Journalist and author Simone Stolzoff says growing political instability, rapid technological change and declining public trust are intensifying people’s fear of uncertainty, arguing that modern society increasingly rewards the appearance of certainty even when the future remains unknowable.

In his new book, How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers, Stolzoff examines how individuals respond to unpredictability in work, relationships, politics and personal identity, and why learning to tolerate uncertainty may be essential in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, misinformation and economic disruption.

Stolzoff said the idea for the book emerged after readers of his earlier work, The Good Enough Job, repeatedly asked how they should think about their futures amid rapid technological and social change.“The most common question asked by readers was how to think about the future of their careers, given AI and all these other changing forces,” Stolzoff said.

The author describes himself as someone naturally prone to self-doubt and overthinking, tendencies he said became especially pronounced earlier in his career when he faced a decision between remaining a journalist in New York City or taking a role at a design company in San Francisco.

At the time, Stolzoff said he struggled to decide between what he saw as two diverging versions of his future identity.“I could see these two diverging paths Simone the journalist, Simone the designer and, for the life of me, I could not make up my mind,” he said.

He recalled seeking advice from nearly everyone around him, including friends, relatives and even casual acquaintances, because he believed he needed certainty before making a decision.

Looking back, Stolzoff said the problem was not uncertainty itself but his inability to tolerate it.“It was my intolerance of uncertainty that was causing so much of the angst,” he said.Stolzoff argues that the human tendency to seek certainty evolved as a survival mechanism, helping people anticipate threats and reduce risk.

However, he said modern life surrounds individuals with constant triggers that encourage anxiety about the future.“We have these brains that are wired to get out of uncertainty as quickly as possible, in a world where there are triggers all around us,” he said.

The book explores how this dynamic affects public life, including political polarisation and declining social trust. Stolzoff said people increasingly rush to fixed conclusions about others based on political identity or online narratives, reducing the possibility for dialogue or ambiguity.

“I do think that intolerance for uncertainty is at the root of so much of our political polarisation,” he said.He also linked uncertainty to what many researchers and policymakers describe as a growing loneliness epidemic, arguing that social connection often requires people to accept unpredictability in human interaction.

“You have to be willing to enter into an interaction with a stranger, not knowing how it will go,” he said.Stolzoff cited research by psychology professor Philip Tetlock, whose long-term analysis of expert forecasting found that many predictions performed little better than random chance.

He also referenced psychologist Daniel Gilbert and the concept of the “end-of-history illusion,” which describes people’s tendency to believe their current preferences and identities will remain stable over time.According to Stolzoff, individuals often underestimate their own capacity to adapt to changing circumstances.

“We discount our ability to course-correct or adapt,” he said.While some decisions merit careful consideration because they are difficult to reverse, Stolzoff argued that many everyday choices become unnecessarily stressful when approached with excessive analysis.

“There’s a huge cost if we take that highly analytical framework and apply it to decisions like what to watch on Netflix,” he said.

Instead of waiting for complete clarity before acting, Stolzoff said people should continue making decisions despite incomplete information. He compares the process to “rowing through the fog,” a metaphor that became central to the book.

“You might not be able to see very far ahead, or know exactly where you’ll end up, but you have to keep rowing,” he said.Stolzoff said he encourages people to make decisions that align with their values rather than trying to guarantee specific outcomes.

“If you act in alignment with your values, you can still stand by the choice, even if you don’t get the outcome that you desire,” he said.At the same time, he stressed that uncertainty tolerance does not mean embracing instability in every aspect of life.

The book encourages readers to identify “anchors” stable relationships, values or commitments that can provide continuity during periods of change.“I think about my family, my values and my commitment to my home,” he said.

Part of Stolzoff’s reporting for the book took him to Tuvalu, one of the countries considered most vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by climate change. He said conversations there shaped his understanding of how communities respond collectively and individually to uncertain futures.

One resident focused on self-sufficiency and resilience at the household level, while another emphasised international cooperation and collective support.“They’re two approaches to uncertainty,” Stolzoff said. “It’s not either-or; it’s both-and.”

He compared those responses to debates surrounding artificial intelligence and employment, where discussions often become polarised between technological optimism and fears of widespread job displacement.“Often they’re set up in the media as opposites,” he said.

“I think the truth is probably somewhere in between.”The book also examines how uncertainty intersects with mortality. Stolzoff argues that fear of death is closely connected to the human desire for certainty and control, but says accepting life’s limits can also deepen meaning and purpose.

“Part of what makes life meaningful is the fact that it’s not going to be forever,” he said.He argued that complete certainty about the future, including knowledge of exactly when or how a person would die, could ultimately diminish the unpredictability that gives life emotional depth.

