Dear friends.

The last few couple of months have been incredibly rough, but also, beautiful. There is a light somewhere—and I’m choosing to focus on that light. If there’s one thing a lot of us struggle with, it’s believing that we are enough. For it’s hard to see one’s worth when the lows keep coming. Too often, we become our own worst critics. In every single thing we do, it’s never good enough for ourselves.

I don’t say that lightly because I am a perfectionist. There are times where I hold unrealistic expectations for myself too and treat myself as a miracle worker. Some mornings, or some nights, I still remember the simple mistakes I made years ago, vividly – and beat myself up for it. Though, it’s been much easier to laugh at them now than be sad about it.

So what I’m (constantly) trying to work on for myself, is to tell myself each day that “I am enough”. I want to give myself grace, while I give grace and benefit of doubt to others as well. Many times now, I let this false perception of perfection cloud my judgment, and allow it to dominate my life without much realization. But I have to change. Change has to start somewhere. It has to start now.

If you relate to bits of what I mentioned, I hope the few affirmations I’ll be sharing here will provide some comfort for you. While you read the words, maybe you can write down, or not—that’s okay too. You can ponder a while. Most importantly, I hope you can see that you have what it takes to write your story.

1. Give yourself permission to create without inhibition.

In the way that feels natural to you, that feels good to you, that feels authentic to you, that feels true. Know this, it’s okay if your process or final product doesn’t look or feel or sound like everyone else’s. It doesn’t have to. In fact, it wasn’t meant to. The world needs what you have to create.

2. Allow yourself to ask what you want without holding back.

When your body is too tired to carry on, when your soul feels weary from the journey, when your mind feels exhausted—take control and ask yourself the question, what do you want? Then, answer it. And, every time, when the fulfilment of your answer outweighs the uncomfortableness that you are feeling in the moment—carry on. Don’t give up. Keep running towards that goal.

3. Surrender the stress, worry, and anxiety.

Lay it all down. You don’t need it. We yearn to have control over everything around us, but, often, as we clench our fists, holding onto the reigns of dominance over our work, lives, and situations—we find ourselves slipping. Instead of stabilizing us, our tight grip wears us down and causes us to fall from our secure vantage point of peace. And without peace, we cannot forge ahead with the clarity, wisdom, and grace that we need to accomplish our purpose. We need peace, more than we need control.

With all that's said and done, I hope you realize that it is never too late and you are never too far gone to choose what is good. Start wherever you are. Start in your doubt and in your fear and in your anticipation. Start in your worry or your excitement or your joy. Start wherever you are and keep going. Start with your first page.

Paradox of life.

As kids, we were much sold into the notion that life would go the way we planned as long as we aced in our academics. We fantasized about the future as kids and teenagers, believing the myth that life after high school would follow a specific trajectory. From movies to TV shows to pop culture, some of us were convinced of a picture-perfect life. After high school comes college, then we are off leaving our nest finding a dream job and making a living for ourselves, perhaps falling in love with a soulmate, starting a family, and eventually retiring in a comfortable manner. It made sense then from all the hortative speeches from the adults.

Except nothing in life goes as planned. There isn’t one universal prescription of life. The most unexpected twists and turns are the elements that shape the futures of our lives.

Yet, it is in this paradox that we find the beauty of life.

Embracing this unorthodox beauty of a paradox allowed me to grow and come to terms with unanticipated situations that occur on a daily basis. Life has been the biggest lesson I’ve had to learn in my college years, and even more since I graduated and found a job as a writer. Life truly never goes as planned, especially not in the long run. Plans I have made today for myself two or five years now, likely won’t take shape in the exact way I imagined them to be. Things happen and these things change the trajectory of the future. 

If I convinced myself into thinking nothing could go wrong, I would be stuck in mediocrity. The mere notion of constant change has to reflect in me, my actions and my outlooks, otherwise life would be pointless. If life changes, then so do I.

When life deals me with a blow, I have two choices in hand:

I can either grow from it or cower in the shadows and become a shadow of a person myself. 

