How to Not Know: A Special Presentation with Simone Stolzoff

How to Not Know: A Special Presentation with Simone Stolzoff

A UC San Diego First Edition Event Presented by the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies & Bookstore

In an age obsessed with expertise, certainty, and endless self-optimization, author and journalist Simone Stolzoff invites audiences to rediscover the power of curiosity, humility, and not having all the answers. 

His new book, How to Not Know, challenges the cultural pressure to define ourselves by what we do or what we know—and instead celebrates the richness of uncertainty as a pathway to creativity, empathy, and authentic connection.

A former design lead at IDEO and author of The Good Enough Job, Stolzoff’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal. With warmth, wit, and keen social insight, he examines how letting go of the need for constant clarity can actually make us more open to the possibilities of our time—whether in our work, our relationships, or our shared civic life.

Join UC San Diego’s Division of Extended Studies and Bookstore—institutions with more than half a century of experience presenting world-renowned authors and thought leaders—for an inspiring and refreshingly human conversation with one of today’s most original cultural voices.

About the Speaker
Simone Stolzoff
Author of The Good Enough Job and How to Not Know
Writer, Designer, and Creative Strategist

Simone Stolzoff’s writing and speaking explore how identity, purpose, and community intersect in the modern world. A graduate of Stanford University and a former design lead at IDEO, Stolzoff brings a multidisciplinary approach to understanding work, meaning, and creativity in the 21st century. His first book, The Good Enough Job, was celebrated for its insight into America’s work culture and the pursuit of purpose beyond productivity.

In How to Not Know, Stolzoff takes his inquiry even deeper—encouraging audiences to embrace uncertainty not as failure, but as a skill. His message resonates powerfully in an era marked by social polarization and digital overwhelm, offering a grounded, hopeful path toward curiosity, openness, and human connection.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher UC San Diego Extension