This month marks 11 months of publishing this Free weekly newsletter and 18 months of writing and creating online nearly daily. This is Free weekly issue #42.
[If you prefer to listen rather than read… I also have this recorded using Substack Podcasts]
As pointed out last week, during this time of regular and sometimes intense engagement in the online ecosystem, I have seen, read, and heard thousands of “shoulds” related to how we should create, write, and publish online.
I have also read a lot of content on philosophy — frequently broken down into short-form social media bite-size chunks bereft of the wider context in which the philosophizing was intended.
Sort of like framing a theory of walking based on watching someone take 3 steps and not factoring in gravity, terrain, surface, body composition, age, etc.
Endless posts and articles on apparent health and well-being and mindfulness and routines and consistency and so on and so on…
Maybe we could suggest a vast majority of the ‘content’ getting pumped out across social media channels could be lumped into:
Health
Wealth
Happiness
Three highly subjective lumps — and one (happiness) which is a fleeting, passing emotion — often an intermeshed and tangled mess of things outside and inside of us. Of content and context.
In this vast complicated interplay of external content and internal context, how do we find our authentic spaces and creations?
How can we ensure some alignment between what we bring from Inside of us and move to the Outside (e.g. publish)?
In our journey through life, we constantly search for and create meaning, often without even realizing it. This Box Cutter edition delves into relationships between beliefs and believing plus values and valuing — in the content-creating, business-building world of social media.
More on this below… 👇
Summary Free Issue #42
Belief & Believing Plus Values & Valuing across Digital Landscapes
Muddled Mess of the Relationship Between Beliefs and Values
So What? Now What? Pondering Digital Strategies with a Box Cutter Philosophy
Belief—Believing Plus Values—Valuing across Digital Landscapes
There is a rather fascinating shift that can occur when we shift concepts from Nouns (people, place or things) to Verbs (action, state or occurrence). For example, the title above.
Shifting a Belief to- - - - - - Believing.
Shifting Value to - - - - - - - Valuing.
Beliefs and Values are interconnected but also distinct. Similarly with the verbs Believing and Valuing. They are foundational elements of human cognition and behaviour, shaping how individuals perceive the world, make decisions, and interact with Self and others.
This said with the caveat, that this has limitations based on the meaning and context of these words in English— and how that language shapes ways of being and ways of knowing.
Beliefs and values are intertwined and foundational elements of human cognition and behaviour. They are closely related, but they are distinct in their nature and function. Let's explore this relationship a little.
Definitions
Beliefs are the convictions or accepted truths each of us holds, often without direct evidence. They can be ‘facts’, concepts, or even future expectations, and are generally based on our experiences, upbringing, culture (religion), and education (e.g., the past).
Values are principles or standards each of us considers important and worth striving for and/or representing in life. In the simplest forms, values signify what is right and wrong, good and bad, and frequently define our priorities and deepest motivations.
Values, combined with Beliefs, have a deep impact on our Attitudes and, to a significant degree, guide our Behaviours. I frequently use this metaphorical image below to represent these relationships. 👇
Values are like a cement block or anchor that holds the red buoy in place. However, the red buoy is subject to all sorts of influences like wind, waves, tides, currents, animals, corrosion, and so on — like the moment-to-moment shifts of our Behaviours.
The chain fastening the buoy to the anchor is like our Attitudes. A little less affected moment-to-moment like the Buoy (Behaviours) but not as steadfast and permanent as the cement block anchor (Values). To untangle this a bit more, let’s look at some components of Beliefs and Values.
Origin & Evolution
Beliefs often arise from experiences, learning, digesting information, and interpretations and perceptions of events. Over time, they can change when you are confronted with new experiences or information that challenge the initial belief.
Part of the challenge here is that we are wired to recall negative more than the positive. We are hardwired for survival. Therefore, its very common for ‘negative’ experiences to have more lasting impacts on our belief structures than the positive.
Values are typically more stable and are deeply ingrained, often instilled during childhood, education, or cultural upbringing. While they can shift and evolve, this usually occurs over a longer time span and often requires profound personal experiences.
Similar to beliefs, negative experiences in our youth and upbringing can have long-lasting impacts on our Values structure. Untangling this can be a bit of a convoluted process. Here’s an image that captures some of this 👇
Going a little deeper, what might be the function of beliefs and values — of believing and valuing?
Function
Beliefs shape our perceptions of reality.
