6-April-2020

Often and actually quite frequently, we suffer the consequences of other people’s actions (and inactions).  Like the time your boss/management made some stupid decisions and as a consequence you had to clean up the(ir) mess or worst still, you got fired/laid off because of their stupidity.  To add insult to injury, you even warned them not to, yet they didn’t listen and carried on like they know it all, after all, they are in charge, the so called ‘leaders’ and who are you to lecture them.  Yes, it was not your fault but now you are responsible for the consequence that has befallen you.  

Similarly, the current Covid-19 crisis is of the same vein, it probably wasn’t you, you didn’t even travel or got onboard a cruise ship.  (Or did so in good faith and subsequently self-isolated.)  Perhaps you were responsible and didn’t carry on like a pork chop hugging and kissing the next available boy or girl on the beach, whom thought it’s no big deal, as they didn’t mind getting the virus and passing it onto others.  Nonetheless, because of the actions of others, you now suffer, from the loss of employment to the loss of liberty, from feeling happy to feeling angry.  Your future was robbed from you at an instant by someone else, by things out of your control. 

To be fair, no one wished upon a pandemic.  Arguably, at the first signs of outbreak, select (some provincial) Chinese officials could have done better.  Then again, the same can be said across a host of (other officials from) other countries and jurisdictions too, whether it be the US or UK.  It is not a problem unique to any one country as pretty much no one was ready or prepared. Let us also not forget the Chinese doctors did have the moral courage to do the right thing. The Swiss cheese model – when holes lined up – is probably a good way to explain why we are where we are today.  There could have been more defences (cheese slides) added to stop the catastrophe and yet we didn’t.   We were warned from previous pandemics and yet we carried on not believing it could happen again – at least not to us, as it’s always someone else’s problem.  When it did happen, we act all surprised and annoyed as if we are somehow above the laws of nature. 

Most people will feel some emotions, it’s ok, we are humans after all and our primitive part of the brain is still firing.  The immediate instinct is to blame others, as it is the easiest option.  It means we don’t have to take any responsibility and get to do nothing in response.  People has been doing it for millennia and still doing it today.  On the other side of the spectrum, there are those to take responsibility and actions.  One famous author – Grant Cardone’s key motto is take responsibility and ownership for everything.  It obviously has worked for him as he’s a multi-millionaire and drives a Rolls-Royce.  So, if the choice is between blaming others, doing nothing and simply await fate OR take responsibility, doing something and have a say in your future, Yours Truly knows which option he would pick.  

Even with the moral high ground and a sense of higher intellect, you still feel a certain rage and demanded justice against those who transgressed against you and the rest of humanity.  After all, if the idiots, criminals and other guilty parties are left unchecked, they will continue and do even more damage.  That is, it is no longer an option to just sit on the sidelines and hope they will go away.  

The more benevolent among us, like Dr Phil, will try to educate and hope people change their ways for the greater good. Try as he did, as exemplified by a young notoriety seeker who started the Coronavirus challenge of licking a toilet seat, who clearly demonstrated a blatant disregard for the sanctity of human lives, is clearly a fail – See [1]. 

So how does one reconcile with such outrage and injustice?  After all, there are two sides of the coin, as both parties both felt they are in the right and therefore entitled.  On one hand, the right of an individual to party and any detriment of others is their problem.  On the other, the right to a peaceful existence, not to be inflicted by those who are callous. Most laws on this matter is clear, it is designed to minimise harm, to protect the weak and vulnerable and to stop those with power from abusing their power.  

It is very clear, through a combination of ignorance, compliancy and lack of respect for others and nature that has gotten us into this mess.  Yes the world is playing a catch up game to return societies to normal but in the meantime, we could all do with a break from those who are malignant and continue to add to our ever growing list of problems.  

To paraphrase Justice Jackson’s opening statement at the Nuremberg trials, we really need to seek, to condemn and punish those wrongs, for society can no longer tolerate them being ignored.  Wilful disregard of others wellbeing, leading to suffering – both health & economic, and even death, is not in the same league as genocide but there still needs to be a judgement against these menaces of society.  Society can afford to be tolerant and forgiving but only once for those who really didn’t know better.  However, for those who clearly should and have been warned and instructed as such, then there should be no leniency for those who continue to treat human lives as a joke, those who continues to perpetuate their own selfish agenda to the detriment of others.  

The crisis has brought out the best in people and the ugly side too.  Our finest hour will be upon us when all of us unite in our purpose to defeat the virus.  Until this goal is reached, we must take a strong stance, to protect the innocent and to reconcile against the guilty – it is that simple.  For too long we have turned a blind eye and being apologists for the various ills of society.  As a result, we have created a class of entitled people who think their lives are above others.  This has to stop.  

Whether it is the GFC, Covid-19 or something else, accountability is what’s missing and our current status quo is a reflection of that.  The people need to rise up and demand accountability for ourselves and in others.  The hope is, this will be the turning point where the good people of the world will finally triumph over the idiots.  That day will come.  

