Externality Outside Us

The pandemic is affecting all of us. Not just me, not only you, but also the marginalized. I sat down tonight and tried to write out a note to my autistic sister, tried to tell her why life is so strange. She processes information better when she can read it and internalize it. I tried to contextualize it into terms she could understand, and I failed. I’ll work on another draft tomorrow.

In many ways, who we are can be defined by who we protect. Do we value freedom of speech, even for the opposite side of the political spectrum, for the sanctity of liberty it provides? Do we insist on accessibility for all, even when it’s not an issue for us personally? Do we contribute to the system, even if it doesn’t benefit us personally?

That is how we will dig ourselves out of this hole. That is how we will return to whole. By thinking with consideration, by acting with respect. There is much more beyond “me.” Through achieving global consciousness, we can change the world. 

Fighting Addiction

It seems in the not too far off future we will look back on this time and equate it to a fundamental shift in how we consume information. Right now is the time in which traditional news agencies are falling; most people get their news from social media on their mobile device. We have these devices on our person at nearly all times, meaning we have access to, and thus consume, news and information constantly. It has changed how we live our lives. Now, information rarely comes from credible sources, links and titles are crafted only to acquire ad revenue, figures and statistics are not vetted before being disseminated, and the difference between fact and opinion is no longer recognized or cared about. Our critical thinking skills are eroding. Our technology and its power to spread information is changing our society in ways we don’t understand. 

It can be a bleak picture. But we still have a choice. We can still impact how the future will unfold for our children. I’ve been less vigilant recently, and I can already feel the old trained habits coming back: I pick up my phone more often, I keep it in my pocket when walking from room to room instead of leaving it in one spot, I check it more frequently at lunch and before bed. I think it’s important for our health to put in safeguards on our technology usage. As the weekend arrives I will return to my personal practice of refraining from using my phone in the hour after waking up and the hour before bed. I encourage others to do the same, at a minimum. 

We have serious problems to solve in our society and we have the ability to figure them out and solve them, but it will require everything we’ve got. It will require all our energy and focus, all of our bandwidth. We don’t have stores of it to spare on mindless media consumption. In order to change the world, we need to be present and empathetic and focused. In the not too far off future, we will have conquered our pathological dependency on technology, and we will have realized how close we were to the brink. 

Say Their Names

How does this keep happening? I’ve written about Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. There are too many others, and now there’s one more: Jacob Blake. How many more Black lives will be lost? I support the NBA players’ actions to bring attention to this heinous issue. Everyone needs to talk about this with their loved ones in their homes. Our elected officials need to implement realistic reform. It’s past high time for us to figure out who we are as a nation, as a people. Change will not happen overnight, and we need to be prepared for that. But the shootings and deaths must stop now. Black Lives Matter. Be a part of the solution. Say Their Names. It is the responsibility of us all. 

Openness to Learning and Change

Talking to people all over the country, I am learning. Listening to the speakers at the Republican National Convention, I am learning. There are so many different perspectives around the United States. Who’s to say mine is correct? Or the most enlightened? It’s certainly not. If we all commit to an open mind, we will learn something. We will learn that fundamentally, we all want the same things: health, wealth, and happiness. That’s the easy part. The hard part is figuring out how to accomplish all that, and then developing the patience and understanding that it might not occur in our lifetimes. It all comes down to this: do you live your life solely for you, or will you consider those who come after?

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

I read “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss last night for the first time in a while. I remember my Granny reading it to me as a child, complete with a plethora of different voices and resounding diction. I also remember my Mom giving it to me to read when I was having a tough time in my early 20’s. It’s an uplifting book because it personifies our worries and struggles with fun, ridiculous drawings, which really does make it seem okay. The Great Balancing Act, as Dr. Seuss put it, can be a difficult road at times. The only way to make the journey is to rely on yourself—and to refuse victimization. And I’ve realized over the years that even those tough times are part of the journey, they are what make it worthwhile in the end. It really does feel like bottom for our nation, for our species, for our world right now. Will we sulk in the pit, or will we have a magnificent story to tell? That choice is always within us. We can change the world. 

