Nine Life Lessons - Tim Minchin

‘Be Hard On Your Opinions.

A famous bon mot asserts that opinions are like arse-holes, in that everyone has one. There is great wisdom in this… but I would add that opinions differ significantly from arse-holes, in that yours should be constantly and thoroughly examined.

We must think critically, and not just about the ideas of others. Be hard on your beliefs. Take them out onto the veranda and beat them with a cricket bat.

Be intellectually rigorous. Identify your biases, your prejudices, your privileges.

Most of society’s arguments are kept alive by a failure to acknowledge nuance. We tend to generate false dichotomies, then try to argue one point using two entirely different sets of assumptions…’

– Tim Minchin

In this 7-minute abridged video, Tim Minchin offers nine suggestions for navigating through life in a rewarding way.