[1] https://www.drphil.com/videos/youre-blowing-this-pandemic-to-crazy-proportions-instilling-fear-in-the-nation-woman-tells/

23-March-2020

The Preppers must be laughing their heads off right now, particularly at TV screens where some poor sod is complaining about the shops having ran out of daily essentials.  Due the to panic sparked by the COVID-19, most of us have only just started to prepare, like rushing to the local shops and fighting over the last roll of toilet paper.  Whereas the Preppers, they are sitting tight and cosy in their bunkers, surrounded by the comfort that is gained by the years of supplies they have gathered prior.   It is hard to wipe the smirk off when having been labelled the village idiot all along to being suddenly elevated as the chosen ones.  

It is important to recognise that prepping is a vocation/serious hobby.  Just as a gardener would buy plants and build a garden to work and admire, the preppers MO is to survive, even if the rest of society didn’t.  There are much to be admired about the preppers, how they spent a lot of time and resources for that one event, how they are very focused on protecting themselves and their family, how they don’t trust the governments and therefore relying on their sole selves only.  It must also be a lonely existence too, having zero faith and trust in the rest of humanity.  

At heart, the real issue is that prepping cost a lot of resources, which most people don’t have.  Yours truly is struggling to pay off the mortgage, let alone being able to afford his own a bunker in the bushlands.  Having years of tin food means money is locked in and there is no money left for school fees.  A die hard prepper would tell you, that is the price to pay in order to survive but the cost is simply unaffordable to the average joe.  

Governments are like us too, as they also have conflicting priorities.   They can’t prep and ready the millions of hospital beds needed, with doctors and nurses twiddling their thumbs for that day to come.  There isn’t money to stockpile another billion masks or essential supplies.  In short, like us individuals with limited means and finances, government and us alike will have to make do with the limited resources we have.  

Of course, this is cold comfort for those in desperate need.  After all, we have been paying taxes for so many years and you wonder where did the money went.  Why have the government not been better prepared, as they should have known better.  Additionally, with stories after stories of previous gross mismanagement and ineptitude, you have to wonder whether your faith has been misplaced with those folks with power.

Given most of us don’t really have much of an alternative, we are now stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Between having faith in a system that does not implicitly guarantee our individual survival (i.e. there might not be a hospital bed left) and the little that we could do to last a bit longer (i.e. staying at home until food runs out), your only realistic option left is to have hope in humanity and society pulling through together.  Sadly, judging by the numerous morons (a la Bondi Beach goers who ignored the rules,) who treat this crisis as a joke, to those who brought everything just before you did, it is quite depressing to realise, the faith in humanity isn’t exactly airtight either.    

That said, whilst the media did show case many instances of idiots hell bent on making your life progressively more miserable, there are many untold and countless individuals doing the right thing.  Your front line health care professionals are working tirelessly to treat those who are sick.  Your research workers are doing their utmost to fast track a cure.  Your local charities are doing what they can to protect the vulnerable.  If you look just enough, you’d find there are many acts of kindness all around and perhaps you’ve done some yourself too, by obeying the rules of distancing and by not hoarding, or you braved work and stocked up shelves, plus many others.  Only you would know and karma will reward you for your efforts some day.  Anyway, humanity can and will and defeat the virus eventually. However, the irony is of course, there is no cure for idiots, no matter how many millennia we have tried.  Idiots, much like the many viruses or pestilences, will always be around and waiting for that moment to ruin your day. Even if you did despise those idiots, sadly for better or worse, our fates are entwined.   

Here’s the thing, since pre-history, humans (or hominids) have banded and worked together to ensure the group survives.  There will always be people who do more and those who free load.  If anything, the idiots’ only purpose is to serve and to remind us of what not to become.  Collectively, if we aim to be the lowest common denominator – to do the least – then humanity would have been extinct long ago.  Obviously, if you look at the millennia of human achievement and progress, we must have somehow worked together and came through.  In short, humans have always found a way forward, despite all manners of challenges.  

In modern society and in times of crisis like today, this is no different.  Yes it will take some time and in the meanwhile, pains are acutely felt but there will be a better future for us all, as long as we act as an intelligent collective (with appropriate distancing of course).  In essence, we are each other’s insurance policy for survival.   As long as we don’t all become idiots, we have a future – it is that simple.  The choice is not about individualism vs collectivism, civil liberties vs the state, or whether you want to hang out because you have no fear and no understanding of the consequences.  Let yours truly make it clear for you, the choice is about whether or not you are that idiot who doomed humanity.  All it takes is that one (extra) idiot, with blatant disregard for themselves and others, to be that tipping point that sets of a chain reaction of no return.  

Finally, prepping should not just mean living isolated and having enough tinned foods.  Prepping should mean everyone from all corners of the earth, working together to safeguard our collective future.  Whilst we might have been on the backfoot and caught unprepared during the COVID-19 crisis, let this be a lesson of hope, that when the current crisis is finally over, we can regroup and start do more for humanity, for what we have done so far is not enough.  The solution is obvious, we show strength in numbers (with the recommended distancing)!

