Suspect Yourself

Don’t let the force of the impression carry you away.

A Satire on the Criticism of Witkiewicz, 1890 by Wojciech Piechowski. The painting represents the idea that the artist is always under scrutiny- by himself and by his critics. It’s wise that you also keep yourself under judicious scrutiny.

“First off, don’t let the force of the impression carry you away. Say to it, ‘hold up a bit and let me see who you are and where you are from—let me put you to the test’ . . .” - Epictetus

You trust your own mind too readily. That first flare of anger, that snap verdict on someone’s intentions, that impulse to abandon the work when it gets crazy- you accept it all unquestioned, as though your reactions arrived pre-certified. They didn’t. Most of what courses through your head is unaudited, and unaudited thoughts will ruin your life faster than any adversary ever could.

Epictetus had a word for the remedy: prosoche- a vigilant, sustained attention to your own judgments. A disciplined intermission at the gates of your mind. A customs inspection on every …