We western folks are too future-minded. That mindset tends to get a lot done (partly explaining our relative economic wealth), but it also tends to make us miserable. When focusing on goals and progress, we are always living in (and ruminating upon) the unfulfilled. The moment we “achieve” something, we’re onto the next thing, like a mad fox who spends his entire life only ever catching rabbits, never resting in … [Read more...]
Embracing the Reality of Each Day
On any given day, one easy way to feel miserable is to believe that you should be in some state other than you inescapably are. This hits me most often in the form of tiredness after a bad sleep. When I’m tired, I can get incredibly frustrated about my diminished state, knowing that I could have been much more mentally alert, emotionally stable and generally happy if only I’d gotten a better rest. I know … [Read more...]
Civilization and its Discontents
I occasionally like to play a game called Civilization. It’s a strategy video game in which you aim to build an empire and conquer a large map, overcoming many challenges and enemies on your way. I’m terrible at it, but there are many lessons to learn by playing it, so on occasion I'll fire it up to remind myself of how complex the world is and how inevitably morally corrupt human governments are. To “win” in … [Read more...]
Learning to Love the Dreaded Essay
Or: How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love the Flashing Cursor. Last night at 8:30pm I submitted an essay about the work of a third century north-African Bishop named Cyprian. It was due at midnight, and I hadn't started actually writing until the day before (when I spent about two hours on it). I wasn’t stressed or tired when I clicked that fateful Submit button, and had a great time writing it. I ended up spending … [Read more...]
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