PS – please do show some compassion for the idiots, as their condition, whilst seemingly by choice, is in reality a lifelong condition, manifested by years of cranial defects and absenteeism.  They can’t help but to be who they are. 

20-March-2020

Currently at time of writing, the world is grappling with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, perhaps it is timely for people to pause for a moment, to take stock of your life and reflect.  After all, if you are anxious on whether the virus will get you and fretting on whether to brave the outside world (eventually – provided it’s allowed), then there is no better opportunity to have a break now and think about what you are actually doing with your life.  

The COVID-19 virus is out of your control (and it is arguably out of control also), besides taking some personal measures (like hygiene, distancing), there is not much more you can do – unless you are one of those front line health workers or developing a cure.  If it is not this particular coronavirus, there will be other viruses (i.e. the flu) lurking around.  Plus there are plenty of threats like climate change, nuclear holocaust, asteroid strike, etc.  Closer to home, are you getting enough exercise, eating the right foods, look left and right for traffic before crossing roads?  Fair to say, some ‘bogeyman’ is out to get you (eventually).  

As day follows night, the sun will rise and people will go on with their lives.  Meaning the bogeyman didn’t get you yesterday and the day before.  In fact, your age x 365.25 days is the number of days you’ve beaten the bogeyman.  Well done!  (Air) High Five!  Whether it is by luck or other means, you’ve survived and the question is, how long you can keep this up?  (NB: The global average life expectancy is 72.6 years for 2019.)  That’s the dilemma of the future, we just don’t know and we are very uncomfortable with not knowing, hence the panic about the virus. 

Let’s hypothetically say, you were given an advance notice of your time expiring.  It can range from tomorrow, to a year, to say another 50-90 years from today.  Most people, if given this (sad) news would plan to do things differently from that point of time forward.  As we are now able to frame how much time is left and allocate the remaining time to do the things that are most important to us.  Maybe it is to record a goodbye message, spend time with love ones and/or to do something that you’ve always wanted to do but have held off for whatever reason.  That is to say, our focus will have changed and our priorities too.  More importantly, we’ve awakened ourselves to finally realise time is precious and perhaps we’ve gotten a few things wrong over the years.  

So with this thinking in mind, how did you live your life?  Did you live the best life possible?  Do you have any regrets and if you did go, did you leave a lasting legacy, something worthy of future generations to remember?  If we are honest with ourselves, most people would say, no, that they could have done better.  Yours truly certainly falls into this camp and recognised that there is much, much more work to be done.   Sure, there are some (and limited) successes but they are not exceptional, certainly not something to boast about.  That is not to say we should be dismissive of what we have gained/achieved but rather, to acknowledge life could have been different (and better) if we lived more wisely.     

Look, we might console ourselves that our success was limited due to our circumstances, or perhaps we weren’t born with the greatest combination of DNAs – i.e. talent and looks, or hindsight is stunningly beautiful.  The reality is and the really insulting part to our ego is, there are plenty of people who have less and they have achieved more.  Simply because they have worked out their priorities and put in every effort into achieving their version of success.  

The Coronavirus crisis has forced us to look out for ourselves #1.  Whilst the virus is definitely scary, the real tragedy lies with the ugly truth that is revealed about us and within us, mainly we have for too long squandered our time and our lives in the pursuit of the trivial.  The additional irony is, the virus adds more challenges and disruption to our lives, even if by now you have the best intentions to do better.  

So on this rude wake up call, on how most of us are severely under prepared, on how we are mostly helpless in a major crisis, on how fragile our lives really are, we must toughen up.  To recognise our fallacy, to change and strive for the better.  For tomorrow will come and we might find ourselves in the same state as yesterday and that’s just beyond tragic.  Luckily, you have the rest of today to work out how to better yourselves and for humanity. 

17-March-2020

Yes, at the time of writing, the world has gone nuts and a lot of people are very fearful, as they have no idea what is happening and they certainly don’t have any control over what is happening.  

Fear is an inbuilt mechanism designed to alert and prompt a response, to help all sentient organisms to survive (for a bit longer).  Stand too close to the cliff, fear kicks in and prompts you to go somewhere safer.  However, if you are going up against an invisible enemy, a virus like the Covid-19 that can make you sick or even kills you, then fear is going to make you do some very primitive and strange things.  Things like hoarding toilet paper, or the avoidance of eating Chinese food, or thinking Corona beer can give you the virus, are prime examples of people losing their thinking brain and reverting to their primitive self, giving into fear and thereby thinking it will (somehow) help them survive.  Although the mechanics of fear is within us, it does not make it ok or appropriate in all situations.  That is, too much fear stops us from doing anything or being our best selves.  

Look, a healthy dose of fear is generally a good thing, it enables us to look at things, rethink and makes us more careful and cautious.  For example, by now, through generations of experience, you’d have the sense to not run around near cliffs.   As an extra layer of public protection, there are barriers enacted separate you from the threat of falling from heights.  When threats are well known and understood, we’ve found ways of dealing with them effectively and carry on with our lives.  There are even safe tourist attractions built over the cliffs to illustrate our conquest of fear.  

