On the vagueness of desire

On the vagueness of desire

The modern human is obsessed with achievement. Yet, how clear are we about what that is? The desire to ‘achieve’ — unlike the desire for food when hungry — often lacks specificity. Defaulting to some vague idea of more, ‘achieving’ is usually a confused,...
The mind games we play

The mind games we play

Human interactions rarely happen along a single dimension. Even simple, everyday conversations require significant context and cultural knowledge to be understood. Who is saying the words, what is the manner of expression, where are they being spoken, and why? Yet,...
The authenticity trap

The authenticity trap

I recently saw someone wearing a T-shirt with the words “just be yourself” sprawled across the front. Well intentioned I suppose, but it was missing the crucial point. Because to just be yourself, you must first really know yourself. For, how can you...
Chasing the remarkable

Chasing the remarkable

We are obsessed with the ‘remarkable’ —the special and the extraordinary — which we so desperately crave. Yet, there really is nothing more unremarkable than chasing the remarkable — than unconsciously and unquestioningly chasing some idea of ‘special’ that everyone...
On having no goals

On having no goals

The modern human is obsessed with pursuing all manner of life goals — happiness, success, achievement, or whatever else. Goal-orientated living has become so commonplace that even the idea of having no goals seems unthinkable. To look ahead and plan is of course very...