Perceptions are the result of our brain filtering the trillions of bytes of data on a moment-to-moment basis. Perceptions come through our senses (sight, sounds, touch, smell, and hearing) and act as filters, guiding how we process information, make sense of the world around us, and base our actions and reactions.
A collective “perception” can also have lasting impacts on each of us. Perceptions are tricky and complicated. 👇
Values drive our attitudes, actions and behaviours by setting ‘standards’ for what is desirable and meaningful. They influence our decisions, goals, and relationships.
Values are also formed individually as well as collectively — like perceptions. This can create a complicated muddled layered mess.
Muddled Mess of the Relationship Between Beliefs and Values
Beliefs can shape and be shaped by values. For example, if one believes that every human life is unique (belief), one might value nonviolence and peace.
Similarly, deeply held values can give rise to specific beliefs. If someone values independence and autonomy, they might believe in the importance of self-reliance and entrepreneurial spirit.
Expanding this into the realm of writing and building a business online: if one believes that genuine, authentic content creates the most meaningful connection with an audience, they might have the values of transparency, honesty, and originality in their online endeavours.
On the flip side, if someone believes the primary goal of online business is to maximize profits, they might prioritize values such as market dominance and scalability. Every ‘reader’ or set of eyes (or ears) on their content is a potential ‘customer’ — a dollar to be made.
This does not have to be labelled ‘good’ or ‘bad’ - However… it can sometimes lead to a slippery slope where relentless chasing revenue can overshadow originality and authenticity. For some, they may choose to resort to clickbait or aggressive marketing tactics like relentless DMs and emails thus prioritizing monetary gain over genuine engagement and trust.
This is a component of the online world and building a digital business that drives me nuts. From ridiculous messages daily to clickbait articles that tell me how to get 11,000 Followers… by simply ‘writing consistently’…
Often there’s too much bullshit (from my perspective - perceptions) - which is the rub against my beliefs and values.
In Conflict
Beliefs and values can frequently come into conflict. For example, I might believe in the potential benefits of a particular technology based on information (e.g., ChatGPT) but might oppose aspects of its use and implementation because it goes against my values related to authenticity and original thought.
Which I don’t, but others may.
In conflict or not, beliefs and values play a role in guiding and determining behaviour. Beliefs influence how we perceive and interpret situations, while values guide our reactions and decisions in response to those situations.
Collective Dimension
Beliefs and values can be built, espoused, and shared collectively. This is generally things like cultural or religious norms, shared practices, and societal guidelines and expectations (e.g., go to university, get a good job, retire at 65). A community or society often has collective beliefs and values that shape its ethos and worldviews. The fundamental challenge is how much and how frequently these are critically engaged and reflected upon. Collectively, or, individually.
When we do this — through a Box Cutter Philosophy for example — we can move to a place of Believing and Valuing, which is far more fluid and flexible.
Belief vs. Believing
Belief represents foundational principles, generally stable truths that we seldom question. I frequently see these sprayed all over social media in relation to writing online and content creation. In digital contexts, these could be convictions like:
"long-form content is most engaging"
“short-form content is what you must produce.”
"One platform focus is superior to multiple platforms."
“You must niche down…”
“Build your personal brand!”
This last one, I believe is one of the biggest Bullshit statements going. “Branding” is about product-izing. It’s a term from the marketplace for products — or companies (e.g., think Apple, for example). The idea of ‘personal branding’ grates up against my beliefs and values — and active processes of believing and valuing — connected with personal autonomy, originality, and authenticity.
Believing, in contrast to Beliefs, is fluid. It’s a verb. It’s open to change. It can be based on statements like:
“Based on my experience thus far I’m believing that…”
In 18 months of nearly daily writing, engagement, and building online I’ve moved away from having ‘beliefs’ about the work to ‘believing’ for the time being. What I am currently believing is changing regularly based on the changes within me and outside.
This may seem like a small shift — but in my experience, it’s a significant shift in approach and mindset. It’s a move from stiff and concrete to fluid and flexible.
For a digital creator and writer, believing (rather than Beliefs) might involve experimenting with a new content format or platform, adapting to shifting audience demographics, or reassessing strategies and focus areas in light of fresh insights and external changes.
If you take a look over past issues of the Box Cutter you can see this shift. My active process of believing is running alongside and tangled in with my values and active valuing.
Values vs. Valuing
Values are generally a good place in which to build a digital presence and create content. They can guide our interactions in online spaces (as they do in face-to-face interactions). Our values may often be connected to notions of authenticity, transparency, and strategy — Or to business-building, producing products, and making profits.
