"The very word 'superficial' is founded on a fundamental mistake about life, the idea that second thoughts are best. The superficial impression of the world is by far the deepest. What we really feel, naturally and casually, about the look of skies and trees and the face of friends, that and that alone will almost certainly remain our vital philosophy to our dying day."
Twelve Types, Chesterton
Chesterton is always magnificent at getting one to see that the conventional wisdom is not merely inadequate, but sometimes the actual reverse of the truth.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, he is anticipating Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow, at least somewhat. Our shortcuts and prejudices are not random and meaningless. They often contain useful wisdom.