Derek Sivers

Recording the audiobook for "Useful Not True", I video'd it too, then lovingly (hand-craftedly) subtitled the videos, which altogether communicates the message of the book better than plain text. I'll post all here now. Watch and see if it hits.

A traveler comes to a river and sees a local woman on the opposite bank. He yells across, “How do I get to the other side of the river?” She yells back, “You ARE on the other side of the river!”

@MyleneFlicka I take that same approach to programming. I want to do it, not have it done.

Quote by @sivers

All of the chapters until now have been about other people. It’s so easy to see their faults. So full of nonsense, thinking they’re so right, with their weird beliefs. It’s much harder to find fault in yourself.

I want to make sure the point of the “Bridge guard” story came across. The king said, “It’s too salty.” Did he actually think it’s too salty? Who knows? Maybe he doesn’t want to admit that he’s tired or sick. Just because someone says something doesn’t mean it’s true.

People have always made up nonsense, and made others believe it. That’s nothing new. But now... Cultures of the world have always had conflicting values, but they used to be isolated. Everyone around you agreed on what’s right and wrong, and how to live. But now....

When I started writing this book, my friend asked me for an example of what I consider to be true. I said science. He’s a scientist, so he got a good long laugh and said, “No no no! Science is useful, but not true!” Then he explained.

@prax1s_mm Panasonic GH5 manual focus in a StudioBricks.com recording booth

@sivers Agreed but your camera quality is so insanely good it almost looks like AI.

When I was 17, I was driving recklessly and crashed into an oncoming car. I found out that I broke the other driver’s spine, and she’ll never walk again. I felt so horrible about it for so many years that at age 35 I decided to find this woman to apologize.

@selinajcheng Thanks Selina!

@sivers This was so good — thanks for making this public! And for adding the book cover to the thumbnail :)

By definition, “the future” doesn’t exist. It’s what we call predictions in our imagination. People think that the more vivid the image is in their mind, the more likely it’s real. They say, “I’m sure it’s going to happen. I can feel it. I can picture it now.”

@prax1s_mm Of course not. That would be reputation suicide.

@sivers Love your stuff and bought many of your books. Gotta ask: Are these videos created using an AI avatar of yourself?

“Purpose” and “passion” are words we use when we’re not working.

January 28, 1986, at 11:39am, the Space Shuttle exploded during liftoff, killing all seven crew members. It was a big deal. As soon as it happened, everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the TV updates.

@potterly_head Huh? He who? I get all emails at sive.rs/contact

@sivers He doesn't. I already sent him on mail. It's seems it landed in spam.

I was inconsiderate but now I’m everywhere: sive.rs/socials

Some people have damaged fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of their brain, and need to have that connection surgically severed. They live pretty normal lives even though the two sides of their brain are disconnected.

@JayVander_ Not yet.

@sivers Do you also read replies everywhere?

Middle of the night. You’re fast asleep. You hear a loud “BANG!” downstairs. Your body kicks into emergency danger mode. Eventually you find out that your cat knocked over the broom. Mystery solved. Back to sleep.

I love people. I love when they’re not around.