Two new essays: on wine, ideas, and the danger of certainty
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Hey friends, I’m sharing two new essays today—both personal, both rooted in the idea that tasting deeply (wine, ideas, failure) is how we grow. The first is about wine. But really, it’s about how we engage with the unfamiliar—how building a palate for wine mirrors the way we build a mind for thinking.“If you only sip on the safe ones—the beliefs that already make you feel good, the takes that confirm what you already know — you’re not building anything. You’re circling the drain of your own worldview, getting more and more certain and less and less aware.”
“That’s how people get trapped in intellectual monocultures. Everyone around you is drinking the same vintage, toasting the same truths, and convinced they’re refined. But there's no edge, no tension, no contrast to draw wisdom from.”
→ Read: Sip Everything The second is about idealism. And power. And what happens when good intentions meet the messy reality of human nature.“The danger of moral certainty is that it feels righteous—but it behaves like power.”
“What if the goal of social change isn’t to be right once and for all, but to be less wrong over time?”
→ Read: Failing Less These are essays I’ve been sitting with for a while. I hope they meet you somewhere meaningful—or at least give you something to chew on. — Pete P.S. Every new reader helps keep the fire going. |
Wine With Pete
Hey friends, A while back, I released an essay called Failing Less, and many of you responded with thoughts, stories, and reflections that pushed the idea further. Thank you. Truly. If you missed it, you can read it here: Failing Less: On Idealism, Power, and Understanding Human Nature And if you’ve already read it, email me what you think, what you’d challenge, what you’d add. It’s through you that my progress is possible. It’s how I fail less. Since then, the concept of Failing Less has...
Hey friends, This week’s pairing is about something close to the bone:How we’re being pulled apart, and how we begin to come back together. Essay 1: On Truth, Disconnection, and the Quiet Machinery of Division On moral clarity, ideological binaries, and the quiet unraveling of trust. “The more we lean into morality, the more fragile our conversations become. We don’t ask, ‘What do you mean?’ We brace for impact.” → Read Essay 2: From Table of Truth to Open Fire On food, fire, presence, and...
Hey, It’s been a while. Some of you joined this list back when I was sharing wine notes, ideas, and the occasional story. A lot has changed since then — in the world, and in how I think about this project. I’ve brought it back with more intention. It’s still called Wine With Pete, but now it’s something more: 🔥 A space for reflection 🍷 A slower conversation in a fast-moving world 📖 A place to gather around essays, firelight, and honest questions Each week, I’ll be publishing an essay on...