Conversation

! at David Whyte's "Ambition" facebook.com/photo.php?fbid "Ambition ultimately withers all secrets in its glare before those secrets have had time to come to life from within and then thwarts the generosity and maturity that ripens the discourse of a lifetime’s dedication to a work"

Dan Wang

@danwwang

May 7, 2021

I quite disagree with this sentiment. Ambition is the trigger for discovering these secrets and making use of them. Far easier to imagine that people without ambition fail to dedicate a life to any work at all than to think that ambition has spoiled great work.

Andy Matuschak

@andy_matuschak

Replying to

@danwwang

Somehow I agree with both of you! I guess the trouble is really that his claims need qualification. I think he's gesturing at a clinging, grasping sort of ambition, which seems to suffocate… but you're right that the solution is certainly not sloth! More joyful responsiveness…

4:43 AM · May 7, 2021TweetDeck

Replying to

I’m not sure what exactly “secrets” mean in his context, maybe we are both right