There’s no matter time in this life now to stand up to the adversity life deals, bettering myself for the future. The lessons learned today affect the person I become tomorrow. I always try to be a better version of myself and take everything life deals in strides. If not today, then tomorrow. No one is perfect and I have to acknowledge my constant growth to see how life has shaped me and whether or not I like the person looking back at me in the mirror.

This is the beautiful enigma of life? I guess so.

Wherefore hast humanity fallen?

But truly I say,

Who are we as human beings if we ignore the suffering of others based on dogma and traditions?

Discrimination is still very much alive in society. In this era of social and political discontent, it seems we’ve forgotten to connect and understand others as humans of equal value. Although many groups suffer from discrimination, it’s easy to overlook the ones in the closet especially in countries where coming out is seen as a serious offence, and may even be held accountable to persecutions and legal sanctions. We have divided ourselves so much, each trying to prove a point, comparing whose God is mightier, whose rights are more important, whose feelings are relevant and valid to others. Why do we do this? Why are the ones who are different frowned upon for being “mentally unstable” or “confused” or “have lost their way from God”? Why are some of our brothers and sisters overlooked and not perceived as human because of they are transgender?

Why do some of us have to fear being sacked from our job because of differences? What if being fired puts us into a state of homelessness, where living on the streets and being impoverished is inexplicably threatening and is a root cause of anti-trans violence? Perhaps, maybe we are raised with our own values, religion, and beliefs, but tell me this. Does your value, religion, and belief encourage you to disregard another fellow human, a person who bleeds just the same like you and who lives on the same earth like you? Is it not taught in your scriptures to love one another? Or have you been suiting God’s scriptures to match your own values and beliefs that you are blinded and refuse to see the discrimination you’ve brought upon to others?

Pause. Stop, and think. I want you to picture a person living a life where they are in constant fear, and when they finally brave themselves to be out as an individual they identify as, and now they face discrimination from family, outsiders and society alike, would they feel safe on the street alone at night?

Are we forgetting that we are all, in the end, human, where each of us are connected spiritually, mentally, and physically with the solar system and gravity of the universe? Each decision we make determines how the rest of the world will function. Every choice one makes will have a direct impact on another individual, whether present in actuality or not, time will catch up and the past is not always friendly. How difficult can it be to commit to altruism in order to be genuinely rooted with compassion and the strength to stand beside all and show love? The world is our home. Humanity is our family. It’s all we have.

Every revolution devised in the past has changed the future one way or another, one in which creates failing interpersonal relationships with different countries. In the past until now, we have failed to lift the human spirit but instead created violence. We are so set out to fight about things we find unfair or unfit to standards, but in actuality, we are just setting our standards for humanity too high.

If cooperation and understanding existed between those who have the power to influence peace, there would be less corruption, unfair persecution and unlawful accusations. There would be less anger or resentment, but some were seeking to hold vengeance while others were taught to love one another with pride. Everything that divides us now was created in the past, but we allowed it to carry forward with us. With perpetual, irrational, and perilous behavior, we will always be divided and never be as strong as we could be together. Why? Where is the humanity?

Why you’re running out of time.

Over the past few months, I get questions from friends on how do I manage my time with the number of interests I hold and the amount of social groups I am affiliated with. Before I proceed any further, let me break down on what my priorities are — and you will notice how they are all related to each other in creativity and productivity.

Writing — Aside from my full-time job as a writer, I am working on my own novel project. Writing takes up most of my time and one of the few good things that came out of Covid-19 was the ability for me to work any time I wanted to. As long as I reached my daily quota ranging from 5 – 6 articles, that much is needed to get a day’s work done. At least 30 minutes is set aside for my personal project daily which includes (but not limited to) drafting, writing manuscripts, going through character developments, and sketching plot frameworks.

Reading — There’s a saying by Annie Proulx that goes “Reading is the finest teacher of how to write”, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s actually mandatory (though it doesn’t feel that way) for me to read a book or article every day. Other than improving my writing subconsciously, reading has given me an avenue to constantly question my thought process, my worldview, and my place in the world. Sparing time to read books on a particular subject aids in my thinking and ability to reason.

