Book Review.
A general “law of least effort” applies to cognitive as well as physical exertion.
The law asserts that if there are several ways of achieving the same goal, people will eventuall gravitate to the least demanding course of action.
In the economy of action, effort is a cost, and the acquisition of skills is driven by the balance of benefits and costs. Laziness is built deep into our nature.
Daniel Kahneman
Let’s think, slowly, about thinking. Very slowly. Take your time.
Ray Dalio’s model explains there are two internal minds at play, often escalating into an internal war between the thinking mind and the emotional mind. The battles of the minds keeps most of us up at night. What we desire is a synergistic, win-win relationship between thoughts and feelings. Worthy of analysis.
Anatomically, the thinking mind is in the front of the brain; and the emotional more deeply embedded tending to the middle. Critically, there are dense neuronal networks connecting the two that take decades to fully integrate, and the immature neural links are sensitive to toxic chemicals especially in the embryo and to risk-taking adolescents. Damage to these communicating lines between the thinking and feeling areas may be irreparable. Lots of psychiatric anguish.
Neuroscientists inform that the full maturation of this incredible brain structure - the all powerful thinking/networks/emotions psychological complex - occurs at around 22 years in females, and 24 years in males.
Ask any insurance company, and they point out that most car accidents are in people age 18-23 years. Also peak suicide age. Based on these complex decision maturation facts, perhaps voting, marriage, military duty and drivers license ought to kick in only from 23 years of age. This is five years later than the current universal age of 18, at least for voting. Seems impulsivity (the emotional mind, the horse) is better controlled (by the thinking mind, the rider). The wiring between the two are the reins. Mmm. Rider is weaker physically but in control of the animal - speed, direction, stop, start. What happens if the reins snap? Just thinking. Slowly.
Daniel Kahneman* - the life-long thinker of all things mind (Nobel Laureate for Behaviour Economics) - specialises in fishing out common cognitive distortions from the rivers of human minds. I love this hobby. There are so many unproven assumptions, fallacies and nonsense that pollutes are conversations, within our minds, and with others. Priceless to stand back and mentally shoot each balloon.
His long time collaborative research with the late Amos Twersky, now written up as a book,** indicates that thinking and emotions are intimately intertwined. It can take a lifetime of inner work to disentangle.
Kahneman divides thinking into two systems, that often work in parallel. The first system (I) is fast thinking: it is extremely rapid, automatic, unconscious, emotion informed, and, vitally, effortless. Like riding a bicycle or walking, speaking or reading, addictions and inappropriate responses. Automatic! Unconscious! Easy!
It is the common fast thinking system (I) that all humans possess and is the source of our multi-variant cognitive distortions. For example, the common psychological response of loss aversion. When deciding on risk, the fear of potential loss is twice as powerful as the possibility of gain. We thus tend to hedge losses/ mistakes/ failures much more than wins/ success/ learning opportunities. No wonder so many folks complain of regrets, hopelessness and despair - loss aversion is the deciding default. In hedge fund speak, we prefer going short on our limitations, rather than long on opportunities.
The second thinking system (II) is slow, deliberate, conscious, rational, and, critically, requires much effort. Reading these letters from an African Psychiatrist, for example, requires a deliberate turning on of the slower system, which requires very careful allocation of mental capital: of brain energy, attention, concentration, time and space to ‘think’. This way of thinking requirrs practice, practice and more practice. It is the more uncommon of the two thinking systems but is a success differentiator. An example.
Reading deeply, regularly, is a habit enjoyed by many masters of their craft. You just can’t wiggle away from this - even though (the regression to) the mean of the thinking brain is lazy: to conserve energy, by least effort. The brain ‘loves’ short cuts, heuristics, to get by. Sustained reading is the antidote.
The metaphoric 10,000 hours required for expertise in the chosen field of human endeavour is the conversion of day-to-day thinking (and includes doing) experiences: slowly, deliberately, rationally, consciously and needs sustained effort, iterations, grit and focus; and embedding, finally, in deeper neuronal networks.
Then layers and layers of fast thinking are laid down, facilitating rapid decision-making responses, even intuitively, when the occasion allows, resulting in better outcomes.
Witness the worlds best and their mental training - novelists (Dan Brown), soccer players (Ronaldo), entrepreneurs (Elon Musk), ….
So let’s recap: fast thinking is very fast; slow thinking is pedestrian. Fast thinking is unconscious; you are aware of slow thinking. Fast thinking is emotional; slow thinking tends to be rational and logical. Fast thinking is effortless; slow thinking requires effort. The only consistent way to change fast thinking is through the slow thinking system adding different layers to fast thinking brain structures. That requires germinating and maintaining a mindful, growth mindset. (Another letter!)
So I am wondering what thinking system you applied to the above content: fast, slow or not at all?
Author
(C) Dr Jonathan D Moch
Website
www.jdmoch.com
Links
1). Daniel Kahneman bio
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kahneman
2. Thinking, Fast And Slow
https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/037453355
Growth Mindset
https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/
From a friend
I took the slow route – I read your letter.
I didn’t skim through it.
So true about risk taking and seeing opportunities at different ages.
This is why so often, second generation business ownerships don’t work.
The son wants to put in new systems and speed things up, the father says the systems have worked for me for the last 30 years, what’s your rush?
From a friend
Love reading your letters. Thinking slow or playing slow in music requires one to play very slowly and accurately (example: practicing scales) with a metronome before speeding up the beats per minute. When I first started playing guitar as a child this was very challenging as I wanted to play the “fun” easy stuff. Now I enjoy this “slow” way of practicing most.