I read this article while waiting at the ultrasound place with my wife. BEFORE I even opened the article though, I had to use the restroom. In the men’s restroom of this new and small building there was a ladder that led to the roof. It said stay off or some such nonsense. Obviously I had to climb it. I did but I could not get to the roof. Still it was a fun side quest. My wife asked if I was okay (I took a while in the restroom) and I told her about the ladder. She guessed correctly that obviously I had to climb it. I then opened this article and read it and was quite thrilled when the example of what I JUST did at the ultrasound lab was suggested as someone with medium to high agency. Obviously I showed my wife that part of the article.
We’re still waiting as I type this. It’s been over an hour. I may go climb it again.
That is exactly what I am doing! He should be here within a week or two. I used to rock climb daily, worked at two gyms, and won a few comps… 15 years ago. I want to turn our shed into an indoor bouldering gym.
What an excellently written article. It reminded me of some of Christopher Lasch's writings. If his astute observations inspired the composition of this piece, please let me/us know!
You're welcome, brother. Looking forward to joining the Old Glory Club's Yellow Dog chapter soon, God willing. For Lasch, I personally started with his posthumous work, "The Revolt of the Elites (and the Betrayal of Democracy". The work most people start off with, though, is "The Culture of Narcissism". Highly recommend you start with either of those works!
It's why I advocate for young and middle age for that matter to get into the trades especially mine...We are facing a shortage of men wanting to work with their hands and it's going to affect the grid quite soon...
Covid was a good opportunity to develop those skills. Did you ignore the mask rules? Did you make a scene about social distancing, ignore workplace directions, etc?
I haven't found a great book on the topic, to be honest.
Things like Extreme Ownership, Influence, 48 Laws of Power, or How to Win Friends and Influence People would touch on some of the key aspects to agency, but in my opinion, it's not easily developed outside of direct physical action.
As far as breaking minor rules to achieve agency and remember that laws are just "a handshake agreement between mortals, not medically bound" goes ... I've always been a big fan of trespassing. Harmless trespassing, don't break anything, don't leave a mess, but just the thrill of knowing I'm somewhere I shouldn't be. In high school, I took a lot of girls on dates to a city park or a school playground after hours, just to talk while we swung on swings, or cuddled on a bench, or my favorite, climbed a chain link fence to get on the roof of the school and just watch the traffic together.
In the technical world, agency is what defines a swivel-chair engineer from an inventor. In the America of today, most technical training programs are designed to produce swivel-chair engineers. I have branched off of this path to become an independent inventor. If you are curious about a potential way to increase the level of agency in the engineering world, I highly recommend this article:
I read this article while waiting at the ultrasound place with my wife. BEFORE I even opened the article though, I had to use the restroom. In the men’s restroom of this new and small building there was a ladder that led to the roof. It said stay off or some such nonsense. Obviously I had to climb it. I did but I could not get to the roof. Still it was a fun side quest. My wife asked if I was okay (I took a while in the restroom) and I told her about the ladder. She guessed correctly that obviously I had to climb it. I then opened this article and read it and was quite thrilled when the example of what I JUST did at the ultrasound lab was suggested as someone with medium to high agency. Obviously I showed my wife that part of the article.
We’re still waiting as I type this. It’s been over an hour. I may go climb it again.
This is a sign
Best wishes with the ultrasound! (and baby it is for?)
You need to be raising rock climbing barbarians
That is exactly what I am doing! He should be here within a week or two. I used to rock climb daily, worked at two gyms, and won a few comps… 15 years ago. I want to turn our shed into an indoor bouldering gym.
Great work and article!
If you like to climb you should come be a lineman with me...
Wow. Thomas, what a powerful experience. I hope I will be blessed, in the future, to experience something similar to what you just experienced today.
What an excellently written article. It reminded me of some of Christopher Lasch's writings. If his astute observations inspired the composition of this piece, please let me/us know!
Thank you for the kind words!
I have heard Lasch’s name often but have not yet read anything from him. Maybe should prioritize it now!
You're welcome, brother. Looking forward to joining the Old Glory Club's Yellow Dog chapter soon, God willing. For Lasch, I personally started with his posthumous work, "The Revolt of the Elites (and the Betrayal of Democracy". The work most people start off with, though, is "The Culture of Narcissism". Highly recommend you start with either of those works!
There's an invigorating challenge in this essay. I dig it, Skilos!
It's why I advocate for young and middle age for that matter to get into the trades especially mine...We are facing a shortage of men wanting to work with their hands and it's going to affect the grid quite soon...
Covid was a good opportunity to develop those skills. Did you ignore the mask rules? Did you make a scene about social distancing, ignore workplace directions, etc?
Great piece. Subscribed to both of you. Any book recommendations on the topic of agency and developing it?
I haven't found a great book on the topic, to be honest.
Things like Extreme Ownership, Influence, 48 Laws of Power, or How to Win Friends and Influence People would touch on some of the key aspects to agency, but in my opinion, it's not easily developed outside of direct physical action.
As far as breaking minor rules to achieve agency and remember that laws are just "a handshake agreement between mortals, not medically bound" goes ... I've always been a big fan of trespassing. Harmless trespassing, don't break anything, don't leave a mess, but just the thrill of knowing I'm somewhere I shouldn't be. In high school, I took a lot of girls on dates to a city park or a school playground after hours, just to talk while we swung on swings, or cuddled on a bench, or my favorite, climbed a chain link fence to get on the roof of the school and just watch the traffic together.
This is an inspiring piece good job I’m gonna go out and make the most with my lot in life
In the technical world, agency is what defines a swivel-chair engineer from an inventor. In the America of today, most technical training programs are designed to produce swivel-chair engineers. I have branched off of this path to become an independent inventor. If you are curious about a potential way to increase the level of agency in the engineering world, I highly recommend this article:
https://swiftenterprises.substack.com/p/the-great-pursuits
Link to the Eunuch Morality piece is broken, does anyone have a live link?
Here you are: https://cascadefrontier.substack.com/p/against-eunuch-morality