What You Want to Do Is Who You Are
Lovely post. I completely agree with it. Having undergone a recent tumultous personal loss that has put all housework on my shoulders apart from my office work, the todo lists are keeping me sane and on track. I have prepared a todo list for home and another for office. The todo for home consists of all important things to do such as bill payments, but also things that would be good to do, such as get a new mattress to replace the old one. Similarly, the todo for office consists of important tasks such as complete the pending report development (I am in IT), to improve on a specific skill. I may not be able to keep the list updated (though I try) everyday, atleast I have a clear understanding of the tasks that are pending. On another note - Lifehacker is my most favorite site and I visit it everyday. - Shailesh
Deciding How We Age as We Age
Seth Cochran If someone asked me to describe the Transhumanists I know in one word, I would say “ambitious”. We have some pretty lofty goals- immortality, mind enhancement, uploading. But ambition isn’t always enough. We have to make tough decisions about money, relationships, and education, sacrificing more than most to accomplish our goals. Breakdown of white-matter pathways affects decisionmaking as we age According to a poll by the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies: A majority of IEET readers age 35 or older who answered our recently concluded poll say they expect to die within a normal human lifespan. Your brain is constantly changing, and as you age it changes for the worst. Being a youthful 21 years old, on a more personal note, I only have 20-40 years to make rational, well-informed decisions. What’s a Transhumanist to do? Regardless of your pursuit- be it cognitive enhancement, mind uploading, or immortality itself- you're going to need resources.
Lessons from a master
I have been re-watching the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” for the past couple of months. I’ve seen it at least 10 times, probably more, while writing drafts for this article. I’ve watched it alone, with my wife, with friends, and I don’t tire of it; I’ve recommended it to everyone I know, and now I’m wholeheartedly recommending it to you. This little gem of a documentary by David Gelb takes a look at the work and life of Jiro Ono, a Michelin three-star sushi chef who, at 85 years of age, continues to work on his craft every day at his tiny restaurant in a Tokyo office building basement opposite a subway station entrance. I have watched this film in fascination, trying to extract lessons from this master. You must fall in love with your work “Once you decide on your occupation,” says Jiro, “you must immerse yourself in your work. Jiro himself is enormously happy with his work; he is a blissful craftsman who truly enjoys his work, which keeps him vital in his old age.
Mind-Blowing Story: “Talking to God…”
I met god the other day. I know what you’re thinking. How the hell did you know it was god? Well, I’ll explain as we go along, but basically he convinced me by having all, and I do mean ALL, the answers. Which is odd, because I’m still an atheist and we even agree on that! It all started on the 8.20 back from Paddington. What did he look like? Well not what you might have expected that’s for sure. ‘Anyone sitting here?’ ‘Help yourself’ I replied. Sits down, relaxes, I ignore and back to the correspondence on genetic foods entering the food chain… Train pulls out and a few minutes later he speaks. ‘Can I ask you a question?’ Fighting to restrain my left eyebrow I replied ‘Yes’ in a tone which was intended to convey that I might not mind one question, and possibly a supplementary, but I really wasn’t in the mood for a conversation. .. ‘Why don’t you believe in god?’ The Bastard! I love this kind of conversation and can rabbit on for hours about the nonsense of theist beliefs. ‘Who am I?’ ‘Stottle.
Why Not Be Good At Everything?
In a society that relies on pigeonholing you into a specific major in college or job in the workplace, becoming a jack of all trades is often frowned upon. But who wants to be defined by just a single thing they do? When you spend a lot of time doing something, whether you are paid to do it or not, you are bound to have the urge to try out other things. Just because you get paid to do something for a living doesn’t mean that your career defines 100% of who you are. Just because something is strictly a hobby that costs you a lot of money each month doesn’t mean that it is a waste of time. Be A Polymath What we are all really striving for is a sense of balance. We don’t want to have to label ourselves with just a single word that describes our occupation. I’m an accountant.I’m a nurse.I’m a photographer. In a way, doing this is a bit demeaning. We are experts at a bunch of things, not just one. The Bigger Questions Or are you a polymath that could be labeled by any number of job titles? img
