Yes, thank you for naming this malaise of intellectual loneliness and taking a step towrad giving it legitimacy. I know I feel a terrible alienation for remaining in the ever shrinking sphere of those deeply valuing reflective thought. The anti-thought cloud is to me not a political tilt at all, as I think it is often portrayed. Rather it spans all of the parties and sociopolitical attitudes. I know I'm not alone in feeling buried by it and I do find others sometimes who share that feeling. It seems like our value for thought is ever receding from the mainstream where it once drove us in a modest but reassuringly at least visible sphere. Now I have to hunt for other reflective thinkers and serious problem solvers and we have to encourage each other to persist in digging deeper in an insane reflexive anti-intellectual cultural moment full of blind self-righteousness, narrow extreme ideologies, anger, resentments, and desperate reflexive choices.
the etymology of the word CON-VERSATION: it means to Move WITH, or Turn Together. Conversations are not tennis matches to be won by getting something past the other's defense. A conversation is a walking side-by-side. So yes, Yes, YES to all of this, Scott! I am seeking people who still know how to converse from a position of BOTH/AND, who are capable to holding a polarity in their hands and playing with it, looking at pros and cons and balance and movement. Thank you for this post!
Thank you so much for this post! Although I am often around intellectual equals, I still feel lonely for the very reasons you express. Almost to a man (or woman), they are incapable of suspending disbelief long enough to think in the abstract, or to imagine a better world that is not ruled by their opinions and beliefs alone. I'm always at a loss to understand why smart people can be so stupid. But, I do know that while shared joy multiplies, so does shared despair. The question, "do you want to be right or do you want to be happy" should not be so damned difficult to answer. You post was very thought provoking, and I really enjoy thinking. Still.
Yes. I used to belong to a local, intellectual discussion group. We were a diverse bunch, yet we connected well. I've felt the same connection with people from diverse backgrounds in book clubs.
hi Keith- Feel free to join us at Premise! We'd love to have you. You can use the code "thankyou" and your first session will be not cost. We are in 20 cities (and growing) and online. https://www.premiseinstitute.com/
We offer a chance to think together in a joy, unpretentious, facilitated setting.
I am one of the intellectually lonely. I am sickened byt the absence of discourse in our culture, led by latest administraton who privilege ignorance and stupidiy. Downsizing and devaluation of intellect are au-courant. Thinking as an activity is disparaged. No wonder we are where we are in - The Wasteland. Too much thinking is bad for Capitalism. I belong to a Zen Bhudist community where silence in between conversations is encouraged and refreshing. Time for thinking. Time for listening. Once in a writing class the teacher asked us to name our hobbies.
Administration privileges not exactly ignorance and stupidity, but obedience and safety.
If you are smart enough to stay obedient to the authorities and do not intend to make harm to them, than your thinking activity will never be disparaged.
People should not interfere the rulers to play their games. All the rest is possible.
There is an old Slavic proverb: Even call him a pot, just don't put him in the oven.
This!! I felt like it was written for me. I feel like this all the time. The world has become so polarised and divisive. Whatever happened to agreeing to disagree or simply having different opinions but still staying friends?!
With all the loneliness and misinformation in the world I think many people would benefit from being in discussion groups but social media has issues that are not fulfilling that need. We need to research the root causes of that and come up with solutions. Maybe face to face clubs could fulfill that need to socialize in person. Perhaps bars were once that solution as a gathering place but they have their own problems with noise, expense, and health effects. Some lubrication of discussion might be beneficial but drunkeness from excessive lubrication could be fuel on the fire.
Thank you for giving intellectual loneliness a voice! This malaise only seems to depeen in today's polarized world bent on simplistic answers to knotty, multi variant problems.
Wow, this really struck a nerve! Thank you for naming a void in my life that I couldn't. Your thoughtful essay was insightful. And I am going to put some effort into creating or finding more intellectual groups or events that will satisfy this need. Not easy in todays world. If you have any ideas of how or where to find this type of interaction, please share!
It's been increasingly difficult to find people who know what to do with a good thing/connection, and I find my social circle shrinking as a result. Podcasts like yours, reddit discussions, and conversations with the children I work with provide most of the reciprocity and depth for me these days.
When we add in a recent spike in anxious/avoidant attachment styles to the mix, it can seem extra discouraging... How can we become more comfortable with the kindred and familiar people that finally come along when we're so used to being vigilant, boundaried, and protected from the brain-drainers and energy-snatchers? This is a question I've both been living and pondering deeply...
Sometimes, I meet people with a combination of ADHD and real intellectual curiosity. It is one of my great pleasures in life to be able to say, “You don’t have to slow down or edit your thoughts for me. Jump around. Weave a web. Take the throttle off and let’er rip, pal.”
On a separate but related note, we often think of building community as a way to serve others, but I’ve come to believe that the strongest communities are built when new members have an opportunity to contribute.
Thank you for this article, Barry, it is appreciated. I do crave nerdy dopamine pathway stimulation and listen to your podcast regularly as well as others to be satisfied with interesting content. I do not hesitate alienating energy vampires and am careful about selecting those with whom I engage in conversations. Love your podcast and topics of discussion.
How refreshing to hear this. Yes, such a political lense out there with little room for thinking more broadly…just people digging in on their opinions.
