“The check of a first-rate intelligence is the flexibility to carry two opposed concepts within the thoughts on the similar time, and nonetheless retain the flexibility to perform.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald
I don’t know if it’s me getting older or the world getting extra complicated—perhaps each—however being a nuanced thinker feels extra vital than ever. Nuanced pondering is the flexibility to carry delicate, usually contradictory concepts a few state of affairs, an individual, or an occasion, and nonetheless make sense of it.
I don’t suppose nuanced pondering is our default programming. One of many first books my father learn to me was Vladimir Mayakovsky’s bluntly titled ebook of poetry What Is Good and What Is Dangerous. To be clear, there’s nothing fallacious in beginning with absolutes—that is how we instill values in our children. However life is messier than childhood morality tales, as a result of persons are complicated. The identical particular person can carry out each good and dangerous actions, and even good intentions can result in horrible outcomes.
We additionally should suppose throughout timeframes. A choice is likely to be good within the brief time period however horrible in the long run. Investing thrives on such nuances. The identical CEO often is the excellent chief throughout an organization’s development part however detrimental in maturity (Uber involves thoughts).
Henry Ford revolutionized the automotive trade and was additionally a vile antisemite. Hitler admired Ford and even talked about him in Mein Kampf. Ought to Jews drive Ford vehicles? That’s not for me to say, however IMA does take a nuanced strategy in our funding philosophy: one among our investments, Rheinmetall, is a German protection contractor that made tanks for the Nazis. I personally embrace nuance as nicely. Richard Wagner, a recognized antisemite, died six years earlier than Hitler was born, but many Jews refuse to take heed to his music. I respect that, however I personally love Wagner’s music. The world is complicated.
This brings me to Tesla and Elon Musk.
Final week, I obtained loads of responses to my article about Tesla. They ranged from “Cease spewing your anti-right propaganda and persist with knowledge” to “You don’t like Tesla inventory. Are you saying your subsequent automotive gained’t be a Tesla?”
Tesla and Musk are filled with contradictions. I’ve actually written a (small) ebook about them – you may learn it right here.
You may admire what Musk has constructed with Tesla but query his ethics in selling the inventory (he made a whole lot of guarantees that haven’t come via, and loads which have). You may each agree and disagree together with his political selections and nonetheless suppose Tesla has achieved one thing extraordinary in constructing over two million vehicles in lower than 20 years. And on the similar time, you may come to an inexpensive conclusion that the inventory isn’t a superb funding—at the moment.
I like my Tesla. However my private expertise and evaluation lead me to the conclusion that its Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode is harmful. I feel Musk is fallacious to keep away from lidar and radar. I’ve discovered loads from Musk. He’s each my hero and anti-hero—an individual to study from each for what to do and what to not do. Life is complicated.
The power to carry conflicting concepts with out breaking—that is the superpower of our age.
Key takeaways
- Nuanced pondering—holding contradictory concepts concurrently whereas making sense of them—feels more and more essential in our complicated world, regardless of not being our pure default programming.
- The identical particular person can embody profound contradictions (like Henry Ford revolutionizing automotive trade whereas being antisemitic), requiring us to develop consolation with complexity moderately than simplistic ethical judgments.
- Tesla and Elon Musk completely exemplify these contradictions—one can admire Tesla’s extraordinary achievement of constructing tens of millions of vehicles in beneath 20 years whereas questioning Musk’s ethics or disagreeing together with his political selections.
- Funding selections significantly demand nuanced views that think about timeframes and contexts—a CEO who excels throughout development would possibly falter throughout maturity, and an organization’s achievements might be separated from its present inventory valuation.
- The real superpower in in the present day’s world lies in holding conflicting concepts with out breaking—embracing that I can love my Tesla whereas believing its Full Self-Driving mode is harmful, and viewing Musk as concurrently hero and anti-hero value studying from.