Strong Body, Soft Heart, Open Mind

Hey,

After last week’s conversation with Gary Barker, I wanted to share where I went in my mind when it comes to masculinity and manhood.

It’s often said that men's and women's energies… balance each other like yin and yang. While there’s some truth to this, it’s a deeply problematic misinterpretation of the ancient Chinese philosophy that guides so many.

You and I have yin and yang within us, not between us.

While you and I may be two parts of the whole, there are also a myriad of interconnected emotional parts within us—some masculine, some feminine, etc.

As a man (or a woman… or neither…)

It’s possible to have a strong body while living with a soft heart.

It’s possible to be vulnerable while leading your team with clarity and confidence.

It’s possible to seek guidance from others while still being the authority.

These days, I would argue that to lead a group of people in the modern world, you need to be all of these things. Without an awareness of the yin and yang within ourselves, we fall for easy stereotypes and default to past conditioning.

In this week’s episode, you’ll find a deeper dive into my thoughts and experiences on these themes, and I’ve (hopefully) structured it in a way that will resonate with you, whether you’re struggling with these issues yourself or know someone who is.

Thanks for being here,

Jonathan

A Rabbit Hole

"Why do I believe this?" you ask yourself, halfway through eating a pickle. Let's say you believe pickles are delicious. Why do you believe that? Because your taste buds tell you so. But why trust your taste buds? Because they’ve been reliable for other foods. Why trust their reliability? Because you remember enjoying pickles in the past. Why trust your memory? Because you believe your brain is functioning well.

Why believe in your brain’s function? Because your brain is telling you so.

And there you are, caught in an infinite regress, spiraling deeper into pickle logic. Each justification needs another, with no clear starting point, leaving you pondering the true essence of pickle deliciousness.

You’ve just encountered the epistemic regress problem. The jury is still out on this one, but it seems that thinking more won’t solve it. Maybe it’s time to trust a different sense available to us as human beings… more to come.

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