Years ago, philosopher L.A. Paul introduced a thought experiment called The Vampire Problem.
The scenario:
You’re offered the chance to become a vampire – you get all the superpowers, none of the downsides (hurting people, drinking blood, you know.)
Your closest friends have already transformed and swear that vampire existence is the best thing since warm chocolate chip cookies. “You’re gonna love it!”
As far as you can see, there are no negative side effects. Your friends sure look happy. But here’s the catch:
You have no way of knowing what it’s actually like to be a vampire until you become one.
Since there’s no way to know what will happen when you take the Vampire Pill, how can you choose?
L.A. Paul argues that making a rational, informed choice is impossible. You’ve never been a vampire, so you have no frame of reference. Even your vampire friends can’t give reliable advice because they no longer have a human perspective.
You’ve probably never had someone invite you to become a vampire before – if that’s the case, I’m happy to take your Vampire Problem virginity – but I think this thought experiment is oddly relevant to you as a creator.
We humans (who aren’t yet vampires) create meaning from everything that happens to us. We build identities out of experiences and the stories we tell about them, and then cling to them for dear life. When faced with a decision that could change us, we overthink. We hesitate. We crave certainty.
But what if you don’t need certainty?
What if the only question that actually matters is:
Do I want to find out what happens when I say yes?
Do you want to find out what happens when you open up the cafe on the beach you’ve been dreaming about?
Do you want to find out what happens when you go back to school for your PhD?
Do you want to find out what happens when you ask someone to hire you?
If you do…that’s your answer.
There are no guarantees of what will happen or how you’ll feel about it. Ever. Even in things you’ve done a million times. But curiosity is enough.
You’re built to navigate by your inner compass, and it’s always nudging you towards discovery, even when life goes sideways.
So here’s my challenge: think of something you’re uncertain about. Since you can’t know what will happen when you do it…
Do you want to find out?
Yours in love and play,
Steph
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