Sadly, the world isn’t as well prepared for pandemics, although it’s much better than in the past but some would argue it’s still not enough.  So, in the absence of complete knowledge on the corona virus, vaccines and cures or easy ways of stopping transmission completely, it’s no wonder why our fears have gone into overdrive.  At the moment of writing, Covid-19 cases are confirmed in most countries of the world.  Thus, it can be argued that it’s everywhere and everyone is a potential carrier, where every surface can be a potential source of infection.  However, that said, humans are resilient creatures and there are effective ways to deal with the virus situation.  In another words, wiser people have used their brains instead.  

The latest advice from the various authorities is to wash hands (for 20-30 seconds) often and avoid touching your face.  Having social distancing (of 1.5m) and avoid any unnecessary gathering of any kind.  NB: Please go and look up the latest as it can change depending on developments.  It was said that during the bubonic plague, the Pope listened to the advice of his doctors and sat near fires – the thinking was that fires have some kind of healing properties.  Coincidentally, he survived because the fleas carrying the vector couldn’t get to him due to the heat from the fires.  So, the moral of the story is to listen to good & authorised advices and invest in science.  

Yours truly isn’t some wise sage and can offer you nothing more to help to deal with the current situation.  However, looking further out, this crisis will eventually blow over and we need to plan better for the long run.  We must learn our lessons and ensure there are more robust investments in science and health care.  There is a Chinese proverb, which is ‘to dig the well before you are thirsty’ and the meaning to the world is clear, to plan ahead.  There will be another virus crisis (or indeed other types of crisis) down the line and we need to look at our priorities.  Bill Gates and many other scientists/doctors did warn of another pandemic coming but even the smartest billionaires, doctors/PhDs have only so much influence over the world.  That said, if everyone is now smarter, collectively we can influence and make change.  

There are many threats facing us as individuals, countries and humanity at large.  We all have different priorities and agendas.  There is never enough money to go around.  Let’s face it, if you just won a $1 million bucks and the choice was solely between a $1m donation to a developing country hospital or an upmarket condo for yourself, chances are the majority would choose the condo.  That said, when people are richer and their basic needs are met, most do give some form of charitable donations/work as a small portion of their wealth.  So then, if you are fairly well off or you live in a country where you can direct money to health care for the masses, including the poor (either home or aboard), then it shouldn’t be an argument about how hard you work and therefore you deserve to keep all of your money (instead of paying some taxes) and thus shouldn’t have to subsidise  those ‘lazy’ poor people who can’t afford health care.  

The virus is going to strike whether you are rich or poor, although the rich certainly has more resources to deal with it.  However, history has shown us, even the Czar Nicholas II and King Louis XVI did not avoid their revolutionary fate by being rich.  So, it’s only by allocating more resources to science, health and the collective goods of society that everyone wins, where the rich and poor alike has better odds of enjoying their lives.  This isn’t about socialism, it’s more about investment into societies and communities, to enable them to function and thrive, to guard against chaotic and catastrophic consequences stemming from humanities’ descend into madness.   

It’s also not about whether the virus was sourced from some parts of Europe, Africa, Asia or North America, what matters now is, as a global community, we all need to work together and solve this problem (and among others) as a united front.  We like to think when we are in trouble, we deserve and thus entitled to help unequivocally.  Yet when the problem strikes someone or somewhere else, we distance ourselves and think it’s their problem and offer just mere sympathies.  It is time to recognise problems don’t just affect one person or one place, the world is intricately linked and everyone can be affected.  Not to understate, we are all in this together and we must stand together.  

In the meantime, be smart, be rational, be careful.  It is ok to acknowledge you are afraid and fearful but don’t let that take over.  Humanity has survived many crises before and chances are you will survive this one too.  Hope is abundant, only if you choose to make some (small) sacrifice for the greater good and help each other out.  Together we are strong but being an idiot will simply means harming ourselves, our love ones and humanity at large.  (Think of that one guy in the movie who ran first and the whole defence line collapses).  So, don’t be that idiot.  

10-mar-2020

In the previous post, the aim is to acknowledge TV/streaming isn’t doing you much favours. So it is imperative to watch less TV/streaming and devote the time ‘saved’ to better use.  However, that is easier said than done, as we are probably addicted and there are constantly new programs vying for your viewing pleasure.  To put simply, there are endless (and often good) programs out there and it’s just very hard to say no to.  

NB: TV and streaming are essentially interchangeable in today’s world.  Streaming is a new form of TV delivery (via internet) instead of the traditional method of over the air electromagnetic signals.  

So here are a few insights that yours truly have discovered and offers as a consideration.

A/ TV programs are endless

In fact, there are more contents being produced each day than the 24 hours you have available to watch.  That is to say, there is no way that you can watch everything, so you most as well – ‘give up’ on watching everything.  

B/ People are making money off you

By watching TV, you are lining up someone else’s pockets, from actors to producers to executives, from media companies to big corporations to governments, everyone gets a cut from your viewing pleasure.  A good way to put into perspective is, you are a cow and the TV is the grass that is in front of you, whilst you are eating it, you are being milked.  

