Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose
October 2, 2018·20 comments·things fall apart
We're living in systems that no one can predict or control. Central banks and institutions have tried anyway, creating polarization in politics and concentration in markets that feel permanent but aren't. Yet most people respond to this chaos by searching for an Answer: the right candidate, the right investment strategy, the one true explanation. This search for certainty is exactly how we become the thing we fear.
• The polarized electorate and the monolithic market both feel stable, but they're governed by a system that has no solution. The Three-Body Problem in physics proves that some systems can't be predicted no matter how much data you have. Neither politics nor markets are exempt from this rule, yet we keep acting like they are.
• When humans can't find the Answer, they don't accept uncertainty. They convince themselves they've found it anyway. This is how gold bugs and central bank devotees and Bernie Bros all become equally certain they hold the truth. They're not wrong to seek clarity. They're wrong to think they've found it.
• The path away from this trap isn't another Answer. It's a Process. The Protestant Reformation rejected the idea that you need priests to interpret truth for you. Today's Missionary caste wears different robes: pundits, economists, investment advisors. They're selling the same con dressed up in new language.
• The Process has six dimensions: seeing the Narratives, Abstractions, Metagames and Estimations that control you, then acting for Reciprocity and Identity. But Identity is the hardest and most important. It means doing what's right for the right reasons, not for the greater good someone else defined.
• When you start compromising on why you act, there's no limit to what you'll eventually compromise. This is how free people become Rhinoceroses. The only antidote is the courage to say "I am" and mean it.
The Why of Epsilon Theory
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- See through the nudges of Big Politics and Big Media.
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- Maintain your autonomy of mind in a swarm of narratives.
- Join a community of more than 100,000 truth-seekers.
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This commentary is being provided to you as general information only and should not be taken as investment advice. The opinions expressed in these materials represent the personal views of the author(s). It is not investment research or a research recommendation, as it does not constitute substantive research or analysis. Any action that you take as a result of information contained in this document is ultimately your responsibility. Epsilon Theory will not accept liability for any loss or damage, including without limitation to any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from use of or reliance on such information. Consult your investment advisor before making any investment decisions. It must be noted, that no one can accurately predict the future of the market with certainty or guarantee future investment performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
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