M2F2M

 Just a quick one. I listened to a Joe Rogan podcast today - one with guests Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying. Interesting discussion. They have a science/biology background and had some interesting things to say. I believe they have just written a book - a evolutionary toolkit book. I’m not sure of the details but it seemed it was along the lines of the Selfish Gene by Dawkins. Ie one of those - its all based on fitness for reproduction etc. The passing of genes to the next generation is crucial and bla bla bla. I think this topic came up when Joe had a query about tyranny. Might be some truth to it. In fact there probably is. But not much in my opinion. Big system wise - it might work, but on micro layer I doubt it. People care about their kids, but a significant minority of people don’t. I don’t think majority of people will destroy themselves or their neighbours for their ‘genes’. Human behaviour is clearly not optimised to sacrifice oneself for children completely. Again, hap...

The answers to the biggest questions in life are paradoxes. The example I like best is the question regarding one own’s significance in the universe. A mere person on this planet is just one of 6 or 7 billion of the same species, on a planet full of massive amount of life, in which the planet is only one of nine (Pluto is a planet in my book dammit) in our solar system. There are many solar systems in our Milky Way galaxy, and there are infinite galaxies in a universe that is currently expanding. Makes you seem insignificant huh? Well what if someone asked me to describe you. I’d have to tell them what you looked like in some detail, then explain that you were a human being, a species from a planet called Earth. This Earth place is in a solar system, the solar system is in the Milky Way galaxy. There are infinite galaxies. To describe you properly I need to invoke the whole universe. Paradox. I’ve gone down the stoic philosophy route of recent years. This is based on a foundation of no...

 Support services. Wow wee. Why am I surprised though? This is what they do. No skin in the game. Mitigate risk on their part. Put spanner in wheel of progress. Act as friction.  "Sure, you can aim to do that. But here is a list of impossible tasks to perform, most contradictory. Also to execute this will mean the utter corruption of your soul. Just so we are clear, if you don't perform it the way I've suggested, which is impossible as stated before, then I can't be held liable for any f ups." Plan = wait until system becomes so bogged with parasites it falls over as new upstart takes it apart. Capitalism. Bring on Capitalism.

Ying and Yang Cain and Abel Peterson and Fry I listened to a very thought provoking podcast a couple of days ago, a conversation between Jordan Peterson and Stephen Fry. The two are very intelligent and have very different and persuasive views of the world. Fry describes himself as a luke warm leftist, while JP is a moderate righty. They have both delved recently into the stories of the past (Fry - Mythos, Heroes and Try, JP - The Bible) for what would seem similar and different reasons. The common major trait that they both share is an epic level of curiosity, the steam engine which drives their work. It was a strange experience listening to the podcast. One would put forth a theory or argument or point of view in a very persuasive manner (they are both masters of the arts of story telling and rhetoric). You'd go 'wow, that makes a lot of sense, sign me up, I'm convinced'. Then the other would counter with an even more compelling discussion. That pattern continues unti...

All advice sums to zero. De Mello talks about letting go of the formulas. Don't board the bus, sit with the shades down, and miss the scenery that is life. Once you adopt someone else's formula, you start seeing a little less of life, your awareness diminishes. So......... I probably need to stop absorbing so much content. Yes, that is indeed what I will do over the next week. I am going on a long car trip tomorrow, and I had intended on listening to a few mind expanding podcasts, but I need a break. I need to sit with some ideas, write about them, digest them, then see what my authentic self makes of it all. What prompted the thoughts around this post was Naval's wealth advice regarding avoiding rank battles (where possible, he acknowledged that some are unavoidable) -> go for wealth creation. This advice resonated with me. I'm not a type A personality. I have a creative side in me, a force that needs nurture in the form of time and energy. So I don't want to be...

 So the results are in. Apparently I won. I'm getting my way. I fought and succeeded. Bit of a relief, but also a bit of a let down. Then the post analysis plays out. The monster I was walking with - are they really a monster? Or do they just have some broken moist robot issues? What is their self esteem like? What is their home life like? Is this defeat going to send them into a spiral? If they are on mental health medication (it seems like everyone is these days) will they need to up the dose? Life is messy messy messy. I think the amount of reflection I do, and the discussions I have, hopefully mitigate the chances of me becoming the thing I am trying to avoid. That is my hope anyway. As the farmer says to the crowd who keep visiting him to tell him how fortunate or unfortunate he is.  "We'll see." 

 Continuation.... So you've assessed the situation. You need to fight. Draw that line in the sand. Stem the tide. Prevent a worse case scenario from playing out. You go to battle. Armour is polished, swords are sharpened. A strategy has been developed and tactics implemented. The first shot is fired.   The fog of war descends. Warrior mode.  Warrior mode isn't that pleasant to be honest. It is not my natural style, not my cup of tea. I'll go there though if I have to. I prefer to be co operative, again, tit for tat with forgiveness.  I do have the capacity though to go beast mode. I am smart, humble, strong, healthy, take good advice. Stress is elevated during this period. The action isn't so bad, its the before and after. The rest period between the next engagement. It really is an intense mental activity. The brain already is a loose monkey with thoughts - add powerful emotions and a dose of battle fear and it can get out of hand rapidly.  Scenarios run throug...