A short YouTube monologue (#coldshowerphilosophy - Oct 1st - Fact and Opinion) in which Pete describes deciding to stop watching the news because presented "facts" often change and feel like opinionated clickbait. He quotes Epictetus (Discourses) about opinions causing disturbance and urges focusing on one’s own sphere of control—illustrated by personal rituals like cold showers—to maintain peace of mind.
Early in lockdown, one of the things.
That I decided, or I realized, was that I would stop watching the news. Because what would happen is fact would change day to day. Or more importantly, what was presented as fact would change day to day.
As I looked a bit harder, became.
Very aware that a lot of the fact was actually just opinion. It was clickbait, it was news, it was stirring me up. It was designed to keep me engaged and confused with what was going on. And it would make me angry, it would make me sad, and it would just make me realize how ridiculous I was being, letting my emotions be controlled by someone else's opinion on something. So with that in mind, I bring you something from the Epictetus Discourses.
Opinions are like, oh, yeah, cold shower, Qi. Breathe in deep. Then you step under and breathe out slowly. Pain goes away. Okay, it nearly goes away. What is bad luck? Opinion. What are conflict, dispute, blame, accusations, irreverence and frivolity? They are all opinions. And more than that, they are opinions that lie outside of our own reason, choice, presented as if they were good or evil. Let a person shift their opinion only to what belongs in the field of their own choice, and I guarantee that person will have peace of mind whatever is happening around them. But I think that's zone one and zone two. It's fact from fiction, it's fact from opinion. Let's basically live in a world where so much of what we read, feel, and are made to think isn't based on fact. It's based on someone trying to sell out space, convince us or whatever, and that's cool. That's their job. Whatever else, it's not always real, is it?
Fact is such a small thing in the context of what we absorb every day. But factually, I've just had another cold shower. Factually. Beautiful blue sky.
Both of those are kind of in.
My control and my sphere and make me happy. Do the same for yourself. Have a wonderful day. Pete.
First of October.
All the very best. Take care. Spread the lover. Bye.
Tim Ferriss: How to Learn Better & Create Your Best Future | Huberman Lab Podcast