Gaming — Just as much as I write and read, gaming has been one of my favourite forms of escapism. I don’t game as often now to curb my addiction, but adding the interest to write game reviews have pushed me to game with a wider sense of purpose too. I am not just blindly playing a game for an adrenaline rush; it’s the sense of satisfaction I achieve completing the entirety of a game or 90% if not. I’m now monitoring my gaming hours and keeping it under control to a maximum of 3 hours a day. If I don’t game, that’s all good too.

Art — Art has been something I found tough to commit to given my main priority is my novel. The Art Discord server has been giving me inspirations to draw something once a month. They come with deadlines too, so that’s even better. One artwork probably isn’t a big deal for a month but it’s already a miracle for me to draw something.

Language — Language is something to be practiced every day. Even 20 minutes a day is better than nothing. I usually spend at least 30 minutes on Chinese. The days where I feel more confident than usual, I would try to complete a sub-lesson.

Why Do You Have So Little Time?

Now that my priorities are established, I want to reiterate that I am inactive on social medias, granted I am on Twitter and Discord but that’s also because I am using my laptop. I physically do not feel the need or want to use social media to engage in mindless debates and unproductive exchanges. 

The truth is we are all living differently. Some of us require more social interactions than others, hence would spend more time on our cellphones. There’s also the reality that very few of us are making real decisions like we should. A decision is a deal with your mind that no matter what happens, it has to be done. Therefore, when you say, “I should write”, you should immediately replace the “should” with “must”. Otherwise, your brain won’t take your intent seriously and it won’t “care” to help.

Trust me when I say that it’s not easy. Your mind really tricks you that the fun stuff is “more important” than your crafts. The hour you spent on scrolling Twitter, seeing a piece of “hot” thread, reading the tweets, seeing the vitriol expressed, and then sharing your own opinion? You could have spent that same hour in writing your book chapter or complete that manuscript you keep putting off for weeks.

It’s fundamental to understand that your willpower and self-discipline are two related traits that should be developed at the same time. Your willpower is the fuel of your actions. Your discipline is your ability to go past intrusive thoughts, comfort zone, and laziness. It requires consistent practice, so start small. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, it takes time, but giving up is not a choice.

But I Multitask, I Still Can’t Get Things Done

That’s because your focus isn’t in the right place. I learned the hard way that multitasking reduces my cognitive abilities. The human brain really only focuses on one task at a time. While the idea of multitasking is beneficial in some situations, it’s not ideal to incorporate that with important tasks. I realized my artworks and articles that had my full attention always turned out better than the ones I did while multitasking. Somehow giving all you have to a matter at hand improves its quality and your speed too.

I Don’t Multitask, I Still Get Distracted

Live updates on social media enables you to be on the current — and your workload piling and hobbies neglected. I won’t question your willpower but you can’t just train your mind to stay focused when it is in an environment full of distractions. Those YouTube tabs you have on your laptop? Possible distraction. Your phone notifications? Yeah. This is the one that should never disturb your attention. Turn off those notifications or switch it to silent mode, learn not to give in to idle texting because really, that can be done after your tasks. Social media apps too irresistible to ignore? I say delete. A bit extreme but if you are that hooked, that might be your saving grace action.

Careful, You Don’t Want To Be On Autopilot Mode

You don’t want to be just writing or reading just because you have to. You want to know why you are writing or why you are reading. You want to be mindful of the things that surround you. Mindfulness is something I’ve come to practice of late and still am learning to incorporate in my life. It’s nothing more than having a self-awareness, focusing your entire attention on the present moment. 

What I mean is, when you are writing, you are not thinking who is going to read what you wrote, you are not thinking about that nasty remark someone made about you, you are not thinking what are you planning to have for dinner. No. You are in the present. You are writing at this moment because you had thoughts of expressing yourself. Nothing else is in your mind but the words that are guiding your fingers to go with the flow and write on that piece of paper. 