The Nature of Time Subjectivity

When reading about space and time, you’ll keep running into “relativity.” How relative time truly is: the past 96 hours felt like a month. Do you ever experience anything similar? It’s as if time speeds up and slows down in our lives depending on the significance of concurrent events. How we navigate this conundrum seems to be the makeup of the lives we lead and the ones we live. Experience fluctuates according to itself. All we can control is what we do during this heartbeat. 

Who We Are

When it rains it pours. Such is how life’s toughest experiences feel. Near the Bay Area, it’s practically raining fire. I wrote about this yesterday, and there’s not much one can say. Will we stand and face the fire? Will we hold on ‘til dawn? As Viktor Frankl taught us, these are personal choices that have no regard to external circumstance. It’s who we are. 

Bay Area Fires

Today was another day in which outside was off limits. If it wasn’t real before, South Bay Area residents now know all too well the danger of forest fires. It’s hard to imagine things getting any worse for so many people. However, we will prevail. There has been very little loss of life. We can rebuild and recover. We can come back stronger, if we choose to. It is in the darkest of times that our actions define us. We can do this. We can return the light. 

Country Crossroads

The Democratic Convention was an interesting spectacle. I only watched a few of the speakers the last two days, but the messaging was clear. Democrats essentially make two arguments: that Trump has utterly failed, and that Biden is an empathetic figure who will work to unite the country. What will the Republican messaging be next week?

It could not be more clear the United States is at a crossroads, a critical point in its history. Regardless of our political affiliations, policy preferences, or anything else—we must come together. For our democracy and way of life, and for our children’s futures. Where will you be, when the dust settles on the deeds of our lifetime? Will you be the cynic, the critic, the callous? Or will you be the one who made the difference?

Walking Thoughts

I took a walk during my lunch break today to clear my head a little bit. It didn’t work out so well.

As I was walking I realized a few things.

I walked by a Neighborhood Watch sign, one of those typical ones that reads “we report all suspicious persons to our police department immediately.” It’s obviously there to deter any criminal activity. But when I saw it I thought, “What if I had black or brown skin? Would I be reported?” I’m a big guy, and I was walking around the neighborhood by myself, taking in all the scenery of the houses and the (relatively) clear weather. I could easily be misconstrued as casing houses. How much more likely would that be if I didn’t have white skin? The point is, the Black Lives Matter movement affects me, even now, even though I’m white.

As I mentioned, I was enjoying the “relatively” clear weather. I was able to walk today because the smoke from the fires all over the surrounding Bay Area was not hovering over my neighborhood. Yesterday I wasn’t able to walk outside because it was too smokey. We’re experiencing more fires, more hurricanes, more extreme weather events globally because of climate change. So even though such a large, slow global phenomenon doesn’t appear to affect me on a daily basis, it does. I am affected, in whatever relatively small way.

And then I reflected on what I was discussing with my coworkers—how Covid is affecting our customers. I might be one of the lucky ones that has a job and can work remotely, but there are so many others that it has impacted more severely; it’s upended their lives. The coronavirus and the ensuing economic catastrophe has affected even me, one of the lucky ones, in the small way that it changes how my company and industry does business. It made it difficult to get my current job.

Like I said, I wasn’t successful in clearing my head on my walk, because these sort of thoughts kept crossing my mind. Climate change matters. Black Lives Matter. Covid is real, and people are suffering from it directly and from the economic fallout. These big issues that get talked about in the news are real. It is my responsibility, just as much as someone more severely affected by these crises, to do my part to help solve these issues.

I know we can do it. We can change the world. We can ensure it stays one world, a beautiful world, an amazing world, but it requires us to act on our responsibilities as global citizens. Be a part of the solution.

Change enables Awareness

The weather in the Bay Area reminds me of my visit to Australia earlier this year—it feels like an apocalyptic inferno. With three fires happening in the surrounding area, you can’t really go outside, and it feels slightly claustrophobic. But then I guess with Covid less people are going outside in general.

