About
I created this site because I was getting frustrated sharing articles, links, websites, books, etc with people through Facebook, Twitter, Delicious — you name it. None of those mediums are quite right for what I wanted to do. This site is a central repository for all of those things that I come across and think are worth sharing.
I generally post 1 or 2 links or quotes every day, sometimes more. I will also post book reviews from time to time and possibly write some actual articles.
Controversial Topics, Zealots and Idealists
Fair warning: I think it’s important to look for truth even if it isn’t pretty, isn’t what you want to hear and even if you have to look in ugly places to find it. Sometimes ideas are found in bad neighborhoods. Some of the things you’ll see here may be highly controversial or make you uncomfortable from time to time. The only thing I can say is: keep an open mind.
I think that one should recognize reality even when one doesn’t like it, indeed, especiallywhen one doesn’t like it. Charles T. Munger
You’ll find that fringe topics often come along with a thriving ecosystem, teeming with nutjobs. If I cover a topic — even if do I agree with it (and please understand that just because I discuss a topic or link to something doesn’t necessarily mean I agree with it) – this doesn’t necessarily mean I support, endorse or agree with the culture that created it or surrounds it. I try to let ideas stand on their own merit and separate them from the personalities and -isms involved with them.
Ideology does strange things and distorts cognition even for very bright people. Any reasonable ‘position’ is OK, but being ‘totally sure’ turns you into a lousy thinker. Charles T. Munger
What a man wishes, that also will he believe. Demosthenes
When dealing in controversial or contentious topics, one often finds zealots and militant idealists. Dealing with these people is generally a complete waste of time because their identity is too tangled with and dependent upon their ideas. So you constantly have this situation of trying to salvage a few intelligent ideas from a wasteland of fanatics and their rigid convictions without drawing their attention or getting involved with them.
To sum things up, my objective is to learn what I can, where I can. If it gets ugly at times — so be it. I’m not here to make things look pretty, convince people of anything, defend a position or argue. Which leads me into…
Discussion
Currently, comments are open for 7 days after an item is posted. I don’t want to spend my free time policing comments. Certain topics are irresistible to nutjobs and it’s not worth the time to deal with them. Good comments are those that stay on topic, offer value, are mature and are respectful. Anything else is likely to get trashed.
Feedback
Find me on twitter as ContempDigest.