Deviated Spectrum

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DEVIATED SPECTRUM

It's difficult, if not impossible, to be unaffected by the conversations in the ether. And in this Season of Political Ads, it feels particularly exhausting and troubling. The dispiriting tone, tenor, and tenacity of our public conversation these days feel completely unavoidable. It's like smog— a thick layer of toxic fumes that is infecting and affecting the national mood. It's sad, unproductive, and very troubling.

When I am searching for optimism, I try to convince myself that we have been through worse times. Perhaps most of us can't remember those times exactly, but we have had a civil war, presidents and important civil leaders assassinated, actively participated in many wars and come dangerously close to others, and encountered devastating natural disasters like the Dust Bowl. We have had financial meltdowns, we have had too many moral and corrupt political scandals to mention, and dare I say that our elite institutions have ALWAYS left a lot to be desired. In other words, they have NEVER served us as well as we'd like.

So, in honor of the name of this newsletter, IN PURSUIT OF ELEVATION, I guess one way to encourage optimism is to look at things from a different perspective or put things in the proper context. They say that history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Or, that it is instructive. Therefore, when looking back, I find some solitude in the fact that we did come through very difficult times in the past and always found ways through them. Betting against humanity is a losing proposition. No one knows exactly how or exactly when times will get better. But better they will get. We simply have to inspire ourselves to be optimistic again.

The other part of context is recognizing that we tend to overcorrect in life. We overcompensate. I think this is one reason why cycles exist in the first place. When markets tighten, people tighten. This magnifies the problem; it further accelerates the decline. That is, until it bottoms out. Then markets expand. Suddenly, more and more people see the potential again and forget the risks. That’s when we enter the territory often referred to as “irrational exuberance”. Invincibility, almost. Until the subsequent bubble bursts. And then we go back through the cycle again and again.

The point is that things are almost never as bad or as good as they seem. I think that is a reasonable conclusion if you study history. I titled this piece "deviated spectrum" partly because it's a fun play on words, but more importantly because it recognizes that we often have a distorted view of our spectrum of choices. We exaggerate. We amplify. We might believe that objects in the future are closer (or further) than they appear (as our side-view mirrors often suggest). Or, we might simply let our fears extrapolate and amplify our concerns on one side of the spectrum while underappreciating the risks on the other. And, perhaps most of all, we really struggle to hold opposing truths, be they fears or hopes, in our souls at the same time. Things can be our problem while not our fault. Risks can be real while presenting opportunities. People we disagree with can have merit in SOME of their arguments.

For sure, there are some awful exceptions. Humanity has made unforgivable errors of omission by not acting soon enough. Our ignorance or willingness to believe in really bad outcomes stood in the way of adequate action. Genocides, slavery, the Holocaust, and other awful crimes against humanity are all examples of the consequences of inaction.

The difficulty here is, of course, to find the right posture. Many people, myself included, are NOT comfortable sitting back and watching the madness right in front of us. We feel we have to be in the game. We are drawn to step into the arena. And do something. That's my general tendency. To act. To do.

But, lately, I have been asking myself if this is the best way to help. By voicing my own concerns and convictions, am I contributing to the pendulum swings and simply aggravating or even triggering people that might harbor different fears than my own?

Directionally, I am trying to calm down. I am looking for more optimism. I am comfortable that I might be naive. But I'd rather be a naive optimist than a negative pessimist. Optimism has the advantage of being contagious. If more and more people believed that the future will be bright and that we will overcome whatever we need to overcome, then the chances of that happening are meaningfully higher. Much higher than if we are forced to overcome a collective and persistent level of our own cynicism and disbelief on top of the severe challenges we are facing.

I’ve included three pieces I hope can inspire you toward a sentiment of hope that I read in the last weeks. First, is a conversation I recently hosted with my friends at Cresset where we welcomed Mónica Guzmán. Monica is a journalist who dedicates her work to "depolarizing" America. We had a fascinating conversation that thanks to Cresset you can watch here. She shares some valuable advice on how to think about having uncomfortable conversations.

Second, are these incredible "lessons learned" from Maria Popova that she titled "16 Life-Learnings From 16 Years of The Marginalian". Her writing, the depth of her insights, and her sheer humanity inspired me. How about this passage:

"Like all forms of destruction, cynicism is infinitely easier and lazier than construction. There is nothing more difficult yet more gratifying in our society than living with sincerity and acting from a place of largehearted, constructive, rational faith in the human spirit, continually bending toward growth and betterment. This remains the most potent antidote to cynicism. Today, especially, it is an act of courage and resistance."

And lastly, I am sharing a beautifully optimistic piece that Susan Cain posted in her newsletter recently. This is the quality of humanKIND. This is truly who we are. Politics should never let us forget the true and beautiful nature of humans.

Have a great week!