So many things have changed with the lingering of this disease. Many people who have been lucky to keep their jobs are now working from home, so there is much more exposure and thus understanding regarding remote work. Because Covid has changed each industry differently, it’s enlightened many people (including myself) as to how each industry functions. I feel I have a more basic understanding of different industries because I’ve seen how they have uniquely been affected by the pandemic. It seems the economy is top-of-mind to more people, because so many have lost their jobs and we’ve witnessed firsthand how supply chains and cashflows have been disrupted.

And hopefully this epidemic has sparked more empathy within all of us. The United States is so vast and so diverse; I can see how Covid is affecting the South Bay Area, but I have no idea how Baltimore, Maryland has changed. I’ve never even been to Baltimore. There is so much outside our limited field of perspective, and it’s important to remember that. In that way, the coronavirus has been a great teacher. 

We will beat the fires here in the Bay and we will beat this virus around the world. But let’s not forget the lessons of awareness that we’ve learned throughout this entire pandemic. We may have different life experiences, but we are one people. All these changes have heightened our awareness. Let’s remember them as we move forward.

WFH Perspectives

It’s a whole new world working from home. Routines and habits have been disrupted, and it seems like people are really getting tired of it, 5 months in. Personal connection and empathy can be more difficult to express and convey. There are a whole new set of etiquette rules for using Zoom all day long: keep yourself on mute, make sure the background is clear, call out people specifically, etc. It can all be overwhelming at times. 

Going back to the big picture seems to help. Many people are out of work right now and are desperate—if you’re WFH, that’s not you. It’s amazing to be able to use all these collaboration and communication tools in today’s age—compare these workflows to just the 1970’s! And setting firm barriers between work time and personal time can be key—have morning quiet time for yourself before logging on, dress for work, and refrain from work activities outside your delineated hours.

The world looks different now, and there will probably be some lasting changes. Change is the only thing that’s ever constant. We have to embrace change in order to thrive in life. As always, awareness, consideration, and gratitude is where it all starts. Because from the biggest perspective, we truly live in one big beautiful amazing world. 

TAV 300

Today marks the 300th day in a row I have published a blog post. So it feels like a momentous day. This blog has progressed a lot, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far, but there’s still so much further to go. Writing publicly every day is hard. Some of my posts are shit. But such are the difficulties of producing daily content; it comes with the territory. Blogging every day is a stream-of-consciousness work, and it enables me to comment on the zeitgeist of the world while contributing my unique perspective. It contrasts greatly with the other projects I’m working on for TAV, which I hope to make available in the coming future. These rambling reflections are simply my way of saying this has been a lot of work and a lot of fun. I’ve found something I will do for the rest of my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful for everything writing has to offer. Thank you for reading.

The Calm Before

The Bay Area had some weird Midwest-like thunderstorms last night and this morning, which is really rare for California in August. We just don’t typically get that kind of weather. After having a bit of a lie-in, I did my routine this morning and felt that eerie quiet before the storm, or between storms. One side of the sky was turning into a clear sunny day, while the opposite remained dark and foreboding. The barometric pressure felt off—the dog even didn’t want to go on a walk. It made me think of the calm before the storm that is now—a new school year unlike any other is upon us. Autumn isn’t quite here yet but is well on its way. It feels as if there’s a shift occurring. We seem to be no closer to ridding ourselves of the coronavirus, and it’s almost as if there’s an acceptance to it. In the moments of inhalation before the plunge, it’s wise to reflect with one's heightened awareness. Where are we now as a society? Where are we going? There are no easy answers, but if we keep such questions top-of-mind, we will be more conscious of possible solutions. Remember to pause after the intake of breath, to pause before the leap. There is no fatalism to our predicament. We make our own luck, influence our own fate, and create our own destiny. Here we go.

