The recent proliferation of productivity methods, software, and articles sheds some light on an interesting aspect of modernity. 1/?
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The stereotypical narrative is that you try some productivity system for a few days or weeks, and it doesn't work; so you switch to a new system for a few days; it doesn't work either, and before you know it, you're spending all your time reading articles about productivity 2/?
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instead of actually being productive. I believe all productivity systems are doomed to failure because they all lack one key feature; FAITH. You are waiting for the perfect productivity system, that you KNOW will work and will help you achieve your goals. 3/?
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But none of these systems are actually time-tested or geared towards the specific work you are trying to do, so you doubt, and fail. Masters probably passed much useful productivity advice (not framed as such) to their apprentices, but those lineages died out a long time ago. 4/?
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Replying to @CurlOfGradient
As you've pointed out: masters used to pass this on to their apprentices, based on a lineage. So what is it that allows for faith in a system? A belief in an authorizing authority (the validity of lineage, the wisdom of masters). But does the authority need to be God?
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Replying to @simpolism
It doesn't need to be god, but you need to be able to point to a lineage of people for whom the system worked. Modern popular productivity techniques don't seem to have that, aside from "blog post testimonials" which aren't very psychologically authoritative.
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Replying to @CurlOfGradient
Sure: a tradition can be a powerful authority. And I expect these blog post testimonials would frame themselves as part of the presently powerful psychiatric tradition. But what plants the seeds of any tradition?
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Traditions are like pearls; a small initial core gets layer upon layer added to it over the years until it becomes a valuable jewel. So time is one factor; but if I knew why some grains of sand get spit out and others get the layering treatment I'd be a beloved cult leader by now
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