Human Constraints

Family really is the most important thing. We may be constrained by our biology—we easily suffer from information overload, and we produce biases and naturally judge beyond a small tribe. But our humanity also produces love and a grounded perception of life and the Earth. Our biology, and our family, makes us human. It’s beautiful and we must embrace it and celebrate it.

Meaningful Solitude

I’ve started reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, and this afternoon I realized I’ve only truly experienced such an extended state once in my life. It was when I moved into my friend’s house in Woodstock, the first suburb outside Cape Town, in the late part of 2011. In our small home, we had no internet and no cable. When we were both home, we had each other, often playing chess late into the night and discussing everything under the sun.

But alone, it provided solitude. I read more books in those few months than ever in my life. I would spend great periods of time reflecting on life and determining what’s important. It was in this timespan I deeply considered my personal principles: respect, responsibility, and resolve. I believe it was from my growth during this time that I decided to get my first tattoo. This graphic on my left side marks my awakening, the first conviction I felt around the vision of my life and the world.

So the book resonates with me, and I’m interested in considering a “digital declutter.” Because besides, it’s certainly one big beautiful amazing world.

Children’s World

My friends all have children, and it’s been eye opening in many ways. Babysitting my niece tonight, I realized again the simple truth: children are the most important people in the world. It’s our sacred duty to protect them, nurture them, and provide them opportunity for a fulfilling life. They are the continuation and iteration of our species. They are also one of the main drivers of meaning in our existence. Without them, we would be lost. This I believe it is our responsibility to do everything we can in our society to enable their success. Through our efforts to improve their worlds, we can change the world.

Tribe and World

No matter the era of humanity, a given individual retreats back to their tribe. Which is why we can never lose that. We can ascend to a global consciousness, but we are still constricted to our biology. Where does that put us?

Life Changes

Life changes. Today I helped watch over my nephew, something that was not part of my equation not too long ago. I couldn’t be more grateful for my tribe. As we get older things change, but our shared experience as we travel through life doesn’t.

Seeing the World

This world is so big with so much to explore. I’m reminded of it when I look through my tribe’s pictures. I guess I’m one of the ones that wants to go everywhere: to see every country and region and landscape and culture. Travel opens up this beautiful world to you. In whatever way you can travel, no matter the distance, you see something unfamiliar. You experience something slightly different. Until you realize those differences are superficial, and the reality is we all inhabit one incredible planet. I want to know this vast world fully, the best I can. Travel unlocks a greater range of experience. Travel raises global consciousness.

Starting to Walk

One of the easiest ways to reset and gain perspective is also something any person can do: go for a walk. My hike today provided opportunity for time with my loved one and for perspective. Anyone who can walk can go for a hike. Our greatest thinkers, from Socrates to Benjamin Franklin, were famous for revelations found on walks. We can change the world with walks. Perhaps we all start walking.

Days to Contribute

The weekend is a time for recuperation and rest when you have a “normal” job. When your career is synonymous with your passion however, there is no distinction between the workweek and the weekend. They’re all just days. Days in which you contribute to your product, your mission, your purpose. With the advent of A.I.’s proliferation, I wonder how far we are from everyone having the opportunity to pursue such a life. I’m not there yet, but I’m working toward it. Because I believe TAV’s mission is the most important thing we can do as a species, right now in this moment: Raise global consciousness. Unite humanity. Inspire change. We are at a turning point on this planet. We can change the world.

Realms

I haven’t played video games in a long while. But I remember the escapism and the fantasy. And sometimes it makes we wonder about our realm. Because in a way, that’s what we know with our universe. We exist on this one realm. What do we do?

Embracing Life’s Magnificence

Life is a journey of wonder, full of extraordinary experiences and emotions, encompassing both triumphs and trials. Each day presents a new chance to nurture relationships and craft a life of purpose.

Life’s beauty lies within the simplest of pleasures. From a heartfelt conversation to the warmth of the sun, it's in the little moments we discover life's magic. Human connection, empathy, and love enrich our existence.

Self-discovery and self-care are vital on this journey. By pursuing our dreams, we unearth our potential and develop resilience. Obstacles become stepping stones, fueling our determination and igniting our spirit.

As technology shapes our world, we can connect globally, learn from each other, and explore the Earth with ease. We are all interconnected. We all contain a shared humanity and together, we have boundless potential.

In this grand adventure, gratitude becomes our guiding star. It helps us recognize the blessings that grace our lives—the precious moments, lessons learned, and endless opportunities. Cultivating gratitude opens our hearts to the wonders of the present moment, transforming life into a tapestry of joy, purpose, and fulfillment.

Let us celebrate the miracles, cherish the connections, and savor the grandeur that surrounds us. Together, let's embrace life's magnificence and embark on this journey together, one in which each day is full of wonder and gratitude.

To Bring Love

Another way to say it: the secret of life is love. Humans’ greatest attribute is to emanate love into the universe. It’s our highest contribution. Every single person has the ability to bring love into the world. That love is selfless and can only help others, can only add to the system. It is our greatest power and our greatest strength. Through love, we can manipulate the universe. We can reorganize it into an ordered structure that benefits all. Through love, we can change the world.

The Secret of Life

The secret of life is simple: it’s not about you. Despite our natural inclination to be self-centered, this life doesn’t have a sole purpose. We are but one ingredient in the universe soup. Life is about all of it. And when you understand the secret, you can assimilate with everything else there is.