From Awareness to Change

The Black Lives Matter movement is still happening, and it’s still important. Just because it’s not front page news now doesn’t mean we can forget about it. You see the occasional sign in people’s yards and there are still organized demonstrations and protests, which is great. Equality for all people is something we must continue thinking about and fighting for. One of the most crucial concepts for citizens to understand is that an infringement of rights or general inequality for one group of people, even if you do not belong to that group, is a violation of freedom for all. You are your thoughts. Thoughts become words, and words in turn lead to action. Continuous action generates change. And as that cycle is reinforced and repeated, change becomes sustained. Keep thinking about the injustices in our society and how to correct them. Discuss these topics of significance with other people. And keep showing up. It won’t always be pretty or fast or simple, and will never be easy, but we can build a better world, one step at a time. If we are willing to put in the work, we can create the future we wish to see. Keep fighting the good fight.

First Things First Humanity

I’ve never been really adept at putting the first things first. One of Stephen Covey’s 7 habits of highly successful people, this maxim is condensed in my partner’s kindergarten classroom to “work first, then play.” Growing up I was fortunate to be able to play sports, so I was always a relatively busy kid. Homework didn’t get started until after dinner most nights. In college I procrastinated on papers so badly that sometimes I would begin them the morning they were due, whipping them out in an hour or so. And yet here I am, blogging before 6am. There’s a lot of content explaining procrastination, how it works and why it’s so powerful, so I won’t go into it here. But what I can say is that whenever you somehow make the switch of doing the important tasks first, when you are able to carve out time early in your day for deep work, when you “eat the frog” first thing in the morning, it really does change how you feel the rest of the day. You carry a sense of accomplishment with you, because you’ve tackled your greatest challenge, and you are more relaxed and less stressed, enabling you to enjoy the day.

I think about these truths as they pertain to a societal level. What are the “first things” for our species? What are our frogs, our big hairy audacious goals? What are the things we as a global community do not seem to want to do? Perhaps it’s our reluctance to combat climate change because of the economic costs and political forces that be. Maybe it’s ensuring every human lives a free life and has access to quality education. Possibly it’s reckoning with technology’s impact on the dissemination of information and its subsequent consequences. The point is, do we even consider these things? Are these concepts too grand, too far out of reach for us ordinary citizens? My counter: yes, let’s leave it up to those in power, because that’s worked so well over the course of our civilization. We have the capability now for the first time in the history of our species to work together globally to solve our greatest problems. We live in an opportunistic time. What will we do with this advantage?  Will we continue to procrastinate? Or will we enjoy the empowerment from accomplishment, and relish the knowledge our children will live better lives? We really do have a choice here, and each of us has the ability to decide. It all starts with awareness, and putting first things first.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

In 2011 I lived in South Africa, and I moved to China in 2012. Back then I did not keep up with the news much because I was very focused on my own personal journey. So when I read I Am Malala, I was unfamiliar with most of the events in the book. It wasn’t that long ago that I had heard of Malala Yousafzai for the first time, but she and Christina Lamb do a fantastic job in this book of not only chronicling the Talibanization in Pakistan but also personalizing the story through Malala’s eyes. I basically cried at some point during every chapter. Yet Malala’s story is not one of suffering or hardship, but of resilience. To say the book inspires is an ignorant understatement. There is a lot of evil in the world, but Malala Yousafzai proves it will not prevail. A champion of women’s rights and education, Malala tells the story of the Swat valley in northwestern Pakistan, how it was ravaged by an earthquake, a flood, and the Taliban in the mid to late 2000’s. Because it is written in her voice, the book flows quickly and is a very fast read. Not only do I give this book 5 stars, I recommend it to anyone who needs a replenishment of gratitude or a reinforcement of the goodness in humanity. I am thankful I chose to read this book. It has deepened my perspective and strengthened my resolve for a better world. Thank you Malala for sharing your story, and for inspiring millions of people to stand up for children and education. We can change the world.

