Advice from Alice - How do you live in a wonderland?
Introduction to absurdity and fighting Jabberwockys
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
“What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar, sternly. “Explain yourself!”
“I ca’n’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I am not myself, you see.”
—Chapter 5, Advice from a Caterpillar
A recurrent theme in all my writings these days is this quest to make sense of an overwhelmingly chaotic world I seem to inhabit. Philosophy and fiction seem to be the two most reliable maps in my atlas.
A book I seem to go back to more often than I would like to admit is Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Despite its whimsical and fantastical nature, understanding Alice and her eccentricities has helped me understand myself better. In addition to an escapist retreat, I also see the book as an excellent how-to guide.
As I think of my lived reality as a wonderland with obnoxious goodness and giddying darkness, here is some advice from Alice.
Advice from Alice
💃🏽 Embrace Individuality: Alice encounters a variety of unique characters, each with their quirks and personalities. Throughout her journey, Alice is constantly exploring her own identity and grappling with the expectations placed upon her. She demonstrates the struggle of trying to conform to societal standards while also embracing her individuality. Ultimately, Alice learns to embrace her own agency and make choices that align with her true self.
💡Embrace Curiosity: Alice's insatiable curiosity leads her on a journey of self-discovery. Her fall into the wonderland is a product of her curiosity. So if you were to take just one thing from this newsletter, it should be the indispensable value of curiosity. When in our ‘real’ and ‘practical’ world curiosity is a valuable trait. It fuels creativity, innovation, and a desire for continuous learning. Embrace curiosity and explore new ideas and perspectives. It’s the only way you never become irrelevant.
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