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I have a contradiction-ridden love/hate relationship with the band U2.
As a boy coming of age in the 1980s they were a big part of who I was. The fact that for me a wee bit of that time was spent in Ireland only adds to it. (I can still retell some of the stories my father told me of The Troubles.) Joshua Tree, and in particular the second side of Joshua Tree, is perhaps some of the best music ever made. They were a mix of religion and rebellion and subtly that, to my eyes, defined growing up in the decade.
But U2, and lead singer Bono in particular, lost me not long after Joshua Tree. It wasn’t directly after: The next few albums, though not as spectacular as what came before, were solid. Alas the years since (and we’re going on 50 now) have been a bad riff off of what had come before.
There’s a new documentary on Disney Plus involving Bono, guitarist The Edge, and David Letterman. I don’t watch a lot of television, but I’m away this week so blessed with extra time. To be honest (being a kid of the 80s) it was the Letterman hook that drew me in.
If any of the above resonates with you or could be said about you, you should watch this documentary. A fascinating mix of the historical, the cultural, and the musical that surrounded the times.
There is the cringeworthy pretentiousness that has come to be associated with Bono. But also a good bit of self-awareness from the singer, as well as some real insight. And Letterman playing the dumb-guy American tourist wandering through the streets of Dublin is by itself worth the time.
U2 and Bono didn’t totally win me back, but it was a good reminder of how wonderful they were in that moment.
But I’m not here to write a review. There’s one quote from Bono (and I hope I have this right) that has been echoing in my brain since watching. It’s a quote so good it needed to be documented before my little brain got distracted by something else.
My life opened up as an artist when I realized you don’t have to solve every contradiction. In fact, right at the center of contradiction is the place to be.
You may have noticed this post isn’t really about investing. My apologies. I do understand that this might not be the content you have come to expect.
If U2 talk is not for you, I am offering to refund 100% of the subscription price paid for this post. No questions ask. You can even keep reading.
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You don’t have to solve every contradiction.
If the “The Fly” version of Bono with those weird glasses really was a time traveler and could go back into the late 1980s and give any message to a much younger Lou, I can’t think of much if anything that would be better.
We are all hopeless contradictions. Life is far too complicated, much too nuanced, to travel a straight line. We can’t help ourselves. But we also can’t help falling over backwards to apologize for all of those contradictions.
I’m a long-term investor who preaches looking past quarters and even years, who is also obsessed with the day-to-day movement of stocks. I am for the most part an optimist who tends to assume the worst-case scenario when it comes to my investments. I make no sense.
That’s just one person, and one little corner of that one person’s life. It goes well beyond that. I’ll be back to mocking Bono by tomorrow, but today, for this post, he is my champion.
Contradictions are not hypocrisy. They are what makes us human. I could dwell on my investing contradictions, and in dwelling on them let them limit me. Or I can accept them, realize the complexity of the moment, and be inspired by the magic.
So please, don’t be like Bono. Don’t be one of those people who are still doing the same old slapstick long after it is tired and uninteresting. But be like Bono and do what you love even if others are telling you to move on.
Most of the brilliance of our lives is encircled by contradiction. Those who worry about the contradictions tend to end up boxed in by them.
There is art in accepting what is uncomfortable.
In my spare time between music reviews, I’ve been spending my time at a small, private school doing things like teaching a personal finance class, helping out with athletics, and generally getting in the way. It is fun. And it is healthy for society because it is a much better use of my time than if I was left to my own devices!
I’m enjoying working on Fits and Starts, and grateful for all the feedback. Some have asked if I am eventually going to take this behind a paywall. The truth is, I’m not sure. The better answer is, definitely not for now.
But if you would really like to pay me, I have a suggestion: How about making a tax-deductible donation to that little school that keeps me busy?
If you would like to give, click here and then hit the “make a gift” button on the page. Do me a favor and put “thanks Lou” or something in the comment section of the form so I know if this works, and I can thank you in return.
Zero obligation, but I can assure you it is going to a good cause! And I would be grateful for the help.
Disclaimer: Fits and Starts DOES NOT provide financial advice. All content is for informational purposes only. Stocks mentioned are as reference only, and a mention should not be interpreted as a buy or sell recommendation. The author is not a registered advisor or a broker/dealer. DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK. The information contained within is not and should not be construed as investment advice, and does not purport to be.
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