My insatiable thirst
I think that everyone has something they can’t get enough of, to whatever end that leads. For some of us, that’s destructive impulses like alcohol or binge eating. For others it’s less destructive stuff like entertainment, or even potentially constructive stuff like exercise.
My theory, though, is that everyone has something they’re like that with. Everyone has their “thing” … that pursuit which, given the choice and the elimination of possible negative consequences, they’d do all the time.
I’ve come to begin understanding mine. It’s not any of the usual suspects … not liquor nor food nor tv nor games. Those things are, to varying degrees, things to fill the spaces between my own specific drive.
See, the thing that keeps me going is rational engagement. I don’t care where it comes from, whether it’s from an informed debate with me as a participant, or disabusing some poor victim of some insane notion of theirs, or being the victim of someone else’s lecturing, or reading books or watching things on TV. But especially watching and listening to that stuff…
So I’m trying to find things that satisfy that rationalist bent. Whether it’s watching a diatribe by some political commentator or a recording of a distinguished guest’s talk at a conference or gathering, I can’t get enough of it.
I’m looking for more of that. Lectures by engaging intellectuals who have something to say… shows that encourage you to “turn on” … in short, frank, direct and honest discussion. Now taking suggestions…
September 1st, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I really like this post, because I find it to be my main drive as well. Perhaps you and I should talk more.
First of all on this tip, I’d recommend listening to Christopher Hitchens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Hg-Y7MugU
He also has a short book I read, “Letters to a Young Contrarian”, which really praises this sort of behavior.
Next would be Alan Watts, which is a bit more metaphysical (and at times purely mystical), but thoroughly enjoyable to listen to, and I think we can all learn from him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aufuwMiKmE
If you’re into economics at all (and it’s hard for someone not to be these days), I really enjoyed watching videos like this by Milton Friedman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V5OP-VmXgE
Also, when it comes to modern politics, this is an interesting look at the philosophical views and history of the radical Islamists and the Neoconservatives: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2798679275960015727
So yes, I find a lot of joy in seeking out intellectuals on the internet and listening to them. YouTube and Google Video have been great resources for this sort of stuff.
Besides it, I’ve been reading some books as well, such as Alan Greenspan’s “Age of Turbulence”.
I’d like to know some of your favorite things on the internet as well.
September 1st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Oh yeah, and if you haven’t, check out that new anime Kaiba by Masaaki Yuasa. It’s fucking brilliant.
September 1st, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I’ve seen a bunch of Hitchens … he’s got such a distinctive “villain” voice, I love it. But that one was new to me. I’ve also bumped into some of Alan Watts … a couple of his books have been in my amazon shopping cart for like 6 months now. Dawkins is usually pretty entertaining, too. I’ve been reading his latest on and off over the last couple weeks.
Friedman video was interesting, and I’ll definitely have to give the bbc one a bit of time.
Other things I’ve found that satisfy the thirst for a little on a more consistent basis are the Daily Show, Bill Maher’s “Real Time”, Bill Moyers’ Journal, Penn and Teller’s Bullshit … which gets a nice spectrum, but only gives me maybe a half an hour a day on average.
Bruce Schneier’s blog is also pretty interesting, but simply because he’s been saying the same sort of things over and over again for the last 5 years it’s sort of gotten monotonous.
I recently ran into a talk that Adam Savage from Mythbusters gave to a hacker conference, called “Fascination with the Dodo” that I thought was pretty cool.
Stephen Pinker is another pretty interesting speaker/author worth checking out.