#Certainty

How Certainty Can Deepen Human Suffering

George Saunders’ line reframes suffering as something we often manufacture internally rather than merely endure from the outside. Instead of blaming pain on loss, rejection, or misfortune, he points to a subtler culprit: the hardening of belief into certainty. When we feel sure—about who is right, what should have happened, or what someone “really meant”—we leave little room for surprise, complexity, or grace. From there, hurt becomes almost automatic. Certainty turns events into verdicts, so a disagreement isn’t just a difference but an offense; a mistake isn’t just an error but a betrayal of what “must” be true. Saunders suggests that the sting intensifies not because reality is unbearable, but because our certainty makes reality feel unacceptable. [...]

Trading Certainty for a Deeper Meaning

Modern psychology offers a practical lens through the concept of “intolerance of uncertainty,” a tendency associated with anxiety and rumination. Research in cognitive-behavioral traditions often shows that when people demand perfect clarity before acting, they become trapped in reassurance-seeking and overthinking rather than learning. In that light, “starving” certainty can mean interrupting habits that constantly ask, “Am I safe? Am I right? Is this guaranteed?” Then the quote’s second instruction becomes actionable: feed meaning by engaging in values-based behavior even while uncertainty persists. Approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, popularized by Steven C. Hayes (e.g., *ACT*, 1999), emphasize choosing actions that serve values despite imperfect information—an echo of van Gogh’s invitation to live forward without total proof. [...]

Emerging Certainty: The Transformative Power of Doubt

In conclusion, Gibran’s metaphor invites us to embrace doubt rather than fear it. By engaging with our uncertainties instead of suppressing them, we fuel the transformative fire that gives rise to genuine certainty. Just as the phoenix requires ashes to ascend, our clarity often depends on the trials of doubt we have courageously endured. [...]

Certainty’s Role in Fostering Peaceful Societies

Although absolute certainty may be unattainable in many areas of life, societies continually strive for it to minimize discord. From scientific inquiry, which seeks reliable truths through evidence, to democratic processes that establish transparent rules for governance, the pursuit of clarity remains central. Thus, Coke’s insights remind us that stability ultimately depends on our ability to cultivate—however imperfectly—the conditions under which certainty can thrive. [...]