Saturday, February 14, 2015

What does the quote, "Trust uncertainty to bring you clarity" mean?

I would examine a concept related to Romantic thought
called "negative capability."  It ties into much of what the quote means.  There is a
natural tendency to want to find "certain" answers.  The drive for absolutism and for
totality is what animates us, as human beings.  It's part of our DNA, part of our
identity.  We want answers.  We want them soon.  We want them to explain everything. 
The quote is suggesting that some of the most complex answers in consciousness are ones
where there is little clarity.  For example, questions such as "Who am I,"  "What shall
I do," "How shall I live," or "How do I know God exists," are all ones where uncertainty
reigns supreme.  The quote is suggesting that if one wishes to obtain clarity on such
complex and powerful topics, then one has to place their trust in uncertainty and the
presence of multiple layers of doubt.  Only through being able to to submit to the power
of uncertainty can one hope to find any clarity.  It is here where the quote strives to
make significant impact.  The concept of negative capability is one that is similar in
that it stresses how individuals must place a certain amount of their faith in the
uncertain, the unclear in order to fully gain some sense of understanding about the
individual and their place in the world.

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