C/ Everything that is new is old and is new again

If you have watched decades of TV, you will begin to see a pattern, it’s a repeat of existing ideas and concepts.  Sure, the latest Batman movies has better special effects than those in the 40s to 60s but it is still drama and entertainment.  Reality TV, a recent phenomenon is really a form of semi-scripted drama.  Yes, some documentaries will offer new found discoveries and insights but essentially, it’s an endless treadmill of attention capturing, which is best illustrated by the news network and its stories.  Remember, your viewing means someone else is getting paid in point B.  

D/ Peer (and societal) pressure plays a part

You are born and be made to conform.  That’s how society works and functions.  However, this trait has been hijacked for someone else’s advantage and to your disadvantage.   If you want to fit in, or be cool, you sort of have to watch whatever that is popular right now and then the next day, there is something else and you move onto that too.  You can almost argue there is an invisible force compelling you to watch TV.

E/ Is there value in TV? 

No doubt that watching TV has some form of value to you.  Mostly it’s for entertainment but occasionally it can be educational.  Show such as Survivor (yours truly’s favourite reality TV show) offers great insights into the human condition and human to human social interactions.  However, the question you have to ask yourself is, what did you actually gain by watching any of the programs.  

Now that we have understood what TV is about, we can look at some counters/hacks.

Aa/ Limit to 1-2 hours a day

Yes, by forcing yourself a limit, you’d have to choose more wisely on what you watch.  You are also made aware of the time you are wasting.  Perhaps one day you might say enough and decide to quite TV all together.  In effect, you are actively forcing yourself to choose what is more important in your life. 

Bb/ Remind yourself that watching TV is making you poorer – stop the bleed

Most people want to be rich and logic dictates that we wouldn’t do anything that would counter this intent/desire.  Yet despite this, we continue to act against our best interest, as we are beholden to our emotions.  So every time you turn on and watch something, say this out loud, I am choosing to be poorer.   It might not stop you, but eventually the guilt might sink in.  To paraphrase Trump – this is a bad deal.  

Cc/ Stop looking for the next shiny shiny – acknowledge you are bored and need to find a better distraction

We humans are creatures that requires constant stimulus and excitement, usually at the level we deem controllable and acceptable.  TV offers that in abundance and at a low cost.  TV is designed to capture our attention and in turn our brains produce some happy chemicals like endorphins and dopamine.  In short, our biology is being hijacked against us.  So instead, look for some other substitutes/pursuits that is more constructive.  

Dd/ It’s ok to be not cool – achieving your other goals are more important

Depending on your age, especially if you are young, being cool can be important.  Though you have to ask yourself, what does being cool will achieve for you?  We think being cool means people will like us more, or that we are more attractive to potential partners.  Superficially yes it does to a point but all it does is to get you a quick moment of attention.  After all, if you have no substance, people will lose interest very quickly.  To use TV analogy, people will simply click onto another thing to watch.  So stop being the ultimate click bait.  

Ee/ There is very limited value in TV

Watching TV can give you a needed distraction, feeling of happiness and in control, which can be nice in itself. Essentially, you’ve gained an illusion, a make believe fantasy world where things are ok.  We are the ultimate ostrich with heads in the sands, except we do it with screens.  So stop fooling yourself and do something else that will actually make an impact, so that your real world experience/life can be better.  

Ultimately, it is about learning to prioritise your life, to care less on the trivial and focus only on what’s really important.  If you must watch TV/Streaming, then at least be very selective, only watch those programs that will make a notable impact to your life and just ignore the rest.  What’s at stake here is the very essence of (your) life itself, you actually don’t have the luxury to waste it away.  

9-Mar-2020

To be honest, yours truly here is an average guy, living with many of the First World’s problems, that is also shared by millions and billions.  The only difference is perhaps after looking into the mirror and finally seeing what a ‘loser’ he has become, that rude realisation has prompted him into a corrective mode, to arrest further downfall and spiral into the abyss. 

The reality is, like many others, over the years yours truly has chosen comfort over things that he should have done.  He really has no one else to blame but himself, as it was his choice to do things like watching TV/streaming, which seems quite harmless and even fun at the time.  However, when you count up the hours upon hours and over the decades, its insidious nature has finally revealed itself.   Put simply, for every hour that is spent watching TV, we remain static, whilst the world has moved on.  Times that we could have put to better use by advancing ourselves, to make ourselves into something, is instead wasted and we are not getting those hours back.  

There is a theory that it takes 10,000 hours to be a master of something.  So say 3 hours a day, every day will get you to 1,000 hours.  Over a decade (10 years), you get to be a master for having clocked in those practise/work.  

Just look at some of the young sports stars, who started training as a young kid, comes onto the world stage with great skills when they are just teens, that’s because they have clocked 10,000 hours of practising.  Sure, it takes more hours, deliberate training and among other things to be great but that 10,000 hours definite shows, as you can see from someone who is quite good compared to someone who is mediocre. 

