Neutering Idealism

The demerit of meritocracy is it eliminates the role of luck in events

Happy new month reader, welcome to August.

You are reading Monday Map on The Busymind Project where I write essays exploring the intersection between human behavior and knowledge. If you like what you are reading, please subscribe.

Today’s Monday Map describes summarily how we get captured by words, language, and theory to the extent that we can fight when these notions are disrupted. It describes how to stop the intoxication of language and theory. Please, enjoy.

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Everything makes sense in theory until you extract them into practice, then they fall to the ground and break. Now, you may object that you already know this and that it is common knowledge. Well, there goes words again. We know in words that theory doesn't work. But in practice, through our behavior, we indicate otherwise. This shows in our appeal to ideals and theories like "equality of opportunity" and meritocracy.

The demerit of meritocracy is the deception that everyone who got in deserved it and everyone left out deserved to not get in. It eliminates the role of luck in events. Solomon kicks this in the face in Ecclesiastes 9:11.

The problem I see is that we love theory and language up to the point that we get disconnected from reality. Anyone can utter “the map is not the territory” – and effectively communicate that they know what they are talking about. However, by observing how they go about life, you will be forced to determine that they do not believe this. When we step into reality, it is not words we encounter, but behavior.

Of course the map is not the territory. Things are always absent from the map. And we keep adding things to the territory leaving the map to play catch up. How then should we inculcate into behavior that the map is not the territory?

Back to meritocracy, or equality of opportunity. Once you believe that we are a society where there is indeed equality of opportunity, you will be up in arms against anyone who thinks there is injustice in the system. After all, everyone got a fair chance.

If you wish to neuter this idealism, the first thing you need to do is separate words from reality. That the words you speak ‘make sense’ does not mean reality is just as what you described. The ‘language describes reality’ is only as correct as the error you are willing to accommodate and admit that language does not accurately describe reality. 

There is so much that language does not capture. Precisely because our observation does not capture it either. Details get missing all the time. We don’t always follow up our words with actions.

The next thing you must do is listen and observe. A lot. 

Theory is tempting; especially when you are proficient at it. Your mind hates reality’s mess so it urges you to theorise – to make it make sense – and make it digestible. But sometimes just listen; don’t theorise. It is hard but doable. 

Theorising forces activity. This is a good thing but with limits. The limit includes the fact that an actively theorising mind cuts away at details to produce a smooth theory. The danger, therefore, is to cut away important details and (possibly) entertain useless details to make the theory more sensational.

I guess at the end of it all I am saying is calm down with the words. Add a little passivity to your observation.

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"If you have heard a worldview, or idea, or ideology, or philosophy, that someone else sincerely believes, and you cannot figure out for the life of you why anyone on earth would that view compelling, that means you have not fully understood their view.”

Wokal_Distance

Important quote. 

Before you go ranting about how humans believe irrational things and behave irrationally, ask yourself why anyone would genuinely believe it. Resist the urge to chalk it down to malice and stupidity. Not that they may not apply, but because they are easy and may result in laziness. Give it a try. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and ask why they may believe what they believe. That is critical thinking.

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Here is your picture. Funny one.

Have a great week and month.