transparency to life

Work

on Jan 14, 2010

Many people spend their days at jobs they dislike and often cannot enjoy the things they work so hard to pay for. Should Monday be so dreadful? Can we have a society where people don’t complain about or hate their jobs? Surely there’s the argument that we have to work in order to provide for our families and to survive. But is this survival really living? Our work lives very much represent who we are. The livelihood should be something integral to life rather than the thing that sucks out life. Everyone should feel they have a purpose at work, and it should be something they care for. Good for the employees because they’ll be happier. Good for the business because employees will be more productive.

What work environments are inspirational and productive? And what work environments cause grief?

Fever

on Jan 14, 2010

When you’re sick, a fever is actually good for you. This adaptive mechanism works by increasing the body temperature to a level that’s inhospitable to whatever pathogen is making you sick. Oddly enough, many over-the-counter medicines, as such Tylenol, are fever-reducers.  While the medicine makes one feel better, it actually extends the length of illness. The existence of such medicine gives the false impression that a fever is a bad thing. Yes, the presence of a fever does mean that one may be ill, but it also indicates that the body is naturally responding to the illness in a positive way.

However, we still have these medicines on the market. They are potentially misleading because they offer relief from the symptoms of illness (which they do) but they do little, or may even work against, real recovery. Unfortunately, for the public, it isn’t in the interests of drug companies to advertise the true nature of their product. Perhaps the government, which is supposed to represent the interests of the population, should be involved in such matters.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that these drugs should be banned or taken off the market. However, I do believe that anyone that considers these products be aware of their true consequences, negative and positive, to make a realistic decision. Some people may be willing to pay the cost of extended illness if they really want their illness symptoms out of the way for some important moment. That’s their decision to make and it should be an informed one rather that a misled one. Recent medical advice is consistent with the science as it states to “let the fever run its course.”  Perhaps there is hope in attaining greater transparency on drugs.

What are your thoughts on these over-the-counter drugs and do you use them?

Vegetables, Grains, Fruit

on Jan 14, 2010

Keep it simple. If you want to eat healthily, avoid processed foods and minimize animal products. Make the bulk of what you eat vegetables, grains, and fruit.  That’s it!

Any other short, simple tips on eating well?

Treating the Symptoms

on Jan 14, 2010

Be mindful of the part of a problem you approach. Is it the root of the issue or rather just a symptom? Treating the symptom – the effect – of an issue rarely takes care of the issue itself and actually makes you worse off because it gives you the false impression that the issue is no more. The problem will likely crop up again, and if not, may manifest itself as another symptom. However, if you tackle the root – the cause – of the problem, all symptoms will also disappear.

Now of course I’m stating the obvious with this simple principle. However, we often mix up cause and effect when approaching real world problems.While  making this distinction is sometimes difficult, it should not be ignored. It may very well make the difference between legitimately creating a solution and wasting a good deal of time and resources on fruitless pursuits.

What are real life problems where we’re treating the symptoms instead of the root of the issue?

Democratic Government?

on Jan 13, 2010

(democratic in the sense of the principle, as opposed to the political party)

The purpose of a democratic government, such as that of the United States, is to represent the interests of the citizens – the population at large. Just as each individual specializes in some field be it engineering or plumbing, politicians [supposedly] specialize in standing for the interests of the people they are the proxy for. This government is also [supposedly] funded by the people through tax dollars.

Yet the government doesn’t always have its heart in our interests. They instead often hold up the interests of industries: like the corn industry or the pharmaceutical industry. This occurs because these industry aligns its interests with those of politicians. Industries provide funding to politicians. Also, lobbyists for industries fill political positions and vice versa, going back and forth. Clearly we have conflict of interest issues and the interests of the American people are disregarded.

This isn’t the fault of any single entity. Each actor must do what is best to survive. The ones that don’t get replaced by the ones that support this improper system. The system requires overhaul and it appears that some of the current political powers are making progress on this end.

