Essentialism
make the thing what it is, and without which it would be not that kind of thing George Lakoff
What this does quote does for me is to help pit in words why it is very hard to actually distill the essence of Essentialism. It’s like that feeling you get when, “I just can’t put my finger on it moment” this outer-wordly thingy.
Intuition > Intellect
I love this speech that Steve Jobs gave at Stanford 2005 (now known as the pathos/ethos/logos speech)
Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice and most important have the courage to follow your heart and intuition they somehow know what you truly want to become everything else is secondary
One of the practices of essentialism I enjoy is the need not to have things defined, instead of relying on data we rely on hard coded(or is it) instinctual impulses. The word mercurial subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind. does a diservice to supporting the idea of being instinctual whilst someone can exhibit the two traits e.g. if the persons instincts lead them to be unpredictable or changeable in behaviour, in a way their instinctual responses might be influenced by many factors which makes them mercurial in their actions.
For me essentialism is about developing my gut to the point of which I have developed ultra instinct, allowing me to act exactly as I am intrinsically programmed.(In this argument it would suggest our destinies are predetermined)
Exploring the training needed to hone your instincts such that you can act in alignment with your “intrinsic programming”(these behavioural traits we have inherited). This requires a high level of mastery over one’s intuitive responses(type 1) creating a positive feedback loop that will emphasise the your efficiency and confidence which comes from trusting your instincts.
And often insticntivenss promotes us to take the necessary decisive action reducing any hesitation or doubt. > It’s not about determinism but rather a dynamic dance between awareness, intuition, and a deep understanding of oneself.
Nosce Te Ipsum
Know Yourself also a wonderful drake banger of a summer anthem but this latin aphorism which comes across a humbling message begs us to look introspectively within ourselves, highlighting the importance of being having self-awareness and self-knowledge.
Knowing ourselves proves to be a harder challenge in today’s world, where we’re constantly surrounded by the buzz and noise of celebrities, geopolitics (thanks to globalization), etc. This makes it harder for people to pay attention to themselves, as they’re attention-starved from paying it forward to others.
Practical guide: To overcome this is to allocate sufficient time everyday to tune in to your own headspace preferable before the day starts and end
Like the idea of “inertness” that essentialism presents things are intrinsically defined by characteristics or qualities.
One key thing to also acknowledge with Essentialism is that the message can shift through multiple versions of the same person, all in all to deliver the same message.(will develop this thought further a lot to unpack)