Now it can be argued perhaps you didn’t have the parents with the foresight to train you into something.  Or that you weren’t lucky enough to come across many opportunities.  Granted that is true but it still doesn’t negate the hours you wasted in childhood and adulthood.  Just think back, did you spent every second making sure you are working towards a better future, like studying, training, practising etc?  Yes no doubt you did some hours, but was it enough?  I think for the vast majority, bar the exceptional few, a lot of time, measured in many hours every day have definitely been wasted.  

Our excuses might have been that we needed TV/streaming for a bit of down time, to relax and recover from our hard days at the school/office.  Or that we are actually learning something from our devices.  The truth is, TV is an escape and rather than dealing with our harsh realities, we chose to momentarily forget all our problems.  Not surprisingly, our problems remain and so here we are again and again.  

Another problem is of course, we are not unique in being the master of TV watching.  There are plenty of people who also have mastered 10,000 hours, 20 thousand, 30 thousand hours and so forth.  Sadly, this TV watching skill is so common and with not much commercial value, one doesn’t or can’t make much money from it.   Alux [1] said it best in one of their videos – rich people get on TV whilst poor people watch TV.  

Look, the point is that a little TV is ok and even useful/educational but we watch far from little.  In fact, it was said that the average American watches 4-5 hours of TV (videos) a day.  And one can argue that other developed countries share the same pattern.  Also, this figure does not include other interactive device times like chatting with friends or playing games.  In short, besides school or work, pretty much every spare minute is spent on leisure and whilst you are gaining short term pleasure, make no mistake that it is being paid for by long term (future) pain.  

So it really comes down to a choice, if you want your success being measured by how cool you are because you have seen the latest series of this or that, then that’s fine and you should be happy for having been able to achieve what you wanted.  However, if you want to be rich and/or to get ahead in life, then you will need to make a hard choice, to forgo some (if not most) of that TV time and instead do something useful.  

Like many other additions, we have built our lives around TV/video and it won’t be easy to let go.  So we will need to be strong, strong enough to want that other (success) goals more.  Unless we want that other goals bad enough, sadly our TV habit will stay and we are forever condemning ourselves to be future losers with lifelong regrets. 

So what’s it going to be?  Master of TV Watching or Master of Your Own Destiny?  

[1] not an affiliate – but check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nllZrOoxpzc

4-Mar-2020

Another hidden aspect in the struggle to make life less shite is taking ownership of the fact that we haven’t made the best choices in life and that’s probably because we lack the skills to do so.  

No doubt in life, everyone at some point makes mistakes and this process allows us to learn.  The problem is, what if we don’t get it, or fail to learn and thus continues to make the same mistakes over and over, until a day of reckoning comes when the problems or issues blow up onto our faces.   

Let’s pick some common ailments that modern people face.  For example, there never seems to be enough time and we always seem to be so busy.  Sure, being too busy to do all the things we need to do is a real problem.  However, it is also a symptom, manifested by other variables, such as perhaps we have over committed ourselves.  Or that we lacked the reasoning/logic that enables us to decide what is more important.  Maybe it’s because we are inefficient with our time and we just waste it without a thought.  Everyone has 24 hours in a day, no more no less but it’s how we use the time that matters.  Unfortunately, for most of us, we have wasted too many of those precious hours in the past and now we’ve gotten ourselves in trouble.  That is, the past has finally caught up.  

Another common ill that people complain about is not having enough money.  Again it is the effect of either you are not making enough money or spending too much, or a combination of both.  Basically, your skills are only worth so much to society and your pay cheque is a reflection of that.  On the flip side, let say society values your contribution and you earn a million dollars per year, a figure that many people would be envious of.  However, you still struggle because your life style cost you 1.1 mil and so you are always without enough money and in need of more.  In this instance, the problem is still not having enough money but it is caused entirely by how you decided to spend that money.  

Look, everyone has got their own reasons and perhaps sad stories on why they do what they do and how they got to the now.  The fact is, in the past, you thought you were so right and you did what suited you best.  Only now you realised it is actually not working.  If we were to be honest, we can reflect back into our past, to recollect events and uncover all the stupid things we’ve done.  For example, like all the money you have wasted.  Or maybe you ought to have pay more attention in school instead of trying to be cool.  Regret isn’t quite the right word as it’s associated with a particular unfavourable outcome.  The term yours truly would like to use is ‘compounded ignorance’, to describe this long accumulated journey to failure.  We thought we were so smart then and now only to discover we’ve been fools all along.  

This is not about beating ourselves up for past mistakes.  It’s about knowing what went wrong and to begin the process of recovery – to make life less shite.  If you can pinpoint the problem, then you have a good shot of fixing it.  It’s like going to the doctor and the doctor tries to find out what and where is wrong, so that a proper treatment can be prescribed to fix that exact issue, to get you back to normal.  In this case, you having lived your life, so you should know yourself best, or at least a good area to start.  However, should your life be so complicated and messy, then there are professionals like psychologist and psychiatrists, who can help you.  There is no shame is asking for help and the sooner the better. 

