"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I know what you probably thought when you read that subject line.

“Is this spam?”

“Did Jonathan get hacked?”

“What does this have to do with courage?”

I get it, but just hang on. It’ll all make sense. I promise.

When I originally saw this Fast Company article, I had the same reaction too.

38% of Gen Z workers said they wish their workplace had a private space for sex?

“Wait, what? Are you serious? That’s nuts.”

“Of course people shouldn't have sex at work. Duh. That’s insane.”

But, then I caught myself.

“Wait, this is interesting. Let’s sit with it before passing judgment.”

You see, back in September, I created a 30 day challenge called Courage 30.

I challenged myself to perform one act of courage, across each of the 6 types of courage, everyday, for 30 days straight. I posted about it on Instagram and TikTok.

I had the most fun with Intellectual Courage, and learning to steel-man my arguments.

Everyday, I sought out the strongest argument for a different belief I held

So, instead of going with my default reaction to the Gen Z poll, I thought, why not actually sit with this and try to argue the other side? This is a great opportunity to stretch my intellectual courage muscle.

So, here it goes.

Societal norms aren’t fixed. They vary by culture and can change over time.

Think about this for a minute:

My point is changing any one of those was once somebody's "that's insane."

Yes, "Gen Z wants a private sex room at work" sounds crazy.

But crazy compared to what?

Why do companies provide employees with bathrooms, tampons, breast-feeding rooms, meditation rooms, nap pods, and parental leave?

Biological human needs.

The question isn’t whether the office should make room for the people in it. The real question is where we draw the line, and why we draw it exactly there.

To be clear: I don’t see having dedicated sex spaces at the DailyCourage office, ever.

But, the workplace is changing rapidly, and what once sounded crazy, just might become the norm in the future.

And that’s the real takeaway I want you to leave with.

Neuroplasticity is a real thing. It means your brain physically rewires based on what you do and think. Every time you sit with an idea you hate, instead of swatting it away, you build the muscle that lets you change your mind when the evidence earns it.

The goal was never to get you to vote yes on office sex.

The goal was to stretch your Intellectual Courage muscles. This isn’t the bungee-jumping, leap-out-of-a-plane kind of courage people usually picture. This is the courage to be curious. The courage to hold an idea you dislike long enough to actually look at it. The courage to wrestle with a premise you oppose.

That muscle is about to matter more than it ever has in the era of AI.

A woman in Japan just married an AI partner she created on ChatGPT, rings and a ceremony and all.

Argentina is drafting a legal category for companies run entirely by AI agents, no humans required.

The questions on the table are no longer small ones.

What is a job. What is a company. What is money. What is a country. What does it even mean to be human. Every one of those is being reopened right now, and the people who shape the answers will be the ones brave enough to question the defaults instead of inheriting them.

Because the future belongs to the people with the courage to create it. Whether that future has a private sex room down the hall was never really the point. The point is that the defaults are up for grabs again, and you get a say in what comes next, if you are willing to think.

That is intellectual courage. That’s true intelligence. That gives you an edge in a world full of lowered intellectual standards, shortened attention spans, and brainrot.

Each rep you do help sets you apart. Keep flexing your muscles. You’ll be glad you did.

"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Here's your reflection for the week:

What’s something you’ve been unwilling to question in the past? Think about why you haven’t been willing to question it. What makes it unquestionable? How long has it been unquestionable? Sit with it.

Here's your challenge for the week:

Find ONE belief you hold with certainty. Something you would defend with "of course." Then build the best case against it. Not to switch sides. Just to see if you actually earned the side you are standing on. You do not have to choose the new idea. You only have to be brave enough to look at it.

With courage,

Jonathan