Anticynical #9: Receptivity
Receptivity: Sponge and Stone, Random Murder.
Hey there 👋,
Welcome to the ninth edition of Anticynical! Last week, I wrote about Albert Camus’s idea of revolt. It is a kind of existential revolt: like a perpetual middle finger raised to the universe’s silence and indifference.
This week’s idea is receptivity. And a way of visualizing and regulating it.
In a nutshell: we can tune our receptivity—to some extent—by invoking a sponge (to be more absorbing and open-minded) or a stone (to be more resisting and critical).
When we encounter new information, our receptivity falls somewhere between two extremes—that of a sponge or a stone.
When in sponge mode, we soak up and permit everything to enter. There is no filter between our thoughts and beliefs and those articulated in the book, article, podcast, or situation we’re engaging with. The ideas effortlessly transition from the source to the consumer. When we read about ideas that immediately resonate, we instinctively adapt them as our own.
In stone mode, we resist everything. Not only do we not put in any effort in trying to understand the new information, but we actively resist it. This is a mode an atheist might get into when at a church or temple. Or a devout believer at an atheist conference.
Unsurprisingly, both “modes” have their affordances. Sponge mode’s attributes include open-mindedness, empathy, attentiveness, but also gullibility and conformity. Stone mode is associated with stubbornness, resistance, independence, and critical thinking.
We can cultivate judgment and self-awareness about our receptivity and use it as a regulator to help combat bias and flaws in our thinking. Here are some examples where we can tune our receptivity for a more optimal result.
You are attending a lecture on a topic you’re passionate about. You should absolutely be very sponge-like to absorb the information. But you shouldn’t be a total sponge. Be open to new ideas but also remain discerning about the validity and relevance of the information. Something that works well for me in such situations is being almost a total sponge during the lecture and being more critical-thinking after it when reviewing and processing the information.
You are watching your favorite commentator on your favorite news channel deploring those terrible people who disagree with you on issue X. Invoke the stone. Don’t be gullible, and think more critically. What evidence do you have for your view?
Your colleague refuses to listen to why the Earth is not flat and insists they are right. It makes sense to save your energy, be very stone-like, and not be open-minded to their bromides.
When I was doing a guided meditation session one day years ago, the teacher1 likened the clinging and anxious mind to a closed fist and the relaxed and spacious mind to an open palm. That visualization has stuck with me, and I often use it to relax myself.
The sponge and stone visuals serve a similar purpose—invoking a visual to alter the state of mind—but in a different domain.
Question: Would you press a button to get $10M instantly, but which causes a random person in the world to die?
And no one would ever know.
Even if the answer is no, try to observe your thoughts in response to the question. My own mental gymnastics were fascinating, to say the least.
I'd love to hear from you…
Did the stone and sponge visual and metaphor land for you?
Did you learn anything about yourself when you thought about the above question?
Or anything else at all. Just hit reply.
With Love and Regards, Aayush
I don’t remember who the teacher was, but most likely it was Sam Harris.