I really enjoyed this piece, but you almost lost me at your mention of DEI. Equity & Inclusion are not one sided barbaric ideas reflective of ignorant people putting them in place. That’s what they are being presented as for SURE, but a focus on holding up people who have historically been held down to level the playing field is a GOOD thing by all measures. The only threat inherent in a system like this is the outright/irrational FEAR of a loss of power, but there is no actual danger…….because power is not a finite resource.
In the spirit of this wonderful essay, I think I disagree. If the purpose of DEI is to hold up people who historically have been held down, that aim seems misguided. The people who were held down lived in the 1600s, the 1700s, the 1800s, the 1900s, and up through the 1960s. The vast majority of people who lived in these time frames are deceased. So, perhaps there is a better rationale for DEI today? Personally, I perceive DEI as dogma and slogan words. Nonetheless, I can question DEI as a matter of good faith and see other sides of the argument. That is the thesis of this insightful article. Best,
Great read! Ken Wilber also talks about this idea of ‘transcend and include’. You cannot skip stages, each one is valid, necessary and neutral. At each stage there is something to learn and realize that needs to be integrated and included. Awareness and consiousness is what runs through all of them.
Humans' greatest strength is adaptability (neuroplasticity). I like to think of learning as the act of collecting different perspective, or 'hats', so that in the right context, one (or multiple) of these hats will come in useful. The moment we stop collecting perspectives is the moment we become dogmatic, believing only our stance is right.
Dan out here handing us the user manual for the multiverse like it’s a morning coffee newsletter.
The AQAL framework + second-tier awareness? That’s not just how to think like a genius—it’s how to stop mistaking your inner monologue for divine revelation.
Most people defend their worldview like it's a rescue dog they adopted and renamed “Truth.” But genius-level thinkers? They house-sit for every perspective, water the plants, and come home smelling like nuance.
> Now, thinking is a conversation with yourself. Idiotic thinking is a conversation that turns into an argument and ends fast because you latch onto one answer.
Also this conversation happens on repeat, and for many people, many such conversations never end.
I have countless experiences with very smart McKinsey-Types, C-Level Managers and Founders, who are trapped in these three layers. They're worldclass in their area, but often fail to solve the simplest problems in other spheres. Incredible!
Thank you for articulating this situation so well.
I really enjoyed this piece, but you almost lost me at your mention of DEI. Equity & Inclusion are not one sided barbaric ideas reflective of ignorant people putting them in place. That’s what they are being presented as for SURE, but a focus on holding up people who have historically been held down to level the playing field is a GOOD thing by all measures. The only threat inherent in a system like this is the outright/irrational FEAR of a loss of power, but there is no actual danger…….because power is not a finite resource.
In the spirit of this wonderful essay, I think I disagree. If the purpose of DEI is to hold up people who historically have been held down, that aim seems misguided. The people who were held down lived in the 1600s, the 1700s, the 1800s, the 1900s, and up through the 1960s. The vast majority of people who lived in these time frames are deceased. So, perhaps there is a better rationale for DEI today? Personally, I perceive DEI as dogma and slogan words. Nonetheless, I can question DEI as a matter of good faith and see other sides of the argument. That is the thesis of this insightful article. Best,
Goethe once said that knowledge is power.
In today’s world clarity and discernment make you powerful.
This post is a masterpiece. Thank you Dan!
This came just at the right time. As soon as I reached the questions part, I opened a new notes on my phone & started answering each question.
I wrote down 8 at the night & 8 in the morning.
Now I'm going to put all this context into Chatgpt and ask it for insights, patterns I might have missed.
Would love another deep dive/part 2 on this stuff.
Great read! Ken Wilber also talks about this idea of ‘transcend and include’. You cannot skip stages, each one is valid, necessary and neutral. At each stage there is something to learn and realize that needs to be integrated and included. Awareness and consiousness is what runs through all of them.
Dose of Dan. Always an uplifting and encouraging remedy. So appreciated. 🙏
Humans' greatest strength is adaptability (neuroplasticity). I like to think of learning as the act of collecting different perspective, or 'hats', so that in the right context, one (or multiple) of these hats will come in useful. The moment we stop collecting perspectives is the moment we become dogmatic, believing only our stance is right.
Brilliantly put!
Seriously appreciate you introducing me to Ken Wilber, working my way through that list of three you shared
I love how he can look at something from so many different viewpoints, and I think you do that so well in your writing too!
Love your stuff Dan, thank you!
Grato por essa contribuição meu amigo Dan✍🏻👂🏻👣🧠
always love an overview of Ken Wilber’s Theory, thank you Dan!
Dan out here handing us the user manual for the multiverse like it’s a morning coffee newsletter.
The AQAL framework + second-tier awareness? That’s not just how to think like a genius—it’s how to stop mistaking your inner monologue for divine revelation.
Most people defend their worldview like it's a rescue dog they adopted and renamed “Truth.” But genius-level thinkers? They house-sit for every perspective, water the plants, and come home smelling like nuance.
> Now, thinking is a conversation with yourself. Idiotic thinking is a conversation that turns into an argument and ends fast because you latch onto one answer.
Also this conversation happens on repeat, and for many people, many such conversations never end.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
-- Aristotle
In a world of algorithms and echo chambers, most certainly.
I have countless experiences with very smart McKinsey-Types, C-Level Managers and Founders, who are trapped in these three layers. They're worldclass in their area, but often fail to solve the simplest problems in other spheres. Incredible!
Thank you for articulating this situation so well.
As an ex-management consultant this was a rude awakening! We always view these folk as wiser due to their "lofty" positions and yet...
Profound.
This post probably changed my life, but I’m sprinting through the timeline like it owes me rent.
Restacked. No notes. No regrets.
insightful. got me thinking.