TLDR;
- I reflect on how best to make use of this blog;
- This will set the structure and purpose of the blog moving forward.
As the new year breaks, I have decided to give this blogging exercise more direction.
After reflecting what - specifically - I would want to share with prospective readers, I felt that something unique (and therefore of-value to others), was how I have come to perceive and understand the world. Especially so, given that the topics I am most interested in are complex and multidimensional…and not quite the day to day topics that you can learn about in a short amount of time.
The core aim is to have each post to convey a framework on how I understand the world better.
It is a different premise than one that offers advice or answers - these are topics not meant to be easily rationalised and have no right or wrong. Instead, think of it as a collection of experiences, anecdotes, research and observations that has helped me understand phenomena in the world - both the good and the bad. Something akin to an “applied philosophy(?)” or an inquiry into my own mind. Helpful for myself, and hopefully helpful for others.
I must caveat that I am not, and should not be considered an expert. In my own cheeky terms - experts meet two conditions: they are (i) paid and (ii) give acceptable advice. There is a great freedom to exploring a topic intellectually without this burden.
As for the reason to do this? Well, there is much tension in the world, and in times such as these, everyone can afford to be more understanding. I am inspired by this quote by Isaac Asimov who writes: “However, I continue to try and I continue, indefatigably, to reach out. There’s no way I can single-handedly save the world or, perhaps, even make a perceptible difference - but how ashamed I would be to let a day pass without making one more effort.”
Structuring my posts
To give my posts a bit more structure, I have penned down some writing guidelines.
One source of inspiration is Ray Dalio’s articles on LinkedIn - namely his series on principled perspective. They are rigorous, and tackle similarly broad and complex issues. He also doesn’t offer clear direct answers, as there is an inherent uncertainty baked into his analysis too. Indeed, even the best and brightest minds (specifically the ones in the field of making money) can never deal in absolutes.
Broadly, I have observed some common features of his posts:
- He offers some context - on how to read the specific article with reference to others (if in a series)
- He starts with a premise or observation
- He defines complex or technical terms upfront.
- He bolds or italicises core messages. This also allows readers to understand what he wants to convey, with minimal effort.
- He gives quantitative analysis, where possible.
- He also gives rich, and at times, anecdotal examples.
- He builds of past analysis, through links to articles or other sites with info
- He ultimately makes some form of assessment, and even predictions.
Core Tenets of the Approach
It is difficult to make sense of the world through a single approach or methodology. The reason why there is much angst and uncertainty is precisely because not every question can be appropriately answered.
To tackle complex and rich topics holistically, I will, to the best of my ability try to make sense of different issues based on:
- Appreciating history, for we are cyclical. (e.g. Historical cases)
- Human condition, for we are irrational (e.g. Anecdotes)
- Scientific method, for we live within fixed rules. (e.g. Data)
“We” in this case being human beings.
Afternote(s):
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I was told by a friend after, that the three tenets were similar to the Greek philosophers of antiquity (Aristotle). It was refreshing to hear - and again a reminder - that none of these ideas are truly new, and that we (humanity) live in cycles of development and oblivion. That said, self-discovery is a powerful force to believe and whole heartedly own or live an idea. Perhaps the future of education is not about remembering and working off the wisdom of the past, but instead to accelerate this process of self-discovery and belief (my blog topic senses are tingling) in the wisdom that still holds true today.
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On one of my commutes, I was listening to the the “Consequences of Reason” (Episode 134) of Stephen West’s “Philosophize This” podcast. He talked about how religion gave certainty to humans in the past, and how it was succeeded by the scientific method in the enlightenment era. My takeaway (or interpretation) is that much of the fear and uncertainty stems from a dissatisfaction in the ability of the scientific method to easily explain many complex things. Ranging from inequality, politics, and even climate change in some aspects. Now, we live in a pandemic of uncertainty that is driving a lot of the issues we see in the news, be it social, financial or otherwise.
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And so it is with this affirmation that I find great value in piecing together the puzzle, to make sense of world in a way that can be calming, though one might even say numbing. I may never have a strong opinion on issues, but at least I am clear in my head on why the world has turned out the way it has.
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Perhaps I might title my blog with some form of a pun on “MAKing Sense - perspectives for uncertain and complex times” (cringe), but I think I need more inspiration…