Unwired ideas from my living room in Córdoba
- Proust always said, “N’Allez Pas Trop Vite,” which means “Don’t go too fast.” When you go slow and observe, you realize things. The world becomes richer, less monotonous. You find beauty in what was previously blurred because of speed.
- Happiness is a mix of enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose. It’s not me saying it, it’s Arthur C. Brooks.
- We live in a society of pleasure, when enjoyment is much more interesting. The difference lies in your own effort. For example, someone who enjoys running knows that the first weeks were tough. They required overcoming that resistance. Later, your body begins to flow, and you feel in a vast state of flow. Without suffering, there’s no enjoyment. Pleasure is addictive, while enjoyment is selective.
- Every day, I become less interested in technology, even though I work in it. I think my problem is that I’m not excited to work on technical problems anymore. I’m more excited about working with human problems.
- Writing brought with it the possibility of leaving a legacy. The printing press brought the opportunity to turn that legacy into something you can have in your home, making it something more intimate. Every time you read something, you are speaking to yourself, as you confront your ideas with those of the book. And every time something in those lines irritates you, it allows you to better know yourself. That’s why I believe reading is the best medicine for the mind.
- As Carl Jung once said, ‘What you resist persists; what you accept transforms you.’ You must be critical of yourself and accept your problems. Only in this way can you heal them and transform into the person you truly want to be.
- Most people lie all the time. They lie to themselves first and to others after. Look for those who are honest with you, and never let them go. Only then will you stop feeling lonely, because there’s no greater loneliness than being surrounded by people with whom you have to pretend to be someone else. This part of the song “Answers” by The Franklin Electric led me to write this point.
But you were looking for direction Trying to make it by Always looking for the shortcuts You’ve been racing this whole time And everybody wanted something But you just can’t decide Everybody wants the answers But they’re busy telling lies
- Looking to the past is an amazing idea for getting better ideas for your future. In books, movies, photographs or music. In a conversation with an older person. In a museum or maybe a historical place. Our problems as humans are the same.
- “To live content with small means —to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich—to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart — to bear all cheerfully — do all bravely, await occasions — never hurry; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.” – William Ellery Channing