It doesn’t matter what you focus on as long as your mind is in the present. Personally, I like to practice mindfulness in various situations: while I am washing the dishes, making a cup of coffee, taking a shower, or even reading. When your focus is prioritized on what’s happening now, you just naturally perform better in most of the situations. Of course you don’t have to take my word for it, but it doesn’t hurt to try. I’d really love to see you achieve things in life, little or big.

Good News, You Still Have Time

That’s all the more reason to make every minute count now. Until you let yourself be carried by your thoughts, immediate pleasures, fear, and pain, you will experience exactly what you “cultivate”. As the saying goes, “You reap what you sow” — It’s the universal cause-and-effect principle, every thought and feeling you experience and every action you take will kindle an effect. Sunshine or rainy days, that’s on you to decide.

Law and morality.

What makes a right ‘right’?

The concept of morality is relatively simple at its absolute core. It denotes conduct or duties based on what is right and wrong. Morality is considered to be the basis of character and is wrapped around ethics. Meanwhile, a law is the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties. 

My question for the day would be “Has it ever crossed your mind if the law should derive authority from morality?”. Hold that thought. Do not think of an answer just yet. Just try to think of a culture. A culture that regards the law of the land immutable and absolute. People who have this common strain of thought rooted in them have a natural tendency to say, “The law is the law,” and “That’s just how law works. It’s the law.”

I don’t necessarily think that the laws are evil. They are often necessary and conducive to a well-rounded, civilized society albeit often contrary to good sense and morality. Is it safe for me to say that people typically regard human laws to be fundamentally disconnected from morality? Or perhaps, they do not always form an association between these two ideas.

I stand by the opinion that laws ought to conform to and be derived from accepted standards of morality, which ultimately springs from human nature and reason. This view is regarded as the Natural Law Theory, and has been an object of speculation by philosophers and political theorists for years. According to Natural Law Theory, all people have inherent rights, conferred not by act of legislation but by “God, nature, or reason.” 

We are taught since childhood to respect authority. We are told to respect our elders, our parents, our teachers. We are instructed to respect police, legislators, the legal system. We are taught to respect the law. But then, we are also taught how often the law has failed us.

We learn about the laws that made women property, that treated rape as a theft against a man rather than an assault against a woman. We read about centuries of legalized slavery, followed by a Jim Crow era that condoned rather than condemned heartless racism and brutal assault. Call it a thread woven through the fabric of our nation – all of the times that the laws have been wrong. Morally wrong, ethically wrong, and often based in ideology that is factually wrong.

Political leaders talk about making the world a better place yet will most likely seek practical expedients to achieve their political ends, disregarding what may be considered virtuous in any moral, absolute sense. Political leaders have, or at least should have, one objective: to uphold the welfare of the state, over which they have dominion. This, however, doesn’t come without a grievous cost.

I am of the belief that most political leaders have lost touch with their moral sensibilities, combining law with what is good, virtuous, or moral. They seem to believe that law dictates morality, though it ought to be the other way around. The law is not absolute; it is a human convention. Morality may likewise be of this nature but, upon reflection, it seems to dwell closer to human nature, passions and sentiments.

To be precise, I am not here to define any specific ethical or moral theory. It is not always clear what is moral and what is not. I am here to say, however, that before law and policy makers execute or contrive the rules of the land, they must ask if it conforms to some standard of morality, or if they find it in agreement with their moral intuitions. This, I wonder, if it is a question those in power often ask themselves.

Many laws from the past are now considered immoral and heinous – slavery, women’s rights and Jim Crow Laws, just to name a few. Immigration is a sensitive topic, but it seems fundamentally immoral to shoulder the blame on immigrants, especially if they’re law-abiding and educated. It’s the government that needs reform. To scapegoat immigrants is fallacious and rash. But only after the crime is done, and the immigrants have been discarded and shamed, will we, just like with slavery, understand the malignity of our actions? I do hope it does not reach that point.

