Why you must wonder as much as you can
On gloriously not knowing, PLUS "instructions" for wandering
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Since 2014, I’ve been in a WhatsApp group with three friends. All we do is send each other absurd audio “bits”. Nobody comments on or reacts to anything shared. Outside of the group, nobody talks about what gets shared. You hit send and literally have no idea if anyone thought what you sent is funny. And you never will.
I’ve been actively thinking about this idea of not knowing—of “wondering about”—since I saw a Tom Waits quote earlier this week:
Everything is explained now. We live in an age when you say casually to somebody 'What's the story on that?' and they can run to the computer and tell you within five seconds. That's fine, but sometimes I’d just as soon continue wondering.
Right? And this quote is from 2004. Obviously no-one has to “run to a computer” anymore. 21 years later, we have even less time to wonder.
In writing this newsletter, I had to ask myself why I think this matters. Is it so bad to have so many answers so close at hand?
During some quick desk research, I encountered a lot of writing on the benefits of both uncertainty and wonder (aka having fewer answers) BUT I’m not quite talking about either of these ideas.
I think it might be simply this long looming sense that we all would benefit from more friction in our lives—call it waiting, or maybe boredom, or maybe simply ‘not knowing’.
This week, I’m sharing thoughts on how to wonder more, as well as some ‘instructions’ for how to wander.
Here’s to being a little lost!
Lucy
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a. Dreaming
Seven ways to wonder more
Under optimize experiences - Don’t look up restaurant reviews, or use stars as a guide. Just walk the hell in and see what’s up.
Navigate by instinct - Stop using maps on your phone to find your way to places you’ve been before. Trust yourself to remember.
Be boring as a point of pride - Don’t got no ideas? Just sit there in that reality—grinning. Don’t use AI.
Daydream about your friends - Instead of lurking in your friends’ feeds, imagine what they’re doing in this moment. It’s probably silly or ordinary. Call them to find out, if you’re brave enough.
Fuck around (+ find out!) - Do more things just to see what happens if … what mold can you grow? What spores can you unleash?
Stop with knee-jerk search - The next time you have a question about something, go to the library to figure it out.
Speculate wildly, then let it go - You can also not go to the library to find it out, you can just … wonder forever.
b. Doing
Instructions for wandering
Walk out your front door, then sloooow down.
Notice the color of the sky, and the quality of the air.
Feel around for any intuitive pulls—somewhere calling ya?
If yes, follow. If no, turn left the next time you can.
Continue in this manner, alternating directions if needed.
Allow the sound of your thoughts or the world to envelop you.
Keep moving no matter what, but slowly. Slowly.
Something catch you eye? Go up to it.
Repeat steps three through eight until complete.