Why Does Mainstream Media Suck So Much? - Dave Smith

Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Chris Williamson's conversation with Dave Smith on why mainstream media has lost its influence and what's replacing it.

1. Curiosità - cultivate genuine curiosity

Michael Gelb identifies Curiosità as the first principle for thinking like Leonardo da Vinci. This represents a childlike, passionate desire to know and understand the world. Leonardo embodied this through his relentless questioning and refusal to accept simple answers. The principle encourages a renaissance of your natural curiosity that many lose through conventional education and work environments.

A practical exercise Gelb suggests is writing 100 questions in one sitting without lifting your pen. The first 20-30 questions will be ordinary thoughts, the middle section might express frustration, but by the final questions, you'll break into new mental territory. Afterward, highlight the 10 most powerful questions and contemplate them before sleep. Using the basic journalistic questions (who, what, why, where, when, how) provides a simple framework to explore any topic thoroughly and keep curiosity alive.

2. Dimostrazione - test knowledge through experience

Dimostrazione (demonstration) represents Leonardo's commitment to testing knowledge through personal experience rather than accepting authority blindly. This principle naturally follows curiosity - first ask open questions, then critically examine the answers. It creates a balance between open-minded inquiry and rigorous skepticism.

Gelb explains that this approach combines two modes of thinking that people often separate. Some are naively open and playful while others are critical or even cynical. The ideal is to oscillate between these states - embracing childlike wonder while also maintaining sharp critical thinking. This creates a rhythm like breathing, where you fully inhabit each state before transitioning to the other, rather than trying to maintain both simultaneously.

3. Sensazione - sharpen your senses

Leonardo believed the five senses were "ministers of the soul" and trained them like an athlete would train their body. According to Gelb, Leonardo observed that most people look without seeing, eat without tasting, and breathe without awareness of fragrance. He advocated consciously developing sensory awareness to appreciate the beauty around us and perceive more deeply.

A practical approach to sharpen the senses is through comparative experiences. Rather than simply enjoying one type of chocolate, compare different varieties to notice subtle differences. This approach works across artistic domains - comparing different conductors' interpretations of the same symphony or different artistic styles. The practice isn't about criticism but experience-sharing, with no wrong answers to "what do you experience?" This not only enhances sensory perception but connects us to a more poetic consciousness.

4. Sfumato - embrace ambiguity and uncertainty

Sfumato refers to the hazy, mysterious quality in Leonardo's paintings, particularly evident in the Mona Lisa. This technique, which literally means "up in smoke," represents Leonardo's ability to blur lines and boundaries. In broader terms, it symbolizes the capacity to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty - a distinguishing characteristic of highly creative people.

Gelb explains that the Mona Lisa exemplifies this principle through her mysterious smile and the blurred lines around her eyes and figure. The painting embodies the harmony of opposites - light and dark, masculine and feminine, good and evil. This teaches us that during periods of uncertainty, we should maintain emotional intelligence, connection to higher principles, and a sense of humor. Gelb notes that humor and creative insight are closely related, both shifting us out of conventional thinking patterns.

5. Arte Scienza - integrate art and science

Arte Scienza represents Leonardo's seamless integration of artistic and scientific thinking. While most people tend to separate logical analysis from imagination, Leonardo combined these approaches in service of understanding truth, beauty, and goodness. His anatomical drawings demonstrate this perfectly - scientifically accurate while artistically beautiful.

Gelb introduces mind mapping as a practical method to develop this integration. Created by Tony Buzan and inspired by Leonardo's notebooks, mind mapping combines verbal and visual elements to engage both analytical and creative thinking simultaneously. Gelb recommends learning this technique first with colored pens and paper before using digital tools, as the physical act of drawing activates important neural circuitry. This approach counteracts the overly rational, left-brain emphasis of modern society.

6. Corporalità - cultivate body-mind balance

Leonardo was not just an artistic and scientific genius but also physically gifted. Known as "the strongest man in Florence," he was an accomplished equestrian, fencer, and juggler who regularly walked long distances. His notebooks contain specific advice about maintaining physical health alongside mental development.

Leonardo advised taking responsibility for one's health through several practices that align with modern wellness science. He recommended maintaining a cheerful mind (what we now call psychoneuroimmunology), eating fresh wholesome foods, dining with friends, drinking red wine in moderation, exercising daily, staying hydrated, and spending time in nature. Beyond basic fitness, Leonardo emphasized grace and poise in movement. He moved with such elegance that people would gather just to watch him walk down the street.

7. Connezione - recognize the interconnectedness of all things

Leonardo wrote that "everything connects to everything else" - a principle Gelb identifies as systems thinking. This involves seeing relationships between seemingly unrelated things and understanding the big picture. It means considering how different aspects of life and work interconnect and influence each other.

Gelb suggests applying this systems approach to personal development by examining how your purpose, values, and goals align with your daily actions. Rather than pursuing isolated objectives, consider how each effort fits into your broader life vision. Creating a mind map that visually represents these connections can help maintain perspective and intentionality. This approach prevents the default settings of unconscious programming and reactivity that often govern people's lives.

8. Balancing achievement with presence

Throughout the conversation, Gelb highlights the tension between achievement-oriented thinking and present-moment awareness. While Leonardo accomplished extraordinary things, he also understood the value of simply being present. This balance counters the relentless productivity focus of modern society, particularly American culture.

Gelb contrasts the Italian concept of "La Dolce Vita" (the sweet life) and the French "Joie de Vivre" (joy of living) with America's "happy hour" mentality. Both European traditions embrace life's intrinsic value beyond achievement. As someone naturally inclined toward discipline and achievement, Gelb discovered that his personal growth edge involved learning to be present without constant striving. This balance recognizes that savoring experience can be as valuable as accomplishing tasks.

9. The power of oscillation and rest

Leonardo's work habits demonstrated the importance of alternating between intense focus and restorative breaks. When painting The Last Supper, he would work with total concentration for hours but then disappear for days. When criticized for this approach, he famously responded, "Men of genius sometimes work best when they work least."

This insight aligns with contemporary research on high performance psychology. Leonardo intuitively understood the rhythm of creative work - concentrating deeply, then stepping away to let ideas incubate. Gelb recommends working with great intensity, then quitting while ahead to take a walk in nature. This pattern allows the unconscious mind to process information and make new connections. The modern world, with its constant connectivity and stimulation, makes achieving true mental rest increasingly difficult but all the more necessary.

10. Finding motivation through wonder rather than pain

The conversation contrasts Leonardo's creative drive with Michelangelo's. While Michelangelo appeared driven by internal conflict and self-criticism (depicted in his self-portrait as flayed skin hanging in purgatory), Leonardo seemed motivated by genuine wonder and curiosity about the world. This illustrates different paths to creative genius.

Some people, like Michelangelo, create from a place of guilt, shame, or the need for validation. Others, like Leonardo, are propelled by love and passionate curiosity. Both approaches can produce extraordinary work, but they reflect fundamentally different relationships with creativity and achievement. Leonardo's way suggests that we might accomplish great things not through self-flagellation or constant dissatisfaction, but through deep appreciation of the world's mysteries and beauty. This represents a more sustainable and joyful approach to creative expression and personal development.