Yes, thank you for naming this malaise of intellectual loneliness and taking a step towrad giving it legitimacy. I know I feel a terrible alienation for remaining in the ever shrinking sphere of those deeply valuing reflective thought. The anti-thought cloud is to me not a political tilt at all, as I think it is often portrayed. Rather it spans all of the parties and sociopolitical attitudes. I know I'm not alone in feeling buried by it and I do find others sometimes who share that feeling. It seems like our value for thought is ever receding from the mainstream where it once drove us in a modest but reassuringly at least visible sphere. Now I have to hunt for other reflective thinkers and serious problem solvers and we have to encourage each other to persist in digging deeper in an insane reflexive anti-intellectual cultural moment full of blind self-righteousness, narrow extreme ideologies, anger, resentments, and desperate reflexive choices.
the etymology of the word CON-VERSATION: it means to Move WITH, or Turn Together. Conversations are not tennis matches to be won by getting something past the other's defense. A conversation is a walking side-by-side. So yes, Yes, YES to all of this, Scott! I am seeking people who still know how to converse from a position of BOTH/AND, who are capable to holding a polarity in their hands and playing with it, looking at pros and cons and balance and movement. Thank you for this post!
Amazing! It's all about YES/AND!
@elena thanks for the reminder to update my image. The picture was too dark.
As for worshiping the Forces of Darkness… keep reading! It’s dark, coffee, dark beer, and dark chocolate! :-)
Why are you worship the forces of darkness? Wearing dark glasses? Afraid of the penetrating light? Or it is just the figure of speech?
Thank you for your great efforts (like this substack) to make it less lonely for those of us still animated by thinking!
Thank you so much for this post! Although I am often around intellectual equals, I still feel lonely for the very reasons you express. Almost to a man (or woman), they are incapable of suspending disbelief long enough to think in the abstract, or to imagine a better world that is not ruled by their opinions and beliefs alone. I'm always at a loss to understand why smart people can be so stupid. But, I do know that while shared joy multiplies, so does shared despair. The question, "do you want to be right or do you want to be happy" should not be so damned difficult to answer. You post was very thought provoking, and I really enjoy thinking. Still.
Yes. I used to belong to a local, intellectual discussion group. We were a diverse bunch, yet we connected well. I've felt the same connection with people from diverse backgrounds in book clubs.
hi Keith- Feel free to join us at Premise! We'd love to have you. You can use the code "thankyou" and your first session will be not cost. We are in 20 cities (and growing) and online. https://www.premiseinstitute.com/
We offer a chance to think together in a joy, unpretentious, facilitated setting.
I am one of the intellectually lonely. I am sickened byt the absence of discourse in our culture, led by latest administraton who privilege ignorance and stupidiy. Downsizing and devaluation of intellect are au-courant. Thinking as an activity is disparaged. No wonder we are where we are in - The Wasteland. Too much thinking is bad for Capitalism. I belong to a Zen Bhudist community where silence in between conversations is encouraged and refreshing. Time for thinking. Time for listening. Once in a writing class the teacher asked us to name our hobbies.
"Thinking!" I said without thinking.
Thank you for these words.
Ellen Fox
Administration privileges not exactly ignorance and stupidity, but obedience and safety.
If you are smart enough to stay obedient to the authorities and do not intend to make harm to them, than your thinking activity will never be disparaged.
People should not interfere the rulers to play their games. All the rest is possible.
There is an old Slavic proverb: Even call him a pot, just don't put him in the oven.
Why do you call thinking "the hobby"?
Isn't it the way of living?
I is imine.
Thanks Michael,
Where are you?
Maybe there should be a national organization of all of us.
This!! I felt like it was written for me. I feel like this all the time. The world has become so polarised and divisive. Whatever happened to agreeing to disagree or simply having different opinions but still staying friends?!
Exactly!!!
With all the loneliness and misinformation in the world I think many people would benefit from being in discussion groups but social media has issues that are not fulfilling that need. We need to research the root causes of that and come up with solutions. Maybe face to face clubs could fulfill that need to socialize in person. Perhaps bars were once that solution as a gathering place but they have their own problems with noise, expense, and health effects. Some lubrication of discussion might be beneficial but drunkeness from excessive lubrication could be fuel on the fire.
Thank you for giving intellectual loneliness a voice! This malaise only seems to depeen in today's polarized world bent on simplistic answers to knotty, multi variant problems.
Hey Scott, any tips for cultivating an intellectually humble and curious community?
Wow, this really struck a nerve! Thank you for naming a void in my life that I couldn't. Your thoughtful essay was insightful. And I am going to put some effort into creating or finding more intellectual groups or events that will satisfy this need. Not easy in todays world. If you have any ideas of how or where to find this type of interaction, please share!
This hit me in the heart, Scott. -Thank you.
It's been increasingly difficult to find people who know what to do with a good thing/connection, and I find my social circle shrinking as a result. Podcasts like yours, reddit discussions, and conversations with the children I work with provide most of the reciprocity and depth for me these days.
When we add in a recent spike in anxious/avoidant attachment styles to the mix, it can seem extra discouraging... How can we become more comfortable with the kindred and familiar people that finally come along when we're so used to being vigilant, boundaried, and protected from the brain-drainers and energy-snatchers? This is a question I've both been living and pondering deeply...
Sometimes, I meet people with a combination of ADHD and real intellectual curiosity. It is one of my great pleasures in life to be able to say, “You don’t have to slow down or edit your thoughts for me. Jump around. Weave a web. Take the throttle off and let’er rip, pal.”
On a separate but related note, we often think of building community as a way to serve others, but I’ve come to believe that the strongest communities are built when new members have an opportunity to contribute.
Thank you for this article, Barry, it is appreciated. I do crave nerdy dopamine pathway stimulation and listen to your podcast regularly as well as others to be satisfied with interesting content. I do not hesitate alienating energy vampires and am careful about selecting those with whom I engage in conversations. Love your podcast and topics of discussion.
Thanks Claire, means a lot!
Some other ideas for thoughtful discussion solutions
Augmented Intelligence
https://sinnosol.short.gy/PEIgQg
How refreshing to hear this. Yes, such a political lense out there with little room for thinking more broadly…just people digging in on their opinions.
Imagination and reflection: adore both.