Hey uguba ndubuisi, I hope you're safe and healthy.
I spent the last few weeks in Alaska, including 10 days fully unplugged from the internet. If you get a chance to visit, it's stunningly beautiful. I was surprised by how untouched and unpopulated the state remains.
During the visit, I wondered whether the proliferation of remote work would lead to an increasing population over time. Not only is Alaska beautiful, but it offers zero income tax and fewer regulations.
The winters are brutal in many places, but it seemed like one of the few states in the US that I've visited that's still ripe with opportunity and a level of freedom that you simply don't get in most places.
Why I Write
George Orwell's piece, "Why I Write," is one of the best short stories about writing that I've stumbled across.
In the piece, he discusses a few ideas worth meditating on:
- The four potential motivations for a writer: sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, and political purpose.
- How the time in which you live is the biggest factor in determining what you write about.
- How your writing evolves as you master the craft.
- How your childhood influences your motives and style of writing.
In a time when most articles feature click-bait titles and hollow advice, this is a piece that offers a unique perspective and ideas that nurture the mind.
Monogamy & the 40-Hour Work Week
In the latest episode of the Sh*t You Don't Learn in School Podcast, Steph and I dive deep into traditions, the societal defaults that shape how we think and act in the world.
We start by exploring the origins of the 40-hour work week, modern alternatives, and how we can rethink the idea of retirement.
In the second half of the episode, we explore how the ways in which commonly held beliefs about monogamy, love, and marriage may not set people up for the life they want to live.
If you're interested in questioning the norms and designing a life that works for you, this episode is worth a listen.
Books, Books, Books...
If you've been reading this newsletter for a while, it will be no surprise that I think developing the habit of reading is the most valuable skill that you can adopt in adulthood. But I won't bore you with that lecture.
In Alaska, I reignited my flame with reading and cruised through a few books. At this point, I'm trying to focus on books that have stood the test of time and that might help me gain a better perspective on the world.
Part of this penchant for the past is because I feel inundated with information that's myopic and influenced too deeply by recent history. So while I'm not sure if I would recommend all of the books below, they were all interesting in their own way.
I'll publish my notes on many of these soon.
Letters From a Self-Made Merchant to His Son
This book is from a 19th century self-made businessman who tries to shape the thinking of his son. While much of the language and ideas are outdated and insensitive, much of what Lorimer has to say is just as applicable to today as it was to the late 1800s. I found his advice about how to be a good manager and motivate people particularly useful and timeless. At his core, Lorimer is trying to prevent his son, who was born into much more abundant circumstances than himself, from becoming a spoiled brat.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
This odd tale is a fun read. I'm not an avid science fiction reader, but this was my second attempt after the Ender's Game series at expanding my reading list to new domains. I'm not sure I took many practical lessons from this book, other than how little we understand about the world and how silly it is to try to figure out things like "the meaning of life."
What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars
This book dives into the story of Brendan Moynihan, a formerly successful trader who lost it all on one big bet that he held onto for too long. I enjoyed this book because it covers fundamental lessons for investing over the long run – separating your identity from of your results, learning to control your losses, and avoiding the trap of thinking that your successes are the result of your unique genius. If you're an active investor in any capacity, this book is worth a read, especially if you've been doing well lately.
Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi
I have no idea how I started reading this book, but it was interesting. It covers the life of George Devol, a crude gambler who traveled around America getting in fights and duping people out of their money. Like Letters from a Self-Made Merchant, the language may make you cringe, but if you can get past that, I found George's way of living interesting in part because it's so wildly different from my own. Through vignette's about taking money from "suckers," he showcases a subtle moral code of a lifestyle and time that I'll never live or fully understand. His story also shows how our tendency to be greedy and get fooled has always been there.
I loved reading this short story while navigating Alaska for the first time. In it, Jack London shows the transformation Buck, a domesticated dog who must learn how to survive in the harsh world of the wild. The story is told from the perspective of Buck, who represents how changing circumstances can lead to radical inner and outer transformations. Buck's story also shows just how far the domesticated life can take a person or an animal from his or her natural state of being.
Thanks for tuning in, and see you in two weeks.
Cheers,
Cal
No comments:
Post a Comment