“In the uncertainty, that’s where magic, surprise and delight lives,” he said.

A handmade quilt auctioned during a fundraiser for earthquake recovery efforts in Nepal became the center of an unexpected act of generosity after a woman who secured the winning bid immediately gave the quilt to another attendee who had hoped to win it.

The incident took place during a community fundraising event organized to support reconstruction efforts for a school damaged in Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, according to an account shared by attendee Jenny Ginsberg.

The fundraiser included a raffle featuring a handcrafted quilt created by a local quilting artist using a traditional “drunkard’s path” pattern and stitched in shades of purple and green.Ginsberg said she noticed the quilt as soon as she arrived at the event and viewed it as one of the standout items connected to the fundraiser.

She and her husband, Sam, each purchased 10 raffle tickets in an attempt to win it. The proceeds from the raffle and subsequent auction were intended to support rebuilding work tied to the earthquake recovery initiative.The 2015 Nepal earthquake, which struck on April 25 with a magnitude of 7.8, killed nearly 9,000 people and damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and public buildings, according to Nepalese government figures and international relief agencies.

Educational infrastructure was among the sectors heavily affected, prompting numerous international and community-led fundraising campaigns in the years that followed.During the raffle drawing, Sam Ginsberg won the quilt. According to Jenny Ginsberg, he had previously stated that if he secured the prize, he would immediately auction it again to generate additional donations for the Nepal rebuilding effort.

“He declared that, if he won, he’d only auction the quilt back off to raise some extra money,” she said in her account of the event.After winning the raffle, Sam Ginsberg proceeded with the auction as planned. Jenny Ginsberg said she attempted to maintain a positive outward reaction despite her disappointment at losing the quilt, citing the broader humanitarian purpose of the event.

“I sat there thinking to myself, ‘Put a smile on your face. We are here to raise money for people who have lost everything,’” she recalled.As bidding progressed, one attendee emerged as the final bidder and secured the quilt. Jenny Ginsberg said she interpreted the bidding activity as evidence of strong support for the fundraising campaign and assumed the quilt would remain with the purchaser.

Instead, moments after acquiring the item, the woman approached the couple and handed the quilt to Jenny Ginsberg.“Then, to my utter surprise, she stood up, walked over to me and said: ‘I’m giving your wife this quilt,’” Ginsberg said.According to Ginsberg, the woman later explained to mutual acquaintances that she had noticed Jenny’s visible disappointment when the quilt was re-auctioned and decided she wanted her to have it.

The exchange occurred in the context of a fundraising effort centered on post-earthquake recovery, but Ginsberg described the woman’s decision as a separate and deeply personal act of kindness. She said the gesture left a lasting impression on her family and reinforced lessons they had sought to pass on to their children regarding gratitude and recognition of generosity.

“I was determined to thank her after the shock wore off,” she said. “We’ve always raised our kids that it’s incredibly important not to take kindness for granted.”Ginsberg later obtained the woman’s address through mutual contacts and sent her a handwritten thank-you note expressing appreciation for the gesture.The quilt has remained in the family home since the fundraiser and is displayed prominently on the couple’s bed, according to Ginsberg.

She said the object has become associated less with the raffle itself and more with the memory of the interaction that followed.“That quilt has had pride of place on our bed ever since and serves as a daily reminder of all the goodness in this world,” she said.

Stories centered on spontaneous acts of generosity by strangers have become a recurring feature in reader-focused publications and audience engagement initiatives, particularly in the aftermath of major crises and community fundraising campaigns. Researchers studying prosocial behavior have noted that highly visible acts of giving often strengthen social trust and encourage reciprocal community participation, especially in localized charitable settings.In this case, the exchange occurred within a fundraising environment already oriented around collective support for disaster recovery.

The additional act of personal generosity transformed what had initially been a routine charity auction into a moment that participants continued to discuss after the event.The quilt itself also carried symbolic value within the context of the fundraiser. Quilting traditions in many communities are frequently associated with collaborative craftsmanship, charitable donation drives and intergenerational volunteer work.

Handmade quilts are commonly donated to raffles and nonprofit auctions because of the significant labor and skill involved in their production, often increasing both emotional attachment and fundraising value.Ginsberg’s account emphasized the contrast between the formal purpose of the fundraiser and the unexpected interpersonal exchange that occurred during the auction.

While the event was organized to address the long-term consequences of a major natural disaster, the gesture by the unidentified attendee resonated on a smaller and more immediate level.The incident has since remained one of the most memorable aspects of the fundraiser for Ginsberg and her family.

Although the woman’s identity was not publicly highlighted, Ginsberg said the experience altered the significance of the quilt itself, turning it from a sought-after raffle item into a continuing reminder of generosity shown by someone she had not previously known.

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