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Wall Street Journal

Kneecap and Other Nonsense of the Day

At a certain age you realize there's only so much new nonsense you can take on board. This memory-almost-full realization is at odds with the culture's drive to shovel new nonsense in your direction. The modern digital economy assumes that you have an unlimited appetite for diversions. The algorithm is relentless. To get by without getting bogged down, it's necessary to cultivate habits of discernment. The Book of Proverbs teaches that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In 2025 fear of distraction can't be far behind. Mindfulness is the rage. Highly successful people work hard at keeping the background noise of life to a minimum. CEOs are careful to avoid unnecessary meetings and frivolous conversations. The goals is to open up space for the kinds of surprises that come only when the mind—and the calendar—is clear. But discernment is more than developing the ability to maintain focus or opening yourself to inspiration. It's learning the difference between what matters and what doesn't. Most of us don't develop this ability without taking a few of life's lumps. Losing someone you care about answers more of the fundamental questions than any college philosophy class. Having kids does the same thing. After you become a parent, the nonsense that once concerned you simply doesn't anymore, while things you never much cared about become your obsession. Mortgage rates, for instance. Or the abysmal state of public education.