Betterment

Our definitions of social conditions X often embody unreasonably high demands for X, especially when the topic is “true X” . For example, definitions of “democracy” that go beyond merely requiring that some particular process be followed often go crazy adding other demands. For example, “active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights of all citizens; and a rule of law” or:

The modern world can feel curiously unreal. We wake, work, and sleep in climate-controlled boxes. We can talk to a dozen people, survey a distant location, and restock our homes by making micro movements with a finger.  We can ask robots to clone voices, create art, write content. We’re bombarded with endless words, images, and […]

I've always cherished the idea of living a life that may seem dull to others but brings peace and contentment to me. In a world where many people are

One of my favorite things about my recent interview with Kelly Starrett about essential health practices was that he reintroduced me to the concept of “sleep pressure.” I know I had heard the phrase before, but I hadn’t thought about it in years. Since our conversation, it’s been regularly on my mind and given me […]

There are three strands, present for most everyone: Power (sometimes seen as status, or the appearance of status) Safety (survival and peace of mind) Meaning (hope and the path forward) The changes…

It can be difficult. Explaining atoms or molecules, or decision making, or what you do at your job… The reason that it’s difficult is that in order to explain something, we need to real…

It's funny the things that go through your head during a disaster.

Back in 2015, I started barbell training seriously.  Thanks to some great coaching, I was able to get strong. But more importantly, I discovered a hobby that brought me immense satisfaction.  I love barbell training. I love thinking about programming. I love going down to my garage gym and implementing my plan. I love trying […]

…when someone decides to selfishly push. There’s an assumption of civility and fairness in all of our interactions. When a harsh competitor unilaterally breaks unwritten rules (because …

Back in August, Philosopher Kieran Setiya of MIT talked about his book, Midlife, with EconTalk podcast host, Russ Roberts. “Discussing the ennui that

On page 172 of Jean Edward Smith’s biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ike is almost 52 years old, an age at which many a man feels his life has largely run its course. Yet there are 600 pages left to go; the book is less than a third of the way through. Up until that […]

How does our brain function in the age of information overload?

Back in the 1960s, painter Robert Ryman got famous for painting nothing but large white abstract squares. Just white paint on white canvas. Completely

#1: When it comes to taking notes, you need to minimize friction. And folders add lots of it.

Engineers are a precious resource. It’s time we stop wasting their time on toil and tickets.

Your wallet is an essential part of your EDC. It carries your identification and your means of payment. In the past few decades, wallet profiles have been getting thinner and thinner. Men don’t want to sit on a George-Costanza-sized lump all day. Moreover, carrying too much stuff in your wallet can be a security risk: […]

Of course there isn’t. Time is all we’ve got. Time is all there is. We can’t waste time because it’s not ours to waste. It’s simply the way we keep track of everything…

A summary of my views on how transfer of learning works, based on research.

I have 50 or 60 employees, whose jobs have skill requirements that run the gamut from "empty trash cans" to "mix a live band". So every time I see my general manager standing on a ladder I say, "Surely you could have delegated this." But unfortunately, it seems to be the case that almost nobody under 35 knows how to: Replace a 3 prong outlet. Replace a washer in a faucet. Replace a sink's ...

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, was a statesman, diplomat, and man of letters. In his own time, he was recognized for his sharpness in rhetoric and known as an accomplished essayist. Today, however, he is largely remembered for a collection of writings he never intended to be published: his correspondence with his illegitimate son, […]

A Zettelkasten is a personal tool for thinking and writing that creates an interconnected web of thought. Its emphasis is on connection and not mere collection of ideas.

It’s interesting to realize that mirrors weren’t perfected until a few hundred years ago. Human beings spend a lot of time considering our own appearance and our own feelings and most o…

It’s so tempting to simply begin painting a wall. After all, it’s pretty easy to lay down paint. But it turns out that masking and dropcloths, painstakingly put into place, save many ho…

Have you ever known someone who becomes more conservative when he’s part of a liberal community, and more liberal when he’s part of a conservative one? This behavior — being contrarian seemingly for the sake of being contrarian — can seem a little silly. But these gadflies perform a great service for the communities to […]

Successful treaties calm things down and let us get back to what’s really important. Sometimes, the fight becomes the entire point. Not surprisingly, when we’re busy fighting a war in o…

We spend much of our worrying time on crises. Our media is filled with warnings, coverage and fear of cataclysms. The big boom, the sudden end, the crash. In fact, rot is far more common. Things de…