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With election season in full force, we are barraged daily by headlines of one party or individual attacking another. Gone are the days of respectful policy disputes; differences in governing. Now it’s personal. The amount of vitriol seems to be at all-time highs, and unfortunately there isn’t much hope for a change in the near term.
As I was recently perusing news stories, I said to myself, “I hate this stuff.” I honestly hate politics because it is so divisive and mean. As I was quietly reflecting on my disgust with politics and how politicians treat each other, a thought came into my mind, “You don’t have to look.”
Tree Falling in the Forest
This reminds me of a philosophical thought experiment,
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
Of course it makes a sound, but if no one hears it, what does it matter? Politics and bickering make a lot of noise. But to the person that tunes it out, doesn’t look, it will have no effect. It’s as if no sound was made.
That is empowering! It is our individual choice whether we hear the noise or tune it out.
Practicing Strategic Ignorance
My wife has accused me several times of “selective hearing.” In some instances I was choosing not to hear and ignore whatever information she was trying to convey, and other times I truly didn’t hear what she was saying. Either way, I was found guilty as charged.
The practice of selective hearing and strategic ignorance can be used in positive manners as we choose what we allow in our minds. Our thoughts, feelings, and impulses are greatly influenced by external stimuli. If we want greater control over our thoughts, moods, and behavior we need to exercise greater control over which stimuli we heed.
We can choose to tune out political theater and any negative stimuli in our lives. Anything that may cause us to behave poorly can be ignored, including in the financial sphere.
The Virtue of Cluelessness
If we had hibernated from Aug 1 – Aug 21, we would think the stock market was relatively uneventful during this time. We would have missed the “flash crash,” irresponsible calls for emergency rate cuts, and the emotions that went along with it. Indeed, some investors may be clueless to what happened…to their benefit.
Cluelessness is often a negative characteristic, as is ignorance. But when they are purposely used to filter information that isn’t helpful to us, and may cause us to behave poorly, they can be a great asset.
For the next few months, the noise may get louder – both political and in the stock market. It is up to each individual whether to turn up the volume by tuning in and talking about everything, or pressing mute by simply not paying attention. Intentional cluelessness and strategic ignorance might be just what the doctor ordered.
Related: What if Investors Acted as if They Had a 10-Year Horizon?