“The signs of the times”

In Utah, it is a phrase you will hear from time to time. And the follow-up question I have is this: What signs are you paying attention to?

This is true of anything. When we seek to prove a hypothesis or prediction true, we look for evidence to reinforce our ideas, while disregarding inputs that contradict our beliefs.

The adage that a broken clock will still be right twice a day. The same thought process can be applied: with enough time to pass, sure, anything is possible—we have to keep waiting to see.

Douglas Hofsteader touches on this in his essential book, Gödel, Escher, Bach. A computer solving for Pi would continue trying to solve it forever. Humans, on the other hand, can reasonably assume that it will never be solved. And with that information, you can go ahead and make different assumptions instead of spending your time to find out for sure.

We can’t know anything for sure since we don’t live long enough to see how it truly fits in the universe. But this isn’t any way to live either.

We have to pick something—a direction. Using a compass helps us navigate to our desired destination. The temptation is to wait when things appear to be getting worse. To lead and initiate, to inspire the rest of us to get moving in creating a future that will make us all proud.