Looking Up

Exhausted on my post-run cooldown, walking down the sidewalk, I started to pull out my phone. I habitually checked the lock screen, but immediately put it back in my pocket. Then I looked up. There was a turkey vulture gliding through the blue sky above me. Wings spread wide, it crested through the air with only micro adjustments to swing between drafts. I stopped and put my hands on my hips, panting, and stared up at it. It felt like 20 minutes, but I probably only watched the bird for a mere 45 seconds. Smiling with one last glance, I continued to the house. It was an innocent reminder: the world outside our devices is majestic. Our phones are merely tools (in fact my phone used to be named, “This is a Tool”). The real world happens all around us. Sometimes all we have to do is look up.

Universe Centered

I’ve twice read Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, but it’s probably been a decade since my last read. One of the things that really struck me in the book was the concept of being “principle-centered.” Covey outlines how one can center their life around several possible elements: being self-centered, family-centered, career-centered, spiritual-centered, etc. He argues being principle-centered leads to greater balance in life, empowers people to influence others, and provides the foundation for servant leadership. I found it profound in my early 20’s and it still resonates with me today. Stick to your principles. Strong principles yield greater living.

But I thought about a slightly different framework, one I believe every single person in the world can support: being universe-centered. This essentially translates to living one’s life grounded within the scope of the entire universe. That we are small specks living on a small planet orbiting an ordinary star. That the universe is amorphous and unknowable. That our existence here in this time together is a miracle. And that we must move with the flow of the universe. I don’t think centeredness around the universe is incompatible with centeredness around principles. Principles are important in life and provide a basis for our morality. But to me they are resolute, unbreakable. Would you break a principle to spare your child’s life? When universe-centered, we can consider the big picture of our reality. We can treat life as a process and move with it. We can move with the flow of the universe.

Beyond Pessimism

I have definitely struggled against pessimism over the past few years. The pandemic and politics has made it difficult to feel good about our system, our society, our species. But I realized that line of thinking only follows one portion of possible perspective. It centers around the collective human condition, which is natural.

But we can always expand our awareness to outside ourselves, to the planet, to the universe at large. We have always transcended our current circumstances through such thinking. It’s how Da Vinci came up with his flying contraption: by admiring the majesty of the birds up in the sky. It’s how Isaac Newton “discovered” gravity: by considering why an apple fell from the tree (or so the saying goes). It’s a hallmark of our kind: we draw inspiration from the magic of reality surrounding us. We can think beyond the (however unsatisfying) status quo by appreciating the beauty of the Earth and the ethereal nature of the universe.

It’s an eternal source of positivity. We exist. We’re alive, in this crazy configuration of atoms and cells, elements and stars. What a miracle to be apart of. It can’t be all that bad. And if we allow ourselves to wonder, we’ll figure out a way to make it even better. We always have, and we always will. We can change the world.

Travel and Life Perception

There are many ways to perceive our life experience. One can narrowly focus on a singular aspect of life, like entertainment. It can become their whole identity. One can become consumed with economic prosperity, or obsessed with their work. One can even try to balance it all, surveying life holistically, and become preoccupied with life’s facets instead of life itself. But life is simply living.

It’s funny, humans appear to be the only ones on this planet that need a reminder. Perhaps it’s a premature consequence of high intelligence. But our species has reached an inflection point, between our biological evolution and our technological innovation. We’ve learned how to do powerful things, to significantly manipulate our environment. Yet that same progress enables us to travel. To see the world in its entirety, from the furthest polar regions to the deepest equatorial jungles. We can experience the totality of the planet unlike any other species.

It’s why I advocate for travel. When we see the world’s diversity firsthand, we are humbled and inspired. That leads to awareness, to action, to change. Because in the end, we all share an identical life experience. We are all denizens of Earth. We were all born here, and will all die here. We share it together. Through travel, we can change it.

By Day By Night

It’s so easy for our perspective to shift. What we consume determines our thoughts, and we are what we think about. In today’s world it’s so easy to succumb to constant stimulation across a variety of mediums and devices. We’ll find more peace if we devote long hours of concentration to something meaningful. Or rather, look up at the stars, to see our place in the universe. Behold the Earth’s beauty by day, and the galaxy’s by night.

Science Fiction Rumination

I think about why I like science fiction. There’s something alluring, mystical about a good sci-fi story. It might be the communication about the sense of size of the universe. We’re just these tiny specks of momentary dust when you consider the scale of distance and time in this setting we inhabit. The deepest questions of existence and reality can be approached with sci-fi. And I think when we consider those deep questions, to the extent our biology allows, we can fully appreciate the miracle of life and try to derive the meaning we can from it. How lucky we are to be alive, together here in this time, in this particular coordinate, on this big beautiful amazing world. There’s an unknowable beauty to it all. Despite its inherent melancholic element, I’m grateful to be apart of it.

Moments of Love

There are moments more important than others; this has been written before. I’ve come to realize the moments of triumph, nor of euphoria or thrill are most important. It’s the ones of understanding, peace, and love. It’s then we feel the beauty of the universe. It’s then we can change the world.

Stronger Tribe

To gather with family is divine. I’ve written about it before, but the nights with the tribe are the most important. I can’t believe we’re so far separated from it, when it used to be every evening. It’s clear, if we want to change the world, that we’re strongest together.