Species Case Study

With Covid-19 having affected basically the entire world, many people are becoming more globally aware. We still talk about containment strategies in units of countries, because that is the degree of soverignety we are able to maintain around the planet. We group ourselves into nation states because that is the level of organization we have thus far developed. It is our current stage of development. 

But really, this disease is affecting one large group—humans. Different approaches to solving this crisis have been taken in different areas of the world, but this virus truly shows that we are all one species. It doesn’t infect certain people because of the nationality listed on their birth certificate or passport, it infects us all. We have an interesting meta-analysis of various prevention, mitigation and elimination procedures, nothing more. 

If there’s anything positive about our predicament, it’s the clear demonstration of the importance of global consciousness. We are connected through our global economy, through the planetary environment, and most pertinently, through our biology. One day we may no longer draw imagery lines in the sand. One day, we may recognize and embrace our oneness. The coronavirus is, one way or another, raising our global consciousness. It may very well be putting us on the path of uniting humanity. But it’s up to us to inspire change.

Thank you Teachers

Dear Teachers,

You are facing difficult times. With the continued spread of the coronavirus across the United States, schools are placed in a precarious position. Many of you are not allowed a choice and are being forced to return to the classroom, despite the risks of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Many more of you are staying home, trying to figure out how you will teach your children remotely. From a childless adult who wants to see a better world, thank you—all of you.

Teachers might perform the most important role in modern society. They are tasked with educating the upcoming generation, ensuring they think, behave, and produce in benefit to society. They not only instruct students in accumulating new and vital knowledge, they teach their students how to think, how to learn. Young children are taught how to treat people. Teachers champion our civilization’s values: things like truth, fairness, respect, earnest, reason, responsibility, and grit. Teachers do this for “their" children each and every year; not those they have birthed, but those they nonetheless nurture and love.

And now this year, you are trying to fulfill this most honorable of duties while wearing masks or teaching through a screen. You are showing children how to make the sounds of different letter combinations while distancing from them. You are teaching students how to solve problems while combating ones none of us have ever faced. You are preparing online curriculum outside your working hours, preparing materials out of your own budget to be sent home to families, and preparing to use programs and software not designed for this learning environment.

Some parents might not like the decision of their respective school district. They might not appreciate the hardships you face. No doubt, this is a tough situation. But when the dust settles, it will be evident that you rose to the occasion, as you always do. You will selflessly pour your energy and passion and soul into this year’s students, just like every other year. For your service, thank you. Thank you for making our communities stronger. Thank you for making our children better people. This year will be difficult and full of uncertainty and unknown, but you will still serve. “Easy” isn’t the reason you signed up for this job anyway. Teachers, thank you.

Sincerely,

A grateful citizen

Judicious Application

I’ve been contemplating my screen habits recently, and while listening to a podcast today I heard a scientist recommend being ‘judicious’ with your social media use. It got me thinking about the meaning of the word: having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense, from the Latin word judicium (‘judgement’). Proposed synonyms are wise, sensible, prudent, shrewd, astute, thoughtful, and percipient. Good word, right? To be judicious with a decision is to be deliberate, to have care, to consider.

And then I thought, how many of us actually apply this concept to our everyday lives? Our species has built this great society over thousands of years, in which, in today’s world, most people do not have to fear being killed on the street, starving to death, or dying in a meaningless accident. We still have several major problems to work out of course, but overall the world has become more stable with time. Because those of us living in 2020 didn’t necessarily do that building, and potentially only merely benefit from our perch on the shoulders of giants, have we left the trait of judiciousness behind? How often are we making thoughtful daily decisions, and how often are we on autopilot?

Perhaps a way out of our current troubles—the disinformation online, the abrasive, polarized political landscape, the struggling global economy—is to focus on being more judicious in our decision-making. To be more sensible in our selection of tools, friendships, and habits, to be wiser with our time. This is something every single coherent adult is capable of improving. It isn’t easy, but it is simple. A little consideration goes a long way, in so many ways. Let’s focus on our daily judiciousness. Let’s all do our part to keep improving our world.