I’ll post more regarding this topic in the future.

How else does the government not live up to the ideals of democracy?

Human Uniqueness

on Jan 13, 2010

In Spring 2007, I took a course at Stony Brook University on “The Biology of Being Human”, taught by Professor Paul Bingham and Instructor Joanne Souza. The course seemed harmless enough at first but boy was I in for a shock. I had two major revelations. The first being what “science” really meant and how it worked. It is the the tool naturally ingrained in us to make sense of the world. The second revelation was the application of science in colossal proportions. Evolutionary biology transcended the natural sciences and reared its head into the social sciences. Psychology, history, economics, sociology; they were all joined together in a fascinating understanding of what it means to be human.

In a nutshell, the [scientific] theory stated that humans became unique when they began to cooperate with each other in large numbers. This was facilitated by access to coercive weapons that allowed conflicts of interest to be managed. All other uniquely human traits evolved soon after. Culture formed. Elite communication (language) was feasible because information from others could be trusted. Large brains made sense because of the information available from others. Every time new coerive technology controlled conflicts of interests on a greater level, human advancement shot up. Concepts of economic systems, governments, and morality could be realistically understood. And, most importantly, we could use this knowledge to practically better the world in all manners of life.

Until recently, all I could really tell people was such a brief story (or tell them to take the course if they were students). However, the instructors have published a book on this incredible material and it is meant for a mainstream audience: Death from a Distance and the Birth of Humane Universe: Human Evolution, Behavior, History, and Your Future. There’s more information on it on the website. I highly advise you to check it out.

The instructors are also offering a fully-online graduate level version of their course. Information on that is also on the website.

As a matter of transparency, I should note that I’m involved with these professors in several ways. I’ve done research with them (some of which is touched on in the book!) and am in the process of coauthoring a manuscript for publication. I’m also doing work for them on the technology end. Lastly, I have and still instruct parts of their course. Although I’ve received financial compensation for the latter two, it’s work that I really care for and feel strongly about. I truly hope that this theory succeeds in bringing for a brighter, more humane future.

Have a Good Morning

on Jan 13, 2010

It’s no fun getting out of bed if you’re dreading the day. Change this mindset and mornings will be much easier. The key is to have something to look forward to every morning.  Of course this is a lot easier if you’re doing the things you love every day but even if you aren’t, you can still make for a manageable, if not enjoyable, morning. Maybe you really like that cup of coffee.  Or perhaps, you look forward to a warm breakfast.

What do you look forward to every morning?

Solid, Warm Breakfast

on Jan 13, 2010

Be sure to have a solid, warm breakfast every morning.  The few extra minutes is a worthwhile investment for your day.

With a solid breakfast:

  • you won’t feel hungry or drained throughout the morning
  • you’ll eat less throughout the day
  • you won’t be tempted to snack

A warm breakfast:

  • increases your body temperature to a normal level (body temperature drops during sleep)
  • is easy on a sensitive stomach in the morning

I typically go with a bowl of quick-cook oatmeal (not instant).  I toss on some muesli (dry cereal), whole milk, and fresh fruit to complete the meal.

What solid, warm breakfast powers you to take on the day?

The Technical – Using Technology Mindfully

on Jan 13, 2010

Technology, understood here in a broad sense, refers to knowledge, skills, or tools. Technology can be our greatest asset – the essence of our advance society; or it can be our greatest source of disaster – when used without mindfulness or foresight. We live in the midst of a technological explosion and and it’s transforming our lives.

How can we leverage technology for better instead of for worse?

The Social – Understanding Society and Self

on Jan 13, 2010

We humans are social beings and our advanced society results from our collaborative (social) behavior. Our complex world involves many social entities – industries, governments, bureaucracies, populations at large, nations, and the world – that shape our lives in all manners. Beneath every entity is a slew of individuals built to work in certain social ways. Understanding this not only makes sense of our complex world (and selves), but also provides the means to better these systems.

How can we establish a society that betters human life?