The reality is that sometimes laws, like the people who make them, are simply unethical. Not all, but still quite a handful. It is an inescapable reality and the best that we can do is stand up against injustice when we see it, and do our best to be better in the future because – There are people who just simply love to use alleged criminality as an excuse to condemn others. 

To illustrate:

A man stealing deserves to be shot.

A woman buying cocaine deserves to be imprisoned.

A protester who trespasses deserved to have “Mace” sprayed in their eyes.

If such is the reality, then let me ask, “Where is the humanity in our laws? Where is the humanity in us? If we can truly turn a blind eye to tremendous injustice simply because our laws condone it, then what is the point of democracy, of free will?”

I neither condone violence nor do I condone illegal behaviour. But I will far more strongly condemn actions that fail to recognize people’s humanity. I’m not interested in descending into anarchy, but I do think that we must be vigilant of what’s going around us. And we must never, ever stop fighting against the laws that fail us, as many have throughout history.

Remember how we were taught to respect our elders? We can respect them, but that does not mean letting them disrespect you. Maybe you don’t have to respect that one old racist aunt who calls you names and insults your family members simply because she is older than you. Maybe, laws aren’t right just because they have been written.

In the end, the essential question still stands: 

Should law-makers and political leaders be strictly concerned with the welfare of the state, which may be achieved by any means necessary, or should they also concern themselves with the metaphysics of human morals, which often play a deep-rooted role in our psychology and spiritual life?

Undoubtedly, we are all still searching for an answer. Being human is a given. But keeping our humanity is a choice. Remember what St. Thomas Aquinas said? “An unjust law is no law at all.” It’s something to think about.

Outgrowing friendships.

“But then I wondered if sometimes our friendships are a bit like clothes and when they start feeling uncomfortable it’s not because we’ve done anything wrong. It just means that we’ve outgrown them.” ―Zoe Sugg

You could spend years with mutual friends and still not know each of them behind closed doors. Special occasions could bring about everyone a special cocktail of memories and lingering vibes, then eventually everyone else goes about on their own ways. For one, friendships are one of the most (if not) complicated things for me, because no matter what I’ve done, I ask if I could’ve done better. I could hear a friend past midnight and would later still have room for doubts if I am showing them enough love and care. 

Sincerity, brutal honesty, frankness are utter hell for a doubtful yet understanding heart. Those qualities of mine would have been better suited for thick-skinned friends. My frankness would have a blast surfing the waves with conversations among like-minded individuals. Except not every one in our social groups can swallow a red pill. Especially when your red pill is laced with love but it ends up giving them the complete opposite effect, that they just don’t want to be hit with facts. They just want to be upset because nothing we say, can change how they think. Real tough.

Have a moment to yourself. I want you to think of all the friends you have met and known. Some you’ve known longer than the rest, some you’re still getting to know. There are also the ones you don’t talk often to but when you do, it’s the best moment of your life, and they bring out the best in you even in your darkest moments. Mentally or on a paper, list out your friends. Now highlight the names that share that mutual commitment to the friendship — those who reciprocate respect and support the things that matter to you.

Something like, “Hm, Alan gets my dark humour. Blake is the precious cinnamon roll who tries her best to make me smile. Cameron says he shares the same sentiments as me…” It goes on. Don’t ponder on who do you like better because you do care for them regardless. The names without the highlights — who are they? Why do their names come to mind?

The reasons are plenty.

Either you have known each other in high school and you feel bad for leaving them behind, or this person saw you through a difficult time and you “owe” it to him to stick around… even when he’s still the same since 14. Now this is concerning because everyone else grows.  You’ve changed as a person. Why has he stayed the same person since the first time you have known each other? Why is he not growing as a person?

First of all, you are not writing ABC’s anymore. You’re not wearing the same clothes from 10th grade, so why are you holding on to the friendship? Maybe, you are both feeling the same way. Maybe, the other side isn’t aware. Eventually, someone has to draw the line and walk away. You don’t “owe” anything to that person who was there for you as long as you have thanked them sincerely. Believe me, they will appreciate your honesty.

