Shut Up Already!

My problem, put simply, is that sometimes I ought to keep quiet when I do not.

Much of the time, creativity and curiosity encourages a sort of blasphemy, one where many things one recognizes may not be noticed or spoken about without social consequences.

Most people aren’t particularly smart or observant. Couple that with a world that’s a lot more grotesque and complicated than anyone wants to believe, and it’s easy to see why many taboos exist.

These taboos are easy to disillusion yourself of when you downplay expert opinion, but oftentimes those doing so may be doing themselves a disservice. Doubting everything can fry your brain, as you fixate on things, and extrapolate too much.

Those in power are either those who wholeheartedly believe in the dogmas of the day, or are smart enough to appear so. Larry Summers put it well when he said something to the effect of: you can be an outsider and say anything you want, or have insiders’ ears provided you never criticize what they say publicly.

Thus, one should look before you leap, and maybe reason in silence.