I had a conversation today about human potential.
It’s a fascinating idea: Are we meeting our potential as a species? Does society function to maximize human potential?
Before we can ask these, perhaps we must start here: Who gets to decide what that even means?
What is human potential?
It’s important to distinguish that human potential is not set or fixed by any metric or individual conception.
There’s a danger inherent in the competitive, capitalist system we live in that potential becomes a fixation, an expected target which one must hurl themselves at eternally — and inevitably fall short.
This is not what human potential means to me. It is infinite, shapeless, and invisible. It can not be quantified or predetermined, but there are ways to nurture it. When given the space and encouragement, it will emerge.
To me, human potential shines forth most through intuition. That means expanding human potential is largely a matter of experimenting and listening, creating space for art and play — but this is exactly what we move away from in school.
Did you know? Einstein didn’t actually say this…but here’s why it’s misattributed to him if you’re curious.
Instead of embracing the magic potential of intuition inside us, school tricks us into thinking we are all Sisyphus.
The Myth of Sisyphus
Sisyphus was a Greek king condemned by Zeus to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity. The cycle of high school and college feel in ways the same.
We lift the boulder of homework for good grades and graduation. We near the top of the hill each semester, only for the boulder to roll back down and force us to start anew.
The emphasis is on an artificial goal. It makes learning feel painful and meaningless.
Learning ought to be joyful. But even if traditional school isn’t structured for intuition and experimentation, you can tap into this source of growth yourself.
The best starting advice I’ve seen on this matter comes from Visakanv. In short, he says this: Strive to be prolific. Screw producing the best work you can! You will learn more from the act of creating, from writing badly and putting out the work.
Consume carefully. Build a balance with the information you take in, old work as well as new. Escape the endless now of our feeds and follow your curiosity into books and conversations.
Imitate the greats, learn from those who have come before. Build up your familiarity of what has been done, listen for the whispers of your soul that nudge you onto paths you don’t understand.
Between the expanse of great works that have been created and your repeated efforts of creation, something will emerge.
Expanding Beyond
How can we develop our intuition together? Can we put it to use in groups, in problem-solving? Can we give the youth of the foundational, free-flowing potential of the human mind?
How do our social spaces support this endeavor?
What would it look like for society to maximize human potential?
We’ll explore this question more. If you have any thoughts or references asking the same question, please share ‘em!
Have a beautiful weekend,
Sam Stone
Thanks for reading!