"in what world do I want to live?"
I don't think that was the best expression of his point (by him). We don't get to want the universe we want into existence.
From the article:
“The world where I told people about my mental illness was a much more attractive world to me,” he said. “That’s the world I wanted to live in, instead of keeping it a secret and hiding.”
That's much more about how he wants to live in the tiny little near world around himself, which he does have a lot of power to shape by his own choices.
That's much more about how he wants to live in the tiny little near world around himself
I don't follow this. Isn't he just talking about alternative possible futures -- one where he hides his illness, and one where he's open about it?
He's saying he felt an inclination to hide it, but then he reasoned about the implications of following that feeling, and decided that in the long run being open about his mental illness would be better.
Isn't he just talking about alternative possible futures -- one where he hides his illness, and one where he's open about it?
Yes. That's why the quote is misleading. At least it was to me.
When I first read the quote by the OP, I was apprehensive that the article would hold some Super Rationality Categorical Imperative nonsense, projecting his choice onto everyone in The World.
No. He didn't do that.
He's picking his own choice, and thereby a rather limited piece of the world, and not an entire world. If he were picking The World He Wants, perhaps he'd choose to be Immortal God Emperor instead of just being honest about his mental illness.
The only thing we have any real influence over in the world is our own thought, feeling, and behavior patterns. So yes, I would say that making choices about that tiny little world is the most important thing we can be doing as agents. Everything else is secondary.
Wanted to share two articles published in mainstream media, namely Ohio newspapers, about how rationality-informed strategies help people improve their lives.
This one is about improving one's thinking, feeling, and behavior patterns overall, and especially one's highest-order goals, presented as "meaning and purpose."
This one is about using rationality to deal with mental illness, and specifically highlights the strategy of "in what world do I want to live?"
I know about these two articles because I was personally involved in their publication as part of my broader project of spreading rationality widely. What other articles are there that others know about?