Let’s say you have an old, wasted cell phone that keeps freezing every now and then, even though you have more than enough money to actually buy a new cell phone. But you’ve had this cell phone for years; it’s been with you through thick and thin and it’s still with you for nostalgic reasons. Also, do you actually need a new cell phone? You’d think after so many oh-my-cellphone-is-randomly-crashing-again episodes, you would be wiser to get yourself a new one. It’s rather similar to friendships. 

Why in the world are you still browsing at hoodies, gawking at celebrities and having lattes with this person who is dragging you down? There is absolutely no reason for you to invest in that friendship. You have done your part trying to bring the best out of them. They are not taking it. Stop giving them that time and energy; give those to someone who would reciprocate. You are not responsible for these kind of people. It is not fair for you to hold onto them for fear of hurting their feelings. 

Deep inside, you know yourself better. You know when you have outgrown the friendship. Because the reality is people change, they grow as life goes on. You are growing, your core values and beliefs are changing. When you change, certain friendships can’t withstand that change. If a friend changes (and I meant for the worse) and you’ve tried, and you can’t handle how much they have changed, you can always move on. If it doesn’t work anymore, it doesn’t work. To pretend isn’t grown up.

I don’t think for a moment that anyone actually predicts that when a friendship fall out would happen precisely. I earnestly believe that once people all spend some time apart, there’s a possibility to rekindle something in the future. You never know how these things work out in life. Question is, How do you walk away? It’s a painful process. It hurts because the friendship served its purpose in its time, but now there’s no longer a need for it. It hurts even more because despite all the class lectures, group meetings, social gatherings, and late-night conversations on a beach; you were all integrated in each other’s lives from quite a young age. So how does one deal with outgrowing friendships?

Perhaps the most logical and constructive way to work through this is honesty. Have a mature conversation about it but don’t expect the other party to have the same opinion like you. There are possibilities that if the friendship has become dysfunctional or weak, the conversation may not end well or get cut off midway. Mentally prepare yourself for what might come such as some manipulation, gaslighting, social media slandering, and other drama (or if none of that happens, that’s great). As painful as that would be, it would be your definitive evidence of why the friendship should have ended. It just overstayed its welcome.

A face-to-face talk is undoubtedly the best way to go about this. Express your feelings clearly and truthfully, but if you feel strongly about texting instead (especially when circumstances do not allow you to meet), then do that. No matter how you go about with your words, avoid blaming and try your best to come from a place of love and compassion. Another plausible way is to let the friendship whither on its own. Stop pushing yourself to make the relationship grow if it doesn’t want to. Eventually it will wilt once you stop watering it. Your friend may or may not contact you asking what’s going on, and when that happens, tell the truth. Don’t ghost.

And I know it’s tough to talk with a person who is not confrontational at all, especially when it comes to matters that they have caused out of neglect or not thinking rationally. Remember, just because an individual is poor with confrontations, that does not excuse not talking to the respective person about it to deal with the conflicts. In the first place, it wouldn’t have to be confrontational if people could be direct about their feelings and take things with a grain of salt. Nothing has to be ugly unless one makes it out to be.

Whichever way you choose, I want you to not look back on it. In any case, I would like to pat your back for standing in integrity in such a situation where you know you’ve ended things in the best way possible. There is no reason for you to be tolerating or trying to nurture a friendship that doesn’t empower you, inspire you, and make you a better person. I think it’s time you meet another because you’ve gone too long without a smile. An unfulfilling friendship that has been going on aimlessly is essentially life clutter you need to sort out. The names that I’ve asked you to think about, who matters now?

Rekindling an old passion.

“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” —Albert Einstein

It is almost surreal that I am writing about rekindling an old passion. While I love arts and had always leaned towards the creative aspect of life, I loved Science and Math. Unfortunately, I was quite the daydreamer and slacker during my high-school years. It wasn’t until I started living alone and working as a writer that I was able to rekindle my old passions.. Games. Science. Art. Reading. For this blog post, I will talk about Physics, specifically.