A shift to considering Valuing is an active process of demonstrating our values through action that is consistent and aligned with those Values. Valuing is the present process (right now) where our often more abstract values (based on the past) meet tangible action and choices that are then illuminated in digital landscapes — as well as day-to-day life.
Processes of valuing align, I find, with the reality that the future is wide open. It does not have to be defined by the Past.
Now we shift to the crux of the matter. So what? And, now what?
So What? Now What? Pondering Digital Strategies with a Box Cutter Philosophy
A Box Cutter philosophy is about critical engagement — internal to our Self and external to the worlds we navigate. In digital environments dominated by trends and transient tactics, a Box Cutter approach is about discernment.
It’s important to keep in mind the sheer power and scope of corporate influence in the digital environment. Vast, huge companies wield much influence and control. So much of the online digital marketplace is about attention, traffic, and chasing revenues.
This can be both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ and everywhere in between. This can be concerting or disconcerting and everywhere in between. With this in mind I often explore questions such as:
Is what I’m doing here in line with my values and what I want to be valuing?
Is it time to revisit my beliefs and what I’m building, publishing and believing?
Is what I’m believing and valuing (currently) reflected in my work and content creation?
This sort of digital world navigation and critical reflection can support creators and entrepreneurs to be more rooted in their beliefs and values while actively engaging in the processes of believing and valuing. This brings elements of flexibility, change and evolution over time — rather than stiff inflexibility.
Who wants to be building a business, based on content and tactics, that a couple years down the road they realize:
“Fuck, this doesn’t align with what I’m about… at all!
For me, that would completely defeat the purpose of why I set out to build a digital writing business in the first place.
I did this because I was escaping the boxes that had confined me for over a decade. Those boxes (e.g. cubicles and offices) resulted in good healthy salaries but entailed navigating frequently toxic and unhealthy workplaces. So, I cut the box.
For the modern digital navigator, decisions may be shaped not just by static principles but by a continuous process of evaluation and re-evaluation. It can be important to constantly reflect-upon and articulate some core beliefs and values, along with flowing and dancing with the art of always being in a process of believing and valuing.
For the online entrepreneur, every decision, content piece, and strategy can become an interplay between these two. It's not just about what you've always believed to be true; it's about what you're actively believing, testing, and reaffirming.
I’ve done a lot of exploring online in 18 months. I’ve taken some courses. I’ve studied and followed successful creators. While doing this I’m tracking (almost daily) — what I’m learning. In that process, I’m also consistently asking questions such as:
How does this align with my sense of valuing and believing?
How does this align with sense of values and beliefs?
In a year or two from now am I going to look back on this with disgust for my moral compass (or lack of)?
For example, one of the courses I’ve taken. A very good course I found. Advocates for strategies and tactics focussed on lambasting people with Direct Messages (DMs) — and being quite relentless with it. It’s not a strategy I’m interested in engaging. It’s a ‘hustle’ strategy.
Added to this, as I reflected deeper on what I was learning, and even sent out a few proposals, I realized… I don’t want to necessarily be writing a bunch of content for folks whose businesses and processes of believing and valuing aren’t really in line with mine.
In my current set of services and contracts that I’m engaged in (research and writing) — I AM feeling aligned with my beliefs and values - as well as what I’m currently believing and valuing.
Most recently, I have been grappling with the question:
If I am writing authentically to myself — what does that look like, feel like, and sound like?
How about you?
TL;DR
Over 11 months of publishing and 18 months of online creation, sifting through numerous online "shoulds". I hate when people “should” all over the place.
Digital content often anchors on Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Is yours’ aligned with your own versions of these?
Beliefs: Fixed truths vs. Believing: Evolving understanding.
Values: Core guiding principles vs. Valuing: Active demonstration in actions.
Creating authentically in the digital landscape may demand a balance between rooted principles and fluid adaptability.
Navigate digital realms by staying grounded yet flexible, staying connected to your own genuine authenticity.
Reflect: Do your online endeavours mirror your beliefs and values? Are you open to evolving? How could things change by shifting to an active process of unfolding believing and valuing?
Want some ideas for writing? Write out and maybe even publish some thoughts and reflections that came to mind as you read this.
There is a common adage in writing circles (online and off): “write what you know”.
I often suggest and follow the opposite - Write what you don’t know. Write what you are actively in the process of learning. Write what you are trying to determine about what you’re believing and valuing.
That’s it for this week’s Issue. Please share, re-post, drop a like, share a comment, and steal at will.
That’s it for this week’s Issue.
Soul searching stuff. 👍