The Importance of Being a Part of Something Bigger Than You

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I think we missed the fact that as humans, we have this instinct to be a part of something larger than ourselves. And when that instinct is not fulfilled, it leads to all sorts of unpredictable behavior. So in absence of that, so nationalism is something bigger than yourself to believe in. That's why there's going to be a rise in China of nationalism. It's sort of almost inevitable because that's bigger than yourself. and you can believe in that.

When Kevin Kelly turned 68 years old, he began writing down notes and thoughts about all the lessons he’d learned in his life and the ones he wished he’d learned earlier. While those notes were originally intended for his young adult children, they eventually became the book Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier, which was released in May 2023. On this episode of the Knowledge Project, Kelly goes in-depth on some of the book’s most essential lessons, including learning, setting deadlines, perfection, forgiveness, living a meaningful life, reasoning, and so much more. Kelly is the co-founder of the magazine Wired, which twice won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence while he served as publication’s Executive Editor during the 1990s. He is also the co-chair of The Long Now Foundation, a membership organization that champions long-term thinking, as well as the founder of the popular Cool Tools website, which has been reviewing tools daily for 20 years. He is also an artist as well as the author of 14 books.

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