Essays and Thoughts
I don't know whether it's Americans, Math people, or my suite mates, but people around me say "That's Valid" all the time. —Me disassembling my laptop after working on the same Pset question for 3 hours. "That's Valid." —Me feeling depressed and wanting to jump off my dorm naked. "That's pretty Valid." —My talking about … Continue reading That’s Valid
It's too complicated to decide how to make the most of life. I've decided to throw all considerations away and leave only Love. Optimize for the capacity to give and receive love. That is, learn to love and be someone who's lovable. This points to... Care for others Listen Tell the truth Write and read … Continue reading Love and Life Optimization
We’re almost all privileged. I certainly am. With privilege accompanies a certain guilt. The guilt that comes from the realization that I did nothing to earn what I have. I did not choose my parents, my times, my body. I didn’t even choose to be born. Why do I deserve such a good deal? What … Continue reading Dealing with Privilege
A mysterious question that has been bugging me for ages: How exactly do we think thoughts?—especially good ones? The unsatisfyingly default answer: "We direct our attention to whatever we want to think about, and with enough concentration, good thoughts manage to shoot out, kinda like how we squeeze out the last bit of toothpaste from … Continue reading How To Think
A short piece that I wrote for a UChicago friend. She probably didn't expect the reply to be so long when she asked me "What is the meaning of life?" and "What is the meaning of love?" But you don't get what you want in life. You get what you need. "Well, I got an … Continue reading Meaning of Life. Reprisal.
Well, one of my UChicago friends asked me this. And here's my reply. I don't think she expected it to be this long. Nor do I believe instagram is designed for this kind of communication, but such is life. Answer to “What is the meaning of life?” and "What is the meaning of love?" I don't … Continue reading Art, the Antidote to Meaninglessness
Beauty is not in the beholder nor the beholden. It is in the subject-object complex, where the two reciprocal rejoind each other in their expressivity and receptivity. It is the same for art. A work of art is not art. Only when a work of art enters humanity (with humans recognizing the mystery and meaningfulness … Continue reading Art Happens
Watching Borges, I cannot but be struck by his extreme graciousness, his humor, his honesty, his lack of pride, and his magical smile. (Here's the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj4kajdoSfc&t=3826s&ab_channel=EDITRAMA) There I see a lover of the world without hatred, envy, or the natural tensions of the lover; no chip on one’s shoulder, or apple above one’s head. … Continue reading Borges. The Person, the Übermensch
A Strange Idea: The worst crime Zoom classes are committing against humanity is depriving kids those real-life serendipitous opportunities to fall in love.
(Some thoughts on how one can define the good life) An interpretation of the Trinity: there is no supreme value that we have to pursuit at all cost. But rather, the proper path emerges out of the interactions between several values we hold in high esteem. Translating back to theology, there is no unitary God, … Continue reading Truth, Goodness, Beauty
Warren's Brain Dumps 