Useful Not True
"Useful Not True" is a trojan horse: Sivers embeds deep metarational ideas into an enjoyable, accessible, and friendly read. It's an exploration into the nature of truth and belief. Truth is nebulous and slips through our hands, and often isn't even all that useful. What we consider "true" is merely a perspective, shaped by our experiences and context. Instead of chasing absolute truth, we should adopt beliefs that are useful for our current situation and goals. Context matters.
This approach might sound like relativism, but it's far more nuanced. Sivers isn't saying truth doesn't exist, just that it's often less relevant and emptier than we think. He provides concrete strategies for reframing thoughts and questioning inherited beliefs, illustrating complex ideas through vivid analogies and personal anecdotes.
Are the ideas new? Not really, yet "Useful Not True" was unexpectedly profound for me. It's not just about personal growth, it's not self-help. Instead, it offers a more nuanced, context-aware way of navigating the world that opens us to greater empathy, creativity, and adaptability. I've encountered this—both propositionally and perspectively—but something about Derek's playful voice made it even more real. It's brilliant and transformative.
This is a part of my Media Diet. Learn more about this project here.