Consensus and ConvictionWe’re applying the finishing touches to this post before it is fully published. It should be ready soon.
We’re applying the finishing touches to this post before it is fully published. It should be ready soon.
Society pushes us towards us a consensus. Managing masses of independent thinkers is not convenient or efficient for government operations and processes. So we are herded towards a select few ideologies (and stories) that all of us believe in.
Depending on where you are from/who you are/how you were raised — dictates which stories you believe in.
Here in school, lots of people seem to believe that Investment Banking is the career path of choice. It is the best for x and x reason.
I do not particularly agree, but of course everyone is subject to their own opinion.
Not agreeing with the norm (aka not building a consensus opinion with everyone else) causes friction.
Internally, it is challenging to go agains the current. There is often not a huge payoff in fighting the waters. And socially, it is really hard as a student to “fight” the battle (a career) alone.
But, I’ve found, that thinking a bit “differently” about things has helped me build a stronger foundation for a set of mental models that help me make decisions.
It has forced me to come up with personal conviction over why I do what I do.
Is my conviction “correct?” I do not know. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it will look completely different in 6 months. (I bet it will).
But nonetheless I have a foundation to stand on.
Is it better to have conviction and be “wrong” or have no conviction at all?
This is a hard question, of which there is likely no right answer.
I’d say it is better to have conviction but be open to change. The problem comes when people are stubborn/biased/stuck in their ways. They refuse to change at any cost.
This is dangerous.
And when people affirm/give validation (form consensus) to ideas, bubbles form.
And when bubbles form…
Originally published at gonen.blog.
By jordangonen on September 4, 2017.
Exported from Medium on February 17, 2018.