Having grown up beside my father, that man has always been a man of few words. To my father, his life was dedicated to Physics, followed by test tubes, pipettes, and atoms. Essentially, I was inquisitive even though I never quite understood what Physics truly was then. But not knowing what it was never stopped me from questioning life and how light can be a particle, wave, and sometimes, even both simultaneously.

My questions gradually became more complex when I entered university. I started to learn more about quantum physics on my own. My father’s cupboard stacked with a plethora of Sci-fi books helped deepen that curiosity further, and books from Isaac Asimov just shaped me to be, dare I say it, the most organized, detail-oriented person I know—at least, I feel that way.

I love order and things to be approached methodically. However, I noticed that even when I planned things perfectly, the most unexpected things would come up and I would find myself scrambling to pick up the pieces. It makes me ponder, maybe, humans never had control from the start. 

Anyway, I suppose I could say I love Physics as it explains the World in its entirety. It holds countless beautiful and elegant theories, intriguing concepts and problems.. I could go on. I am no Physics expert, nor would I consider myself to be a bright individual. I can only say that as someone who has studied a good deal of Physics on my own since I started working, I simply love Physics more than I did before is through all the textbooks, sci-fi books, problem-solving, calculations.. and the sense of wonderment from finding an answer to a question. It’s fulfilling.

I struggled with Physics back in high-school because I was far too young, far too clueless then not to appreciate its technical and mathematical side of it. Was I fascinated by the theories? Enamored. It’s wild to think how years can fly so fast and you can grow to love something that you used to be terrified of. Believe me, if you haven’t done pages of equations just to find a little mistake in your first line, you really haven’t done Physics. Absolutely frustrating but, the output is immensely rewarding; that feeling you get when you solve a hard problem or understand a difficult topic is blissful. Practice physics enough and it is possible (not a certainty) that you will derive great pleasure from it. 

When such pleasure is from logic, what’s not to love?

What the world’s made of.

Good morning, it’s me again. I surprised myself in being able to maintain my own schedule for personal interests amidst working from home and managing my freelance work. I haven’t fully thought about what to write this morning but since I’ve been caught up with a lot of Isaac Asimov’s books, I might as well just talk about the World.

My mind wanders on its own and asks if the World we live in, is it simply logical or illogical?

The World itself looks bleak to me. Even before I answer that question, what exactly does ‘This World’ or ‘Our World’ mean? Is this an ontological question or a humanistic one? Perhaps it is safe for me to assume that such words indicate the “World of Humanity”.

The difficulty otherwise would be that logic and illogic cannot be ascribed to the world or the physical environment as a whole now, I suppose. To me, treating logic as a noun, it simply refers to an abstract quality which humans can identify as a property of thinking, and ‘logical’ is an adjective humans employ in order to attach that quality to other ideas, of which we have few examples except our own.

I simply cannot ascribe logic to a river or a mountain or even an interstellar medium. But I like to think I can ascribe it to the idea of a water cycle, a belief in plate tectonics, or a quantum field theory. That being said, majority would consider that our World is full of logical and illogical ideas, judged against a criteria of logic which we construct.

Now if this is a humanistic inquiry, then of course, human beings, as far as I know, we have never – and will never – be seen to behave or act logically when judged against any abstract logical criteria we devise, not unless that logic can be composed of an integrated and comprehensive psychological and sociological theory of humanity.. whereupon the question becomes a tautology (which logic usually is). It’s wild, isn’t it?

I am skeptical by nature, but who’s to say I am not hopeful? To me, the World is by definition, logical. If you are thinking otherwise, say let us assume the World is the latter, that it is illogical – now that would mean that the statement “The World is illogical” would be a true statement. Now if that statement is the true statement, that also means it is not a false statement too. To put things into clearer perspective, I am stating that the World is not both logical and illogical at the same time. It simply cannot be. If that is true, then the World is obeying the law of non-contradiction, a logical law. That means, no matter what the answer to the question if the World is a logical or illogical one, you must conclude that the universe is logical.

If someone says the World is illogical, does it not speak of contradiction? If you say so, you are making a logical argument that it is true, and that the World is illogical – it defeats itself.