Finding the Future: The Practitioner Preacher

Another day, another new mind-bending event in technology, geopolitics, or straight up grift. I really believe we are in the Polycrisis of the West. The steady anchor of a trust filled society quickly degrades, beset by enemies outside taking advantage of the chaos inside our society. Everything we believed in before, whether companies, institutions or our elites have turned out to be false. As our grifter in chief Trump coined, everything is “Fake news” and no one has a shared narrative or belief anymore. There is no national consensus and America right now feels like one giant smash and grab. 

Man, I really miss the America of the 1990s and even 2000s. 9/11 was horrendous but boy did it bring this country together. Considering how fractured America is today, not sure this unity would happen if we faced another attack or crisis like this again. 

But as I learned the hard way, insanity is focusing on things you can’t control. To get through this polycrisis, you focus on what you can control. You rethink, you reframe and you adapt to the new situation. Us humans are made for chaos. We are built for it. All it requires is the right mindset and the ability to take pain. Pain tolerance is your moat. But most importantly, it's also who you follow, who you choose as your teacher and guide. 

I read something that Radigan Carter wrote which really made sense to me, when discussing his mission.

“To be a trusted narrator who takes his own risks first and is always for individuals as we all navigate these times of geopolitical power shifts and institutions pursuing their own power. Like Thucydides, my purpose is to do, seek understanding, and tell the truth with clarity.

This letter is a revolt against abstraction, a return to the grounded, the tested, as titan states once again face off against each other and we all feel the weight of uncertainty.”

What Radigan talks about is being the Practitioner Preacher. In a trustless world of useless academics, grifters and social media influencers, we all need honest guides. As they say on Wall Street, “don’t tell me what you think, show me your book”.....ie. your investments and how you are positioned for this. Did you put money where your mouth is? Basically do you have skin in the game? 

I’ve realized no man is an island and you can’t do everything yourself.Trust me, I’ve really tried. You can always use a guide in these tumultuous times. Use your own best judgement of course. 

But it is a great idea to follow the practitioner-preacher.