Riders on the Earth together →

Published March 15, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 15  ·  ,

For the first time in all of time, men have seen the Earth. Seen it not as continents or oceans from the little distance of a hundred miles or two or three, but seen it from the depths of space; seen it whole and round and beautiful and small… To see the Earth as it truly is, small and blue and beautiful in that eternal silence where it floats, is to see ourselves as riders on the Earth together, brothers on that bright loveliness in the eternal cold—brothers who know that they are truly brothers.

~ Archibald MacLeish from, The Pale Blue Dot

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The linked article is about Carl Sagan’s, Pale Blue Dot, but the quote is from a less well-known poet, Archibald MacLeish. He wrote an essay titled, Riders on the Earth, which appeared in The New York Times on Christmas Day, 1968.

I am well aware that this blog is a long sequence of my ideas which are inspired by others’. There’s a reason I lead with the link to the seed from which each idea germinated.

I recall exactly when, and where, I was when I had the idea to restart blogging. (Aside: Another reason I love my long-standing habit of journaling is the ability to look up things like this to audit my memory.) I cannot imagine where I would be today—frankly, there’s no chance I would have gotten to where I am today—if I hadn’t started this place to unpack my thoughts.

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Emily Tung: Breaking, puppetry, and unsolicited advice →

Published March 14, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 14  ·  

Emily Tung: Breaking, puppetry, and unsolicited advice

What motivates someone to push beyond personal limits in dance, Parkour, and other movement disciplines to achieve mastery?

Emily Tung shares her journey and goals in both breaking and parkour, as well as the differences between those two practices and communities. She also discusses her diverse movement practices, from stunt work, contortion, to pole dancing, as well as her lesser known skills in puppetry. Emily finishes by unpacking her thoughts on coaching, unsolicited advice, and speaking up for yourself.

For me then, it’s not about what is the correct or right way. It’s, what is your goal? And what’s your body like? And what can I do, and what applies best, and I have to decide that I have to be strong about that. I think that was another plateau. I had it back in my old life where I always listened to exactly what I was told.

~ Emily Tung (56:13)

The conversation explores how committing to ambitious goals reshapes personal habits, training, and overall lifestyle. Emily recounts how a decision to pursue world-level breakdancing battles triggered a broader transformation, leading to better nutrition, rest, and learning from mentors. This commitment highlighted the importance of focus and intentionality in practice, contrasting with periods of stagnant growth when goals were less defined.

The discussion also touches on the cross-disciplinary nature of movement arts, showing how Parkour, dance, and martial arts influence each other. Emily reflects on how Parkour provided a sense of community and freedom not always found in the dance world, fostering creativity and resilience. The journey through stunt work, puppetry, and contortion further illustrates the diverse ways movement disciplines intersect, shaping not just physical skills but also mental perspectives and personal identity.

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Embarrassment →

Published March 14, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 14  ·  

Society changes when we change what we’re embarrassed about.

~ Seth Godin from, Ashamed to not know

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This is an interesting way to look at societal changes. Since there is no “we”—there is no aggregate, thing which is “the society as a whole” which can feel embarrassed—the only “we” which can be embarrassed is me, the individual.

…and since this blog is about me, I should talk about what embarrasses me. But instead, I’m interested in unpacking the source of my embarrassment:

When my actions and thoughts disagree with what I know is right.

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Impermanence →

Published March 13, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 13  ·  

«https://unclutterer.com/2012/10/04/a-lesson-on-impermanence-from-a-ruined-baseball/»

A nice example of this lesson, from a site which doesn’t normally go in for the philosophical perspective on things.

What made me link to it is the quote—you’ll simply have to click—about the glass being already broken.

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This explains everything →

Published March 12, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 12  ·  

Despite the laudatory efforts of scientists to ferret out patterns in human behavior, I continue to be struck by the impact of single individuals, or of small groups, working against the odds. As scholars, we cannot and should not sweep these instances under the investigative rug. We should bear in mind anthropologist Margaret Mead’s famous injunction: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. It is the only thing that ever has.’

~ John Brockman from, This Explains Everything

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There are so many ways that you can see this in human societies: The crowd of non-helpers all assuming someone else will help, the herds on social media who are only listening to refute, and the oceans of sarcasm to gain temporary attention.

But there are always a few—surely you’ve spotted them in your life?—who are inspiring. Perk up your ears. Who’s efforts call to you? Are you helping them?

Better yet, what calls to you? Are you thoughtful? Are you committed?

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Never think you’ve got it all →

Published March 11, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 11  ·  ,

Children teach you that you can still be humbled by life, that you learn something new all the time. That’s the secret to life, really – never stop learning. It’s the secret to career. I’m still working because I learn something new all the time. It’s the secret to relationships. Never think you’ve got it all.

~ Clint Eastwood

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Tools versus insight →

Published March 10, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 10  ·  

Knowing about a tool is one thing. Having the guts to use it in a way that brings art to the world is another.

~ Seth Godin from, Tools vs insight

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I know my tools. I have the guts to use them. I’m bringing my art to the world.

…know what I cannot figure out? How to be successful—not how to make money, but rather how to feel that what I’ve done and what I’m doing are enough.

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The shape of stories →

Published March 9, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 9  ·  

But there’s a reason we recognize Hamlet as a masterpiece: it’s that Shakespeare told us the truth, and people so rarely tell us the truth in this rise and fall here [indicates blackboard]. The truth is, we know so little about life, we don’t really know what the good news is and what the bad news is. And if I die — God forbid — I would like to go to heaven to ask somebody in charge up there, ‘Hey, what was the good news and what was the bad news?’

~ Kurt Vonnegut from, Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories and Why Uncertainty Is the Crucible of Creativity

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First, note that by “shapes” he literally means figures, graphs—drawings of the shape of the story.

Second, although I’m unsure wether or not I’m “old,” I am sure that I’m starting to get some perspective. A few posts back I was talking about there being a horizon-of-self: Once my experiences are far enough in the past, I lose any true sense of who that self was. Vonnegut’s point—to me anyway—drives home the fact that I don’t even truly know who I am right now.

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Meaningful →

Published March 8, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 8

Meaningful

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I’m not sure how to describe this—other than to say it’s a pretty short read.

I’m definitely sure I’ve no idea how to pull-quote it.

I was just having a discussion about the AI Singularity, and then this fell into my lap. Is it going to be paper-clip optimizers, or benevolent beings?

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Making your ideas happen →

Published March 7, 2019  ·  All posts on Mar 7  ·  

Selling, I’ve grown to understand, is more urgent, more important, and, in its own sweet way, more beautiful than we realize. The ability to move others to exchange what they have for what we have is crucial to our survival and our happiness. It has helped our species evolve, lifted our living standards, and enhanced our daily lives. The capacity to sell isn’t some unnatural adaptation to the merciless world of commerce. It is part of who we are.

~ Daniel Pink from, Ambiverts, Problem-Finders, and the Surprising Psychology of Making Your Ideas Happen

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I believe in a very clear definition of “trade:” An exchange of value in which all parties are left better off; That is to say, trade is not zero-sum.

I believe it’s unnecessary to talk about “good” trade. That “good” is superfluous since any trade that isn’t “good” wouldn’t be trade. (It would be deception, cohersion, etc.)

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