By stopping the problem and start making improvements, you are actually (and finally) acknowledging the problem and forcing yourself to confront demons of the past, things you have not properly dealt with.  In the process, you will have to learn and gain new skills, which will last for your life time and can only make things a little bit easier.  If we go back to the earlier examples, your new skills might be learning how to manage time starting with less TV.  Or learn to do budgeting properly so that you are at least on top of your expenditures.  It’s skills that you should have known and exercised prior.  The only difference is, having suffered, you are a lot more committed this time.  

For too long, life has been shite because we were unable or unwilling to deal with certain life’s occurrences/events properly.  Now by forcing yourself to finally deal with them, you now at least have a chance to start over and succeed.   

27-Feb-2020

In the last post, the concept of make life less shite (MLLS) was introduced.  In particular, you want to make your life less shite.  At this point you are probably thinking, ‘Duh’.  However, beyond the literal interpretation, there is actually a deeper meaning.  

Stories of successes are many, one particular story came to mind is that of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life/achievements.  The story goes like this, one day he saw a body building magazine and decided that’s what he wanted to do, it set off the spark within him and the rest as they say is history.  

He also realised that his native Austria was probably not going to be conductive of his success, so he emigrated to the US.  In truth, he probably didn’t like his early life in Austria and happened to stumbled upon an idea (of bodybuilding) to help him to escape.  Of which he held onto with both hands and never let go, never give up until he succeeded.  

There are many angles to rationalise Schwarzenegger’s success.  Perhaps he’s a product of his environment due to his childhood in Austria.   Or maybe he got lucky by discovering bodybuilding, which turned out to be the IT thing for him.  He was also fortunate to come across many people who helped him and guided him.  Last but not least, the narrative of Schwarzenegger has always been that he worked bloody hard to reach his goals, reps upon reps, made every available time to train and further himself.  It’s fair to say, a combination of many factors had led him to success.  The core of his story is distilled down to, he wanted success for himself, then gotten an idea and worked his butt off.  

It can be argued that everybody in the world wants success in their lives.  It is sort of ingrained into the DNA.  So wanting success is not the problem per se.  So, the problem comes down to what (is success) and the how (am I going to achieve success).  

For a lot of people, if you ask them their definition of success, you get a variety of vague concepts like success means being rich, or famous etc.  However, if pressed for more details, they actually can’t tell you more because unlike Arnold, they have not gotten the idea of ‘what’, let alone the ‘how’.

The painful realisation is, to be successful, at the very least, you need to know what you want.  You need to be very clear in precise terms, so that you have something solid to aim for, a structure to work with and a hope & desire to get there, teamed with some actual work.  

So if you don’t know what you want, what else can be done besides endless searching?  The answer is to MLLS!  It serves as a precursor or enabler for you to let go and have the capacity to embrace opportunities.  For example, loosing those few extra pounds might give you the confidence (and speed) to catch up to that hot guy/girl you are wanted to say hi to during your morning runs.  Or say you charmed a potential partner into visiting your place and they didn’t run to the door as your place has just been cleaned.  The point is, preparation will improve your chances of success.  

The moral of the story is, if you are not aiming for greatness right now, then at least allow yourself to move up from the bottom, it does shorten the distance to reach greatness, even if it is a few cms/inches at a time.  

13-Feb-2020

A common question/occurrence is, where does one start?  Imagine yourself like one of the hoarders on TV shows, your house is a mess and is full of stuff, everything overwhelms you and you are just living the best you can in the circumstances given.  You might start at one area and before you know it, you’ve got other distractions and it all becomes too hard.  Nothing gets done or of the little that gets done, makes no difference.  Metaphorically, your life can play out like that too.  The common theme is, you live the life of your creation, possibly started many years ago. Whether it is your fault or not, you are living through it now, wishing things were better or different.  When push comes to shove, we are unwilling to change, unwilling to put in any hard work and thus continue wishing.  Yes, there is always hope but it counts for more if one is prepared to take action and improve.  

As one of the many alux.com* videos on success pointed out, the answer is to simply look into the mirror.  You immediately see yourself and there is your answer.  It’s always been you.  Yes, the universe may have dealt you a bad hand, kept putting obstacles in your way.  It sounds so terribly unfair when you didn’t cause it and now you are a victim of circumstance, or worst, a scapegoat of other people’s actions or inactions.  So, at what point do you say, enough is enough?  And that you are not going to take this shite (crap) no more. 

Unfortunately for you, there is no magic pill or wand that can make this pain and suffering go away.  There is no possible and conceivable way to remove and re-educate all the idiots in the world.  There are no moral righteous courts to give you the justice you so deserve.  Therefore, the only suggestion yours truly has is, to simply toughen up little by little, so as time goes by, you are going to get stronger and the punches will simply hurt less.  

Say the reflection from the mirror shown you to be unfit and unhealthy.  Well, go for a little walk, or do some exercise.  If you can do one push up right now, well go on and take a break, just do one push up and come back.  Sure, by doing one push up or a little walk is not going to make you healthy instantly and might possibly leave you exhausted and your body aching.  Nonetheless, you have started and you have now done something more than you otherwise would.  

