March 9 - 12

Unrequited feelings - March 9

Unreciprocated attraction can be a discombobulating experience.

Nevertheless, when we dig into it, aren’t we grateful to get to experience this rush of feelings? Isn’t it incredible to be able to traverse the full range of the emotional spectrum? Isn’t life, with its mystery, its risks, its soaring highs and desolate lows, infinitely more enthralling than muted monotony?

We may initially feel disappointment when someone does not return our affections, but once we learn to embrace the feeling, it feels like an essential, irreplaceable, oddly beautiful part of the human experience. Sadness by itself does not cause suffering, nor is it even a negative feeling. It is simply a part of life that occurs every now and then – by recognizing its impermanence, we become aware of how it naturally subsides.

Heartbreak gives us an opportunity to be introspective and to delve deeply into our emotional tendencies and preferences. Through self-examination we gain a clear idea of where we currently are, and where we want to be. This provides the foundation and the impetus for us to move on.

We return to our best selves the most quickly by focusing on what we can control. By committing to and taking specific steps to improve our situation, we shift the narrative from what affects us to what we are affecting. This is the difference between feeling completely powerless and feeling unstoppable. Acting with purpose helps us accept that even though there are some things we cannot control, we are capable of managing our reaction, and make the most of our circumstances.

Disappointing events are a powerful motivator for personal growth. They awaken us to what is not perfect right now and compel us to take action. Given that we are willing to give full effort in effecting the change, we can almost always achieve an end result that is more ideal.

The End of Power - March 10

In The End of Power, Moses Naim explores how the decay of power is affecting governments, corporations, militaries, churches, and other institutions. He provides myriad examples to demonstrate that the weakening of traditional power structures is brought on by three trends: More, Mobility, and Mentality.

More relates to the abundance of materials, health, education, and freedoms we enjoy in modern times. We become more difficult to control when we are healthier and better educated. We also demand more from those in power when our basic needs are met and our personal safeties are guaranteed.

Mobility refers to the increasingly interconnected world, where people, information and assets move more easily. When we can choose to migrate to where we have the best options, we can influence how traditional power behave.

Mentality concerns the higher expectations and standards we have today. For example, we focus more on egalitarian principles such as rights and fairness, which are the result of demographic changes, increased education, and more free political systems. We aspire for more because we feel relatively deprived compared to our ideal environment.

Naim demonstrates a near-encyclopedic knowledge of history and current affairs in finding evidence to support his theory. He presents a well-researched and substantiated argument by drawing on countless examples of political, economic, and social systems, from ancient times to the modern day. Naim’s ideas are especially convincing because evidence continues to pile up around us. We only need to pick up a newspaper to see that street demonstrations led to the South Korean president’s impeachment, or how the US and China are increasingly constrained in battling each other because by their economic ties.

I would have liked to see the book explore one more idea. Since Naim discusses power decay and its implications, it would have been fascinating to also delve into the strategies that existing institutions can employ to maintain their power or to slow their decline.

Defying age - March 11

We are at a special period in history where we now have the technology to significantly extend the human lifespan. For much of recorded history, advances in disease prevention and medical treatment have accounted for much of the increase in life expectancy, from approximately 35 years up until the 1500’s to about 75 years in developed countries today. Even if we discount child mortality rates and premature deaths due to disease, we can only hope to live to 120 at most.

The current medical approach of eliminating one disease at a time is not feasible. Even if we were to miraculously develop a cure-all solution for age-related chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer or stroke, we would see a dramatic escalation of existing ones like Alzheimer’s disease. While treatments for existing diseases are necessary, we must seek other methods to extend the natural lifespan.

Medical researchers are tackling the ageing question in three ways. The first is to develop a method that can manipulate the central processes of the human body that control ageing. For example, cells constantly undergo division so as to replace themselves before they die. Each replication is not perfect and faults are passed down over time. One form of the damage occurs to the telomeres, the end parts of chromosomes. Each time a cell replicate, its telomeres become shorter until further replication becomes impossible. By controlling the speed of cell replication, we can program how quickly a person genetically ages.

Another method is to replace body parts over time. Stem cell research, with its potential to regenerate existing body parts and to create new synthetic ones, can allow us to live indefinitely. Advances in computing robotics technology may also be a viable for us to retain our consciousness in an artificial body the future. These technologies have huge moral and ethical implications and should be studied carefully.

Why Meditation? (Part 1) - March 12

The number of books and articles touting daily meditation as a miracle activity are manifold. Meditation has seemingly become a flexible solution for everything from stress relief to stimulating mental clarity to improving physical health.

However, does meditation does really provide measurable benefits and should you incorporate it into your daily life?

The most common form of meditation prescribed by health professionals is mindfulness meditation, which aims to relax the mind and reduce stress. In mindfulness meditation, you observe your breath and the sensations of your body. At the same time, you allow your thoughts to come and go, never dwelling on them. By practicing to focus on your physical sensations instead of your thoughts, you will find it easier throughout the day to return to a tranquil state and clear your mind.

Mindfulness meditation helps train you to be aware of your thoughts so you can reduce the overthinking that often leads to stress. It lets you recognize and detach from negative feelings by bringing you back to the physical world in that moment. This process results in less stress, greater concentration, as well as higher contentment.

The benefits of meditation for your physiology is backed by scientific research as well. Those who meditate regularly are measured to have higher levels of the neurotransmitters GABA, which are best known for stabilizing mood disorders and reducing anxiety and tension. Additionally, meditation has been shown to produce endorphins (boosts happiness), melatonin (increases restful sleep), serotonin (fights anxiety and depression), and decreases cortisol (the “stress” hormone).

Even if your hormones are already at healthy levels, it is worth investing your time to practice mindfulness meditation so that you better control your emotional state. Strengthening the mind is as important as strengthening the body. Mindfulness meditation teaches you to recognize when you are in a negative mood and empowers you to eliminate distracting thoughts and feelings so you can always be in your best state.