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Follow Your Instincts
Dear friend,
We are currently living in an insane world. There has never been a time in history where our minds and senses have been hijacked to the extent they are now. Let me explain.
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1. Algorithms control our lives
The first horrible thing about this brave new digital world:
Our lives are controlled by algorithms— these algorithms which belong to massive companies.
Rule: Whenever you see “recommendations” on any service — be very very suspicious.
For example, I hate these things:
- Recommended YouTube videos on the YouTube sidebar
- Recommended movies or things to watch on Netflix
- Recommended books to read in Amazon Kindle
- Recommended people to follow on social media
This is the problem with recommendation engines:
Recommendation engines (algorithms) trap you inside a box.
In theory, this algorithm sounds good. Of course we want to consume more media of stuff we already like…right? No.
It’s funny that when we were kids, we were always told to “think outside the box”, but now— we are thinking more and more inside a glass box. We are falling more and more victim to “group think”— we get stuck inside thinking our own political beliefs, and we don’t expose ourselves to new or contradictory beliefs or ideas.
And this is the problem I see with algorithms:
The algorithms and their recommendations start to drown out our own voices and inner-instincts.
Even worse:
When we start to get suckered into thinking that our preferences are our actual preferences, when in reality — our “preferences” are the preferences of the algorithm.
Takeaway: Be very very suspicious of algorithms and “free” services — especially when they are being run by these mega corporations (Google, Facebook, Amazon)— we are probably getting suckered somewhere.
2. What is an instinct?
An instinct is an impulse. Instincts are good. Yet in modern society, we are told that our instincts are bad, and must be rooted out.
For example, a child has the instinct and impulse to play, run around, draw stuff, climb trees, and explore. Yet, we are always taught by our (helicopter parents) to “be careful” and to “don’t do that”. Result? We train our children to be fearful, meek, and generic.
I think there is more wisdom in our instincts and impulses than we give credence to.
For example in photography, when I started, I had no formal education (thank God). I experimented, tinkered, and had fun in photography! I taught myself composition, framing, and exposure. I still reminisce when I was 18 years old, teaching myself digital photography on my little Canon SD 600 point and shoot camera. This is when I was the most pure in photography — before I got corrupted by the internet photography culture of “rules” and this over obsession with gear and equipment. When I was a beginner, I really didn’t care for equipment. And the good sign is now (after about a decade of shooting pictures) I’m starting to return to my beginner roots — caring less and less for equipment, and to listen to my own instincts and impulses in photography.
Lessons:
- Follow your instincts more in photography: If something interests you even 1%— just shoot it!
- When selecting photos (editing)— if you instinctively like a picture, just pick it!
- Trust your own instincts and intuition more than the opinion of others. Especially beware the opinion of photography critics or curators who don’t even know how to take pictures!
3. Dionysian vs Apollonian
One of the best concepts I got from my friend Nietzsche is this:
In order to become the greatest artist, we must embrace BOTH the Apollonian (rational) and the Dionysian (impulse).
Ever since Socrates and Plato, we have been suckered into thinking that rationality is the root of all intelligence and wisdom. Thus, over the last 2,000+ years, philosophers and educators have been trying to kill our instincts. All impulses, instincts, emotions, senses, were seen as “illegitimate”, or seen as “problems”.
But once again — we must harness these beast-like instincts and direct them to empower us! Rather than trying to eliminate our instincts, we must channel our instincts, senses, and intuition to make us stronger! We must harness these “irrational” and sensual instincts to make us more powerful. (Dionysian). If you’ve been through higher education, you probably have enough Apollonian or “logical-rational” training. Let’s build up the intuitive side of our souls.
Lessons
- Don’t see your instincts and intuitions as bad. They’re good. Don’t seek to eradicate your instincts from your soul. Instead, harness these marvelous beasts as your slaves to empower you!
- Study more philosophers who existed before Socrates (pre-Socratic philosophers). For example, Heraclitus and his notion that we are always in a state of “becoming”, and that were always in a state of “flux”. There’s more of a Zen-Taoist flavor to the old-school Greek philosophers before Socrates.
- Trust yourself, your instincts, and your guts more than the “opinion” of others.
BE BOLD.
ERIC