In the past, however, this may not have been quite as apparent, but today we have an array of media with its army of talking heads (and typing bloggists) waiting 24/7 to agree to pretty much anything you can dream up. Choose any topic, no matter how obscure, no matter how popular or soundly agreed on by the powers that be and there are always camps for and camps against — and the inevitable slew of other perspectives: feminine-queerist-libertarian-postmodern-postracial-pre moving out of my parent’s house-conservative yet socially liberal neo Nazi-Ron Paulist, etc etc and on and on.

Now as history painfully shows, the status-quo of fact has often been at best wrong, and at worst depraved. So in many ways finding agreement is a good thing — unification gives the less pervasive voices power and resolve.

But here is the thing: Just because you can find someone who agrees with you doesn’t mean you (and them) are any less wrong (or right!).

How we form our opinions as a society doesn’t mesh with the idea of wrong. We like our information and perspectives to come from sources that speak directly, sternly. Sources that know the whole story and aren’t there to listen what you have to say or raise questions that air out gray area — they are there to tell you what to think. Like say … Bill O’Reilly, or Jesus.

As a history major, my learning entailed primarily grappling with two things: bias and truth. These are two things that most people see as incompatible, and thus disregard everything they perceive as having bias from holding truth at all. What my professors taught me to do as a historian was not to try to block out bias, but to embrace it because there is no way around it. We live in a world of bias: everyone has taken in a different experience, which was based infinitely on unique experiences of people throughout time. In a sense, truth is bias: as soon as we exist, we are predisposed to think different things.

One of my girlfriend’s favorite quotes from college puts it in practical terms: “Be most critical of the things you agree with”.

But whose got time for all this touchy-feely, truth worship anyway- we’ve got a war on our hands! Who’s going to put up a flag of ambiguity and humility necessary to find common truth with the rhetorical bullets flying overhead that say death to you and all you represent?

In the excerpt from Michael Lewis’ book The Big Short, about stock market whiz Michael Burry, which was  linked from here last Wednesday (you can find the excerpt here), the investor complains about having to defend ideas, as it makes changing your mind harder. In other words, that it impairs your ability to rise above bias.

In finding so many irate, positive beyond the mortal plane backing for what we think, it is easy to become possessed with defending them through all obstacles — including fact. In short, it makes the common ground of truth somewhat of a no-man’s land, instead of a place of pilgrimage.

The challenges that we face as a society and humanity (global warming, energy, overpopulation, fresh water, prejudicial hatred, etc.) are uncertain by nature. If we are to choose the best path for all of us, we are going to have to be flexible and open-minded. Truth must lead the way.

We’ve just got a horse-pill of humility to get down before we’re ready.

Warren Buffett gets (deservedly) a lot of credit for Berkshire’s success over the years. But, I’d wager quite a bit that Warren wouldn’t trade his long-time business partner for anyone.

Charlie’s speech is a great read. It easily makes it in my top ten reads of all-time. Most likely my top five. And perhaps in my top three.

In the larger context of the business world (and in offering life lessons), Charlie Munger is very undervalued.

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As previously posted, the speech I’m referring to can be found here.

1. Elementary Worldly Wisdom by Charles Munger [1994] (ycombinator.com)

“I’m going to play a minor trick on you today because the subject of my talk is the art of stock picking as a subdivision of the art of worldly wisdom. That enables me to start talking about worldly wisdom — a much broader topic that interests me because I think all too little of it is delivered by modern educational systems, at least in an effective way.”

2. How To Do What You Love (paulgraham.com)

“To do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel. We’ve got it down to four words: ‘Do what you love.’ But it’s not enough just to tell people that. Doing what you love is complicated.”

3. Late Bloomers (gladwell.com)

“Ben Fountain was an associate in the real-estate practice at the Dallas offices of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, just a few years out of law school, when he decided he wanted to write fiction. The only thing Fountain had ever published was a law-review article. His literary training consisted of a handful of creative-writing classes in college. He had tried to write when he came home at night from work, but usually he was too tired to do much. He decided to quit his job.”

The song is, “This Too Shall Pass,” off of its third (and latest) studio album, “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky.”

You can find out more about the band on its official website here and on its MySpace page here.

I wouldn’t consider myself a great pool player, but I’m not terrible, either.

The place actually offered a few other things as well. There was a restaurant/bar area where you could sit down and have a conversation or meal with someone. This area was probably the quietest in the place. There was also a bar and dance floor in the back.

Since I hadn’t been to this place in awhile I wanted to walk around and see what it was like.

After we did a circle, we grabbed a drink in the back bar. There were probably about 30 people in line. But the line turned over relatively quickly.

As we were waiting in line, I turned around and watched people in the dancing area. About half of the people were dancing, laughing, and interacting with others. The other half was sitting down. Some were engaged in a conversation with another person (though this must have been difficult given the loud music), while others were watching people or seemed distracted by their mobile devices.

As I was just beginning to think more about this my friend tapped me on my shoulder and motioned me over to the pool area.

The first two games we played were uneventful. Though, I won both!

But during the third game I glanced over at the dancing area and began thinking about something.

I began observing different things. I noticed that the majority of people there were dressed nicely. No one seemed to be wearing the same thing. But what was interesting to me was that not everyone was interacting. I think most of the guys wanted to approach and talk to girls, but many weren’t. Many were just watching others interact. The ones who were interacting looked like they were having a good time. They were smiling and laughing. They were creating the moments that would inevitably be captured by their cameras and shared with each other later. I began thinking about this more.

For some people, I think socializing is easy. People who are social don’t seem to get overwhelmed by crowded environments or interacting with new people. Some may even thrive in such environments. But I think others posses some degree of social anxiety or discomfort. Perhaps they are unsure how to act or what to say. So they just watch.

I guess I’m primarily talking about an environment, such as a bar, where the guy is supposed to initiate conversation with the girl. I do think both sexes experience social anxiety and social comfort. But in general, I think women tend to be a little more social than guys. I think what I’m trying to say is that women are more open about their feelings and emotions.

But maybe I’m wrong about this.

Anyway, people have told me that I’m somewhat quirky and eccentric.

When I returned to focusing on playing pool, I started dancing to the music. I started moving to the beat and sang along to the songs. At times, I was using my pool stick as a prop. I’d twirl it around and toss it in the air during certain rhythms and beats of a song. And at one point I was mixing in Michael Jackson’s “Moon Walk.” I did this in between pool shots. Honestly, I’m not sure what I was thinking at the time. I wasn’t drunk. I think I was just enjoying myself. I think I tend to act quirky when I feel free. Free from mirrors. Free from struggle. Free from limitation. Because that’s when I’m me.

I’m not sure if I’d consider myself naturally social.

I do enjoy talking with people, as well as listening to other peoples’ thoughts and stories.

So maybe I am.