“The more certain you become, the more housework your mind requires.”
— The Sage
The Sage has never been particularly fond of certainty. He finds it far too tidy for a world that insists on being untidy. To him, certainty is like buying a very expensive carpet — at first it looks impressive, but before long you realise you now have to constantly tiptoe around life trying not to get it dirty. And life, as he is fond of pointing out, has muddy boots.
What he means by “housework of the mind” is the exhausting mental maintenance required to defend rigid beliefs. Certainty demands protection. Once you’ve convinced yourself you are absolutely right, you must keep sweeping away doubts, mopping up contradictions, and polishing your arguments daily. Otherwise the cracks start to show — and certainty hates visible cracks.
The Sage, with his usual dry humour, suggests that doubt is actually a far easier tenant. It doesn’t demand so much cleaning. It simply sits in the corner, occasionally humming, and leaves you free to think, adjust, and grow. He reminds us that a mind open to uncertainty needs less maintenance and far more curiosity — and curiosity, unlike certainty, is wonderfully self-cleaning.
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