4) S1-E2: The Decapitation of Reason: A Skeptic’s Guide (Season One, Episode Two)
(EF5) S1-E3: The Truth is Clay in the Hands of a Sculptor (Season One, Episode Three)
(EF6) S1-E4: Information Mainlining and the Folly of Modern Wisdom (Season One, Episode Four)
(EF7) S1-E5: Sleight of Mind: The Black Magic of Rhetoric (Season One, Episode Five)
(EF8) S1-E6: Without a Compass: All Who Sail the Seas of Identity Are Not Lost (Season One, Episode Six)
(EF9) S1-E7: I Feel Therefore I am: Capsized by the River Emotion (Season One, Episode Seven)
(EF10) S1-E8: The Road to Happiness is Inked in Suffering (Season One, Episode Eight)
(EF11) S1-E9: When the Lights Go Out: The Blinding Light of an Artificial Future (Season One, Episode Nine)
(EF12) S1-E10: Wired to Fail: Leveling Up in the Game of Life (Season One, Episode Ten)
(EF13) S1-E11: The Bloody Fingerprint of Creativity (Season One, Episode Eleven)
(EF14) BTP: Behind the Evolve Faster Podcast - The Making of a Speculative Fiction Meets Philosophical Nonfiction Podcast
(EF15) AMA: Ask Me Anything: About Scott Ely and Evolving a Philosophy for Life
(EF16) BTP: On Creative Writing, Video Games and the Future of the Evolve Faster Podcast (About Antonio Rozich)
(EF17) BTP-EF3: What Am I Supposed To Do Free Will and Other Everyday Problems Behind the Podcast of Episode EF3
(EF18) AMA-EF3: The Mystical Allure of Converting to Buddhism and Speculating about Quantum Mechanics Ask Me Anything for Episode EF3
(EF19) BTP-EF4: Head Transplantation and Finding Inspiration for Speculative Fiction - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF4
(EF20) AMA-EF4: The Declining Value of Information and Taking Risks to Determine What is the Truth Ask Me Anything of Episode EF4
(EF21) BTP-EF5: Should Lying be Made Illegal and the Importance of Figuring Out Why You Believe What you Believe --Behind the Podcast of Episode EF5
(EF22) AMA-EF5: Defeating Fake News and Critical Thinking as the Superpower the World Needs Most Ask Me Anything of Episode EF5
(EF23) BTP-EF6: Scaling Mount Wisdom Without Suffocating Under an Avalanche of Ego Behind The Podcast of Episode EF6
(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
(EF25) BTP-EF7: The Power of Propaganda and Rhetoric to Divide Us and the Quest for a Better World - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF7
(EF26) AMA-EF7: The Impossibility of Honest Politicians and Protecting Our Kids from The Most Insidious Fake News Ask Me Anything for Episode EF3
(EF27) BTP-EF8: Who are You and is it Possible to Upgrade Your Identity as an Adult? - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF8
(EF28) AMA-EF8: Drugs, Consciousness Manipulation and Cheating Your Way To a Better You - Ask Me Anything for Episode EF8
(EF29) BTP-EF9: Waging War Between Reason and Emotions and the Importance of Leaving Things Unresolved Behind the Podcast of Episode EF9
(EF30) AMA-EF9: Emotional Manipulation Tribalism and Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Think Before you Feel - Ask Me Anything for Episode EF9
(EF31) BTP-EF10: Dharma Modifying Negative Thinking and the Never-Ending Pursuit of Happiness by Embracing Suffering - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF10
(EF32) AMA-EF10: Mind Control Through a Well Chosen Tattoo and the Unlikely Case of Being Happy Enough - Ask Me Anything for Episode EF3
(EF33) BTP-EF11: The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Creativity - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF11
(EF34) AMA-EF11: On Perfection, the AI Alignment Problem, and the Possibility of Quantum Leaps of Creativity - Ask Me Anything for Episode EF11
(EF35) BTP-EF12: Cryptocurrencies Gaming and Leveraging Failure to Help Us Define Who We Are - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF12
(EF36) AMA-EF12: Pyrrhic Victory and Finding the 10% of Your Mind that Defines Who You Are - Ask Me Anything for Episode EF12
(EF37) BTP-EF13: Where Creativity Comes From and How to Find Your Uniquely Bloody Fingerprint - Behind the Podcast of Episode EF13
(EF38) AMA-EF13: Flow, Creative Improvisation and Other Altered States of Consciousness Ask Me Anything for Episode EF13
(EF39) S2-E0: LIFE, UPGRADED: Welcome to Season Two of the Evolve Faster Podcast
(EF40) S2-E1: Dehumanized: The Search for Self in the Devil’s Looking Glass
(EF41) S2-E2: Transhuman Fallibility: The Existential Risk of a Superhuman Future
(EF42) S2-E3: Civil Individualism: Loneliness Atop Mount Empowerment
(EF43) S2-E4: Evil Urges: The Fiery Duality of Human Nature
(EF44) S2-E5: Reality Unchained: Smashing the Icons of Social Delusion
(EF45) S2-E6: Weaving Society’s Web: Purpose in a Future Without Work
(EF46) S2-E7: Empathetic Distortion: Rigging the Scales of Justice
(EF47) S2-E8: Infinite Regress: Drawing Back The Veil of Perception
(EF48) S2-E9: Checkmate: A Child’s Guide to the Good Life
(EF49) S2-E10: The Domino Effect: The Momentum of an Unstoppable Future