Intellectual Loneliness, Weekend's lookalikes for the Super Bowl, and a cool Valentine Gift
Happy Sunday to everyone who loves winter.
Hey there everybody!
In my city, it feels like we’re saying goodbye to winter this week. Sadge.
So, it’s the day of love, apparently.
I like it. Regardless of my relationship status, there's nothing better than seeing two people walking down the street, holding hands, smiling and laughing. It's a reminder that if they found it, we all can find it.
Certainly, there's the argument that you should be expressive in your love all the time yada yada yada... To me though that's not the point. 14th Feb should be a celebration of the love you've found with someone else and a reminder that love exists.
Here’s a cool gift I found!
I leave most parties early because I'd rather read a book or listen to music or a podcast.
That's not what I tell people though. Usually, I invent an excuse. Something like "Oh, I have early plans in the morning." I don't like being deceptive, but there's no socially acceptable way to say "I love the way that learning activates my mind so much that I'd rather spend the night with ideas than people."
This feeling is truly deadly and depressing sometimes. Before finding the like-minded people on the internet, I'd go on YouTube where I watched professors talk about their subject with hearts on fire, only to return to the hollow drudgery of what passes for intellectual conversation these days. Mindless conversations about politics and the same old storylines.
Intellectual Loneliness
As a semi-intelligent person, I often felt like I didn’t operate on the same wavelength as most of the people around me. Sure, we get along, and I love them, but there was a not-so-occasional feeling that I’m dumbing myself down so that I can enjoy their company.
No two people are aligned and there are forces pulling you in all different directions — pressure to go out for those drinks, watch certain shows, talk about certain things that don’t interest you etc. By aligning yourself with like-minded people — your flock — it becomes easier to slide into the slip-stream and ride the wave of momentum towards your goals.
One of the side effects of feeling like a black sheep among the people around you is becoming withdrawn. Because you feel like no one will understand what you’re saying, or worse, be misunderstood, it becomes easier to say nothing.
What am I doing? I am engaging and creating. Your audience is a reflection of yourself. The Internet is the greatest Tinder ever. Just as eBay matches buyers and sellers. and Uber matches riders and drivers, the Internet matches curious people who share the same obsessions.
So if you're like Emily Weiss. and you write about how different kinds of makeup mesh with different skin profiles, you'll attract a tribe of women who are obsessed with beauty. Now, she runs a multi-billion dollar company called Glossier.
Creators have been doing this for years. They use their medium — canvas, film, written word, music etc. — as a platform to say the things they couldn’t in a normal social context. It is little wonder then, that we are drawn to those pieces of work which seem so intriguing.
Speak up and be heard, its the only way to find your flock. That helped me find mine, to a certain extent.
In the minds of geniuses, we find — once more — our own neglected thoughts.
This is exactly why you should create.
“During the gold rush its a good time to be in the pick and shovel business.” — Mark Twain
If something like this resonates with you, I’d like you to keep in the loop for my next piece.
ENDNOTE: Super Bowl, Super Simple and Super Funny
For the Super Bowl, this was the casting call for The Weeknd's lookalikes:
• 18-30 years old
• diverse male
• 5'5" to 5'11"
• can follow basic instructions like a TikTok dance
• volunteer to rehearse for 7 hours/day for 1 week
Every part of this is hilarious.
👋 The End
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