Everyone likes to think they are open-minded. However, even those of us that actively invite different ideas rarely allow them to set up home. In the past I found this depressing. Now, I’m not so down on our apparent resistance to change. In short, I’ve changed my mind about changing minds.
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At the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Monday I thought I would have a break from talking about my own ideas when I took part in a discussion about Nietzsche’s aphorisms. What i discovered was that, in fact, when talking about Nietzsche’s aphorisms, or anyone else’s, exploring what you think is the whole point.
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Nervous States sits at the intersection of ongoing debates about post-truth, the assault on reason, the privileging of personal feelings and the rise of populism. The book stands out for its sincere attempt not simply to lament these trends but to understand them.
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It is too much to expect not to be stung by criticism. To be completely unaffected you’d need to have an indifference to the opinions of others that bordered on solipsism. The knack is to feel the sting and let it fade, avoiding the temptation to scratch at it and make it even worse. You have to accept that some critics are like blood-sucking insects who are only happy when feeding on others.
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A civilised society gives you the right to be an offensive, insensitive asshole; a civilised person doesn’t use it.
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