Below Belief

I’m keeping a close eye on friend Rob, an ex-consultant friend turned psychologist who is starting a very important business. All those athiests, scientists, rationalists, theists (go on then, you struggle with existentialism too…) who have at some point struggled to find meaning and purpose in their lives, raise your hands. I think we’re pretty much all there.
Sooner or later if you believe that life is an accident and we’re all just living out the destiny of our selfish genes, then life can get you down. In fact life can get you down regardless of whether you understood the previous sentence.
Rob’s point is that a lot of people in this world struggle with finding meaning. And the cause (and the solution) are different for everyone. His business plans to help fix that – by providing a mixture of courses, training, mentoring, coaching and therapy (of the rational, here’s why it works variety, not the “place these crystals by your toilet” variety…) which bring people closer to happiness. Or at least contentment.
I think there’s a big market out there for just such services. And I think it’s untapped. Got toothache – you go to the dentist. Not feeling too well – you go to the doctor. Need to sort out your finances? Go to an IFA. Struggling to feel happy? Hmmm. Not sure. If it’s clinical depression (which is far more common than you might think) then you might be referred to a psychologist for help. But if it’s a bit of existential agnst or struggling to deal with lifes day-to-day stresses, there is no one I can think of to help – other than friends and family.
Anyway, this is one to watch eagerly and make sure you enjoy Rob’s lucid blog along the way.

I’m in Marseille. My first time. On business. It makes a change that one of our offices is in a sunny and picturesque place. And so this evening I spent the evening dining on a restaurant on a boat in a harbour full of yachts, trying to understand French.
My two colleagues A and A are both French and hence have no problem conversing with the local office – most of whom speak very little English. It’s rather uncomfortable to be mute on a business trip – where ordinarily I would rely on my own communication skills to get my work done and to get a point across. Now I have to “be translated”.
Apart from meaning every important meeting runs at half speed (while the translation goes back and forth) it is strangely dis-empowering (if that is the word). The translator drives the meeting.
Still, it’s great to listen to the French, pick up some new words and try desperately to piece them together mentally.
It all makes a nice change from the office in London. No harbour view there.

Apologies to anyone who tried to comment in the last few days but instead got an annoying error. It’s fixed now, the dialogue is once more.