Clay

Random Walk Newsletter, Issue 4#

One Sentence#

Fulfilling desires does not eliminate desires; instead, it strengthens them. The more we succumb to desires, the stronger they become, and our resistance will decrease. When you control your desires, you can also control the negative emotions caused by desires.

Audiobooks & Books#

Survival of the Sick

• The main content of this book is why certain diseases that are detrimental to human survival have not been eliminated during human evolution (natural selection).
• In conclusion, the author's viewpoint is that some diseases that seem to affect human health are actually avoiding more serious diseases, which is the result of "choosing the lesser of two evils" in natural selection.
• For example, diabetes. The higher the latitude, the higher the proportion of patients, which means that colder regions have a higher proportion. This is because higher blood sugar concentration is more beneficial for the body to keep warm, which is a self-protective mechanism for humans to cope with severe cold.
• Another example is hemochromatosis, which is very common among people of European descent. In the descendants of Western Europe, the proportion of people carrying the pathogenic gene reaches 1/4. This is related to a history of infectious diseases. At that time, the Black Death, also known as the plague, swept through Europe. People with this pathogenic gene can greatly enhance their resistance to the plague.
• Lastly, sickle cell anemia is common in Africa. It was mentioned in another book I read before, "Infectious Diseases and Human History." The fundamental reason is that people with this gene can avoid malaria infection with a high probability.
• Based on the above viewpoints, the title of this book is easy to understand, "Survival of the Sick," which means that some diseases exist to help the human population survive.
• It also made me realize that everything has two sides, without absolute right or wrong, and without definite good or bad.

The Pomodoro Technique & Hyperfocus & The Science of State & The One Thing

• Let's start with the Pomodoro Technique. I believe everyone has heard about it countless times. After listening to this book recently, I finally have a systematic understanding.
  • First, you need to break down a responsible task into several Pomodoro sessions.
  • Then, during each Pomodoro session, focus on completing the designated task. When it's time for a break, follow the rhythm and take a break. You can stretch or meditate to fully relax your brain.
• Next is hyperfocus, which is simply about fully concentrating on one thing to maximize efficiency.
  • There is also a mode called diffused focus. It is difficult to maintain focus for a long time, so we need to take regular breaks and enter the diffused focus mode.
  • During this time, the part of the brain responsible for hyperfocus gets sufficient rest, which is more conducive to the next stage of hyperfocus.
  • This aligns with the principles of the Pomodoro Technique.
• The Science of State introduces a formula: Growth = Pressure + Rest, which overlaps with the theory of hyperfocus.
  • The book mentions that if you have pressure during your rest, then the rest is ineffective.
  • Also, fatigue is not because the body is actually tired, but because our brain thinks we are tired. In other words, when we still have energy, our brain chooses to let us rest as a self-protective mechanism.
• The One Thing emphasizes not being busy in vain. Sometimes, working more does not necessarily mean achieving more. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the most important thing to do; otherwise, even if you appear busy, it is aimless.

Putting these four books together is a coincidence. They are all recent listens, and their content and viewpoints complement and support each other. I hope they can be helpful to everyone in the workplace.

The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order

• This book is very interesting and even has a prophetic flavor. The author believes that "putting people with fundamentally different perspectives together and allowing them to interact and engage more will result in conflict and turmoil rather than understanding and coexistence."
• The reason why it has a prophetic flavor is that the book mentions the clash between Western civilization and Islamic civilization, and just five years after the publication of this book, the 9/11 attacks occurred.
• The book also mentions Ukraine, and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War is slowly confirming the author's viewpoint. The author believes that one reason for this is that Western civilization, in its self-righteousness, promotes its so-called democracy and freedom to the world, which will inevitably provoke a backlash from other civilizations and lead to rejection and defense of their own civilization.

Observations & Insights#

I bought a new app this week, called "Midi Vinyl." It's actually a music player widget, but because of this purchase, I started using Apple Music again. I hadn't been listening to my monthly subscription much before.

The Relationship Between Age and Abilities

I came across an interesting question: How do you think your abilities grow as you age?

The author's answer is: Although the upper limit of your abilities does not increase with age, your lower limit of abilities keeps improving. In other words, if your peak level is 95 points, even after your forties, it may be difficult to surpass your previous 95 points, but you will become more and more stable. Even if you perform poorly, you won't score below 80 points. In other words, your range of performance becomes more excellent. This is a more solid advantage.

On this topic, let me add a few more thoughts. I'm also approaching the so-called age crisis. The current society is really strange. After the age of 35, it's actually the prime of life, so why do we feel old? On one hand, we delay retirement, and on the other hand, we create a crisis at the age of 35. It's really difficult.

The Russo-Ukrainian War

Inevitably, I have to mention this event again. I read in an article that when Europeans discovered the American continent, they saw it as a glorious exploration, but from a different perspective, it was a brutal invasion and plunder. I see many people condemning Russia now, and of course, launching a war should be condemned without a doubt. However, please do not have double standards. Recently, I saw a video on YouTube filmed in Afghanistan, where 4-5-year-old children shine shoes to earn money and can't have enough to eat every day. So, to those in the West who are vehemently condemning Russia, did they condemn the Americans so fiercely back then?

Moment of Decision

I am currently facing a decision at work that requires careful consideration. Should I make a change at this stage? I'll think about it over the weekend.