Say now that you have done one push up (or whatever extra), how about do another one to make that two?  And repeat again next day and so on, with a little bit more each time?  Do you have what it takes to keep going?  You see, starting is hard, but keeping that commitment going is even harder.  Chances are, most people would have long given up before they see an ounce of result.  Further, results don’t come easily either, some people have dieted for years and could not keep the weight off, or have worked hard for their entire life and still earn minimum wage.  

Herein lies the reality, the Truth as Fox Mulder would say, change is not easy, achieving goals are not easy, life is not easy.  For too long, the corporations and the marketing complex, as well as well meaning people, has led you believe in a big lie and you felt for it big time.  You think, all one need to do is get an education or skill, work 9 to 5, money would come and you just spend, therefore life would be great forever.  Just like those other people on Facebook or Instagram.  Or in the case of millennials, studying and working is old school for old people, dreams comes true easily and so why try hard when you can just travel the world, put posts and pics whist lapping the pool and get paid for it, now that’s living.   

Sadly, as many of you now start to realise, especially if you have lived through years and decades of disappointment, that life is not exactly a bed of roses.  You desperately want to be like those successful people you see on TV and social media.  You even tried to emulate them, only to discover that it takes a lot more than posting a few pics to achieve (lasting) success.  

The reality is, you believed the easy path and thus indulged yourself.  Only after what seemed to be a long time, only to discover you have gotten no where, with so much time/life wasted and not sure where to turn and what to do next.  You search far and wide for meaning and hope for answers, miracle cures even.  The irony is, you hadn’t need to look far, if only you’d realise it’s you that’s stopping you from achieving greatness.  

So start with yourself today, do something, even if it is a small thing, to make life less shite (MLLS)**.  Note, this just the beginning, as the road ahead is filled with more demands for hardship and sacrifice, which will ultimately test your commitment and resolve.    

Don’t be fooled again, results and success are not guaranteed, nothing in life is really.  However if you try things, with variations and different things over time, persistently and with courage, eventually you might just hit on success.  The problem is, for some it’s instant and for others, time to success is measured in decades, life time even.  

Take heart, yours truly has never read a story of any old man or woman, who have worked hard all their life and said they have achieved nothing.  Most regrets of older people centred around on what they could have done more of.  I.e. they wish they worked harder or that they have realised they have pursued the wrong goal and wished they had put in more effort into things that really mattered, like family.  

So the question you need to ask yourself is, whether you want to take no chances and get no results or try in the hope that you one day might.  Whether you want to continue on the easy way or (wo)man up to the hard way.  

  *not an affiliate but yours truly is a fan and have gotten many inspirations from them.

** The author improved on the quote from John Cadogan – Auto Expert.  His was MALS – make Australia less shit.  

5-Feb-2020

Welcome to the inaugural post of Struggle Perpetual.  Life can be a struggle when you want something you currently don’t have and try as you might, it just seems so unattainable, so far far way, even impossible.  Yet, despite continuous effort and hard work, you still stare down the face of failure day after day.  You are left wondering, is the universe against you?  Did you do something in this and past lives, of which now you have to atone for your sins and repay for past transgressions?  Most importantly, the real question comes down to, when and where in your life, did it go so terribly wrong?

In reality, life is a series of random events, some considered to be good and some considered to be bad.  Chances are, you’ve gotten a few of the bad ones and can’t seem to shake them off to get to the good ones.  As Alan Watt’s story on the Chinese farmer [1] illustrated, things happen and is follow by more things and so forth.  So, one should not be bothered to categorise events as good or bad as no one knows what is going to happen next.   

This is of course cold comfort to anyone who is currently struggling and suffering, dealing with so called bad events with very real feelings and emotions.  There are immediate concerns like where do I find the next dollar to buy food, how to live a decent quality of life, etc.  Sure, attaining a new enlightenment can lead to happiness but that takes time, effort and training, so for most mere mortals, it is just another struggle in a long list of other struggles, to overcome.  

Like a lot of people on this planet, the single most common struggle is how to survive in the modern world.  Generally, this entails having money to pay for at least the basics, like food, housing, education, health care.  Once that is achieved and it is by no means an easy feat, then there are a whole host of other needs waiting to be fulfilled.  Needs like safety, comfort, feeling of importance (i.e. you matter) – just look at the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [2] and there is a lot.  With so many needs, plus the endless trappings of materialism and with life’s curve balls thrown at us, it’s little wonder why so many of us have so many problems and issues.  Hence the struggle as they say, continues.  

To be fair, there are simple solutions.  One is to just give up, don’t try and accept.  Another is to have faith in positivity and believe that everything will eventually turn out ok.  Then there is the changing of the goal post, rewrite your definition of success.  Finally, on the other side of the spectrum, there is the hard way, that is to accept personal responsibility and keep trying till you have overcome.  

So, if you believe that doing nothing, waiting/hoping and make self believe are not the panacea.  Or you may even have tried it and it hasn’t quiet worked out.  Then the only thing left to do is, to take action and the very first step is to start.

[1] https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/11/06/alan-watts-swimming-headless/

[2] https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html