Return on silence

might be the most lucrative investment you've never made

You’ve probably already heard the line from 17th century mathematician, physicist, inventor, and philosopher Blaise Pascal — All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.

And if you haven’t, you’re welcome.

I’m even willing to go out on a limb and include women as well.

Which is why I think solitary confinement is essential to a sane existence.

Prison was obviously created by extroverts.

“We’re gonna lock you in a cell all by yourself for 23 hours a day so you can sit there in complete silence and think about what you’ve done and who you’ve become!”

Is that really a punishment?

My fellow introverts are thinking, “Wait, so you’re saying I get 23 hours a day to read, write, meditate, sleep and ponder the big questions of life without any distractions? And I get to avoid small talk with strangers? Where do I sign up?”

It’s clear extroverts created prison to punish other extroverts. Without realizing they may be enticing some noncriminal introverts to do some terrible things just to get a few moments of silence.

Joking aside, everyone’s focused on getting a positive return on their investments. But getting a positive return on silence might be the most lucrative investment you’ve never made.

Then why do we insist on living such noisy lives?

We move to loud cities, listen to loud music, vote for loud politicians, and follow loud influencers. All to distract us from the loud voices inside our heads.

Perhaps I’m just becoming a cranky old man, but can someone please turn down the volume a couple notches?

Now you may be thinking, “I have no trouble sitting quietly in a room alone. Just give me my iPhone, laptop, TV, VR headset and I can be silent for days.”

Ah, ah, ah.

The only guaranteed returns on that kind of silence are envy, anxiety, and a splash of depression.

That’s not the kind of returns we’re aiming for.

Now I’m not saying you and I need to become trappist monks who take a permanent vow of silence and sit criss-cross applesauce in a monastery on some secluded mountain top. Although that doesn’t sound too bad.

But if you’re anything like I was for the first 26 years of life, the only extended time you set aside for silence is when you’re asleep. Which doesn’t really count.

What if you set aside a weekend for a little self-imposed solitary confinement? Or hell, even an hour?

Could that be enough to see a positive return on silence?

Only one way to find out.

Your thoughts? Criticisms? Complaints? Please quietly leave a comment below.