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Robert M. Fisher

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Robert M. Fisher I got the idea for writing "Field of Gourds: A Guide to Intellectual Rebellion" from a conversation with a close friend--a friend who is very accompli…moreI got the idea for writing "Field of Gourds: A Guide to Intellectual Rebellion" from a conversation with a close friend--a friend who is very accomplished, intelligent and creative I might add. In the midst of a debate with this friend, I came to two conclusions about his perspective and how it differed from mine. First, I noticed that he tended to have much more faith in experts than I do, and tended to equate trusting what experts have to say with rationality. Second, and separately, he seemed to conclude from the successes of science that there is little possibility of there being a God. (Of course, he might not characterize his own thinking this way.) I realized that these propositions were at the core of much of modern thought, and I also realized how viscerally I disagreed with them. I view these perspectives as intellectual traps that have little to do with true rationality. I thought to myself: I don't want my own children caught in these traps. Thus, I wrote the book for my children and as an antidote to the impoverishing aspects of what passes for modern thinking, which I think can be debilitating both on an individual basis as well as on a collective basis. Now, of course, this is not to say that experts are not often right and that, in many circumstances, it is very important to follow what they have to say. But … well … read the book! (less)

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Robert M. Fisher There are different causes of writer's block, depending on the writer and the context. I think one of the most common causes is a muddling of two aspe…moreThere are different causes of writer's block, depending on the writer and the context. I think one of the most common causes is a muddling of two aspects of the writing process. Inside of us, we have a "speaker" and we also have a "critic"; they should be thought of as two different and distinct aspects of a given writer. When you are trying to get words down on paper, you have to tell your internal critic to shut up for awhile. That is, just force yourself to write, as if you were chatting with a friend or your intended audience, and you are on-the-spot to speak, and there is neither time nor occasion for self-criticism. Just say what you have to say in your own words. After having done that, you can then permit your internal critic to wake up. It is in the editing process that you give the internal critic its voice. You wrestle with what you have written, and you are ruthless in your editing. And then, subsequently, you go back to free-writing when it is time to generate some more substantial text. In sum, I think writer's block often comes from muddling those two processes, and trying to do both at once. The same is true for life. There are times and places and moments to set that little internal critic aside and just be in the moment--and allow yourself to be vulnerable within that moment in that you have indeed set aside the internal critic--and then again there are other times when the internal critic needs to come to the fore. Wisdom lies in knowing the difference. (less)

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Average rating: 3.93 · 27 ratings · 15 reviews · 1 distinct work

Field of Gourds: A Guide to Intellectual Rebellion

3.93 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 2012

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Robert M. Fisher's Blog: Field of Gourds

Economic Depression

In Spain, the unemployment rate has reached 27.2 %. Just think of that--that is more that 1 out of every 4 people in the workforce without a job. The youth unemployment rate is approaching 60 %. The country's economy is expected to contract by about 1.5 % this year, and unemployment may well continue to worsen. There is tremendous debate in Europe over why this is occurring. One school of thought Read more of this blog post »

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