When I wrote that line in chapter 7 of 30 Philosophers, I meant it as a gentle tap on the shoulder. A reminder that none of us walk into life as blank slates. We arrive with a lens — shaped by family, culture, successes, mistakes, and everything in between. And once you realize you’re wearing a lens, you can finally start asking what it’s doing to your view of the world.
Here it is in context of chapter 7 and the idea we are all on the same general path:
“I have a worldview. So do you… A worldview is your current knowledge, perspectives, beliefs, and values, which evolves with experience and influences your interpretation of reality and self.”
This is a core part of my philosophy. We talk endlessly about truth, yet we rarely talk about the filter we use to evaluate truth claims. Recognizing the existence of a worldview isn’t an academic exercise; it’s self-awareness. It invites humility. It invites curiosity. It reminds us that disagreement isn’t always about facts — sometimes it’s about the lens interpreting them.
Heraclitus helped me sharpen this point. His river metaphor shows that everything changes, including the worldview guiding our lives. That’s what I want readers to see: your worldview isn’t fixed. You can shape it, refine it, and rebuild it. And once you understand that, you’re no longer a passive participant in your own thinking. You’re the one steering.
