geekzen .'s Key Ideas from The Moon and Sixpence
by W. Somerset Maugham

Strickland abandons his life, career, and family to pursue art. Not for fame or money, but because he must. His story is disturbing—but also exhilarating. What if we all had the courage to listen that closely to our calling?

In listening to that distant voice, Strickland moves further from society. The clearer the voice becomes, the more alone he becomes. This isn't loneliness; it's singular devotion—a theme that echoes in the lives of many artists, seekers, and spiritual wanderers.

He does not concern himself with being understood. That is not the point. The call is not democratic—it does not ask for consensus. It simply asks to be heard.

There is a cost to radical authenticity. Strickland pays it in full. He is not held up as a role model but as a raw reminder: those who burn with truth often do so alone.

How do you frame this in your own life? Have you ever felt a voice within calling you toward something irrational but essential? What would it take for you to truly listen?

Is it quiet reflection and diligent action, or bombastic "I don't give a f*ck" energy? 

One is internal, the other is external.