483 versus 500

Pixabay

The other day I decided to count the number of blogs I’ve written over the years and the current count is 483*. What was interesting about this exercise is my first thought wasn’t that this is a respectable body of work or to simply reflect how far I have come, but rather“500 blogs would be a more satisfying number”.

As I reflect on the journey to get to 483, I can still remember early on in my blogging efforts being questioned (in a rather aggressive way) why I would write blogs instead of doing other things to drive my business interests forward. Answers such as proving domain expertise, developing content for my social channels, improving my writing skills, and attempting something I had never done before were met with skepticism. Still I kept blogging. One person, who worked for a UK Newspaper said my writing style was, “comfortable; like falling into soft pillows”. And still I kept blogging.

500 blogs now hangs in the air. Why is 483 not good enough? It’s 96.6 % of 500, and on a test that would be impressive by anyone’s standards. Is it because of some misguided sensibility for even numbers or that 500 seems more powerful in some way? I think it simple reflects a desire to progress.

prog·ress

noun /ˈpräɡrəs/ forward or onward movement toward a destination

verb /prəˈɡres/move forward or onward in space or time.

As