“You Are an Idiot” by Nettie Farris

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Lately I’ve been  reading a lot of books on cognition. Since I’ve stopped thinking about my thinking, I’ve turned to reading about thinking in general, which helps me get out of my own head and into the heads of others. This last book, You Are Not So Smart, suggests that, when planning for the future, we imagine our best selves. For example, when I set my alarm an hour early so I can get my run in before going in to school, I am thinking of my best self starting the day the next morning. However, when I awake, with the alarm, I am not my best self. I am my normal self and hit the snooze button about six times. Each time I hit the snooze, I am thinking of my ideal self who will run even longer and faster in the afternoon, or evening, whenever I can manage to fit it in; for, in the future, I’m really good. In contrast, according to this book, we tend to think of ourselves in the past as our worst selves. This is why, for the past three days, I’ve not graded a single writing portfolio, and I’m not worried about it, because, my future best self will make up for the failures of my former worst self. I will be a speedy and efficient grader, come tomorrow. I’m thinking this explains why you’re still around. Despite the fact that I have learned, from experience, that I simply cannot trust you at all, I keep thinking that you will improve in the future. You will be the New and Improved You and not the You you were in the past.

-Nettie Farris

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