The Corrective Lens: How to give yourself a raise
from chapter 11 of A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century
This is from the end of the “Adulthood” chapter of Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide. I believe that all of us could level ourselves up by taking some of this advice more seriously, or more consistently. And? It can be a blast to do so.
The Corrective Lens
Explicitly aim to be an adult. Do this, in part, by regularly asking yourself the questions that we posed at the beginning of the chapter (“Am I taking responsibility for my own actions? Am I being close-minded?…”), and by minimizing the effects of economic markets on your daily life.
Become aware of the constant flow of information telling you what to think, how to feel, how to act. Do not let it into your mind. Do not let it steer you. Your internal reward structure needs to be independent and ungameable. That independence, in turn, should allow you to collaborate well with others who are similarly independent. Be wary of those who may well be nice, but who are captured.