February 13, 2023

The Benefit of Doubt

13 minutes

Margaret Heffernan explores how art can help us deal with uncertainty in our lives.

Modern life feels increasingly uncertain, to the point of making us uncomfortable. Most people hate uncertainty. We feel calmer knowing something bad is definitely coming (say, an electric shock) than when there's a possibility we might escape it. New technology sometimes seems to have the goal of eliminating uncertainty, but is this really desirable? Margaret argues that an element of uncertainty is a necessary part of the creative process, a catalyst which can help us find ways of meeting the challenges of the future.

Artists deal with uncertainty all the time: starting work nobody asked for, rarely sure where the work will go, when it’s finished or whether it will connect with a public. This can be deeply frightening: Tracey Emin sketches before having enough courage to paint; Sebastian Barry fears the next word won’t come. To the frequent dismay of fans, artists change direction before they have to. They have agency, independence, but they take a risk each time they begin.

We love their work because it shows a truth we avoid. We want evidence for every decision, proof that our project will be successful before it starts, ratings, sales numbers and prizes to prove our worth. Data to promise certainty before we dare try anything. But maybe this craving for certainty constrains our imagination and leaves us passive, because there are no datasets from the future. Perhaps an addiction to certainty suppresses our capacity for exploration and discovery in ourselves and in the world.

Margaret Heffernan is a writer and entrepreneur. Here, she takes inspiration from artists who embrace uncertainty.

Producer: Mary Ward-Lowery

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