The Art of Living a Meaningless Existence: Ideas from Philosophy That Change the Way You Think

by Robert Pantano

In all cases, for the most part, knowing what the real color of things are (metaphorically speaking) is perhaps minimally relevant to living and thriving as an individual and as a species. Perhaps what matters more is that we can agree and disagree on subjective things sufficiently well enough, cordially enough, and often enough. And it seems as though that in order to do so, if such a feat is possible, the prerequisite is a willingness to embrace often being wrong. Naturally and culturally, the desire to be right is a deeply enduring and forceful one. As often as possible, sometimes at all costs and despite good reason, we are both compelled by our psyche and pressured by our social world to always be right. And when we aren’t, it hurts—so much so that it can often create horrible sensations in the brain akin to that of real physical pain.