11 Comments
User's avatar
Robot Bender's avatar

"The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you."

Neil deGrasse Tyson

That includes everything, including Humanity.

Jeff McFadden's avatar

I take comfort in the knowledge that I cannot see the future. It means that all I have to do is what I value.

spinster's avatar

“The unknown defines our existence.” Benjamin Sisko, “Emissary”

Robert Gowty's avatar

Great piece. It’s how actual fortune tellers work. Running through a bunch of options until they see you nodding along and then the focus in on your “certainty.”

Jessica's avatar

That sounds about right.

David's avatar

I love reading your posts!

I'm guessing that as civilisation crumbles, as the cracks and chaos deepen, uncertainty and stress will grow, driving an increasing demand for soothsayers and prognosticators.

Maybe it's a good time to start a career in palm reading or cartomancing! <sigh>

Flippant comments aside, the thought of not following the prediction hyperbole too closely and focusing more on staying flexible feels right. There's no doubt that "storm's a'comin", but the details are truly unpredictable.

Jessica's avatar

Thanks! Yeah, that's just thing. Resist the allure of certainty. A lot of people are going to fall for it, and it's going to make a lot of people rich.

Robot Bender's avatar

"You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing."

Bob Dylan

RunsWithScissors's avatar

Loved this essay so much I read it twice. Cheers.

Also, it reminded me of Joan Didion’s quote from 2010 that reasonates: "Some People Are More Certain of Everything Than I Am of Anything"

Christine Dimmick's avatar

Very interesting piece. Thank you. Certainty is safety. Safety is primal. But in times of huge uncertainty, this primal instinct really works against us - in my experience. Will be pondering all of this for a while.

Nullify Nihilism's avatar

The trick is not to replace one certainty with another. “I’m set free to find a new illusion.” - Lou Reed