Do You Really Have to Taste Poop?

... yes.

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Heuton Daddy
Jan 29, 2025
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Hello there, this is your 178th Heuton Letter. Today I'd like to introduce you an expression we have in Korea.

We’re used to judging stuff all the time—whether it’s someone’s behavior, a celebrity gossip on the news, a decision someone made about their own life, or some political issue. Consciously or not, we seem to have no qualms about sizing things up at a glance.

In Korea, we have an expression that goes,

"You don't need to actually taste it to tell if it's poop or soybean paste." 

It means there are things that are obviously good or bad without having to try them yourself.

But in reality, there aren’t that many situations where you can tell the difference without actually giving it a try.

In other words, there’s a ton of stuff we can only figure out by experiencing it firsthand. That’s because so much of what happens in the world is actually very complex and contextual.

But we humans—or maybe I should say monkeys—love thinking in simple terms. We look at what’s on the surface and make quick judgments, because of course, that’s easier.

But if you get used to making snap judgments without thinking deeply or from multiple angles, your perspective narrows more and more. And that can be a pretty dangerous habit.

That’s why we should stay quiet about things we haven’t actually experienced, especially when it comes to other people’s lives. We can never fully know someone else’s life. It’s practically impossible to understand all the background, experiences, and circumstances that shape someone’s decisions.

And now that it’s easier than ever to access all sorts of information through the internet, anyone can act like they know everything with just a few quick comments.

We have to work really hard not to fall into the trap of thinking we’ve gained some grand insight just because we’ve picked up a few bits and pieces here and there. (Trust me, I know this all very well—I have some grand insight on this.)

There’s so much in this world that you just can’t fully grasp by “knowing” it in your head. Sure, the more you learn, the broader your perspective can get—but the risk of becoming arrogant grows right alongside it.

That’s exactly why we need to be extra careful and humble about what we say as we gather more experience.


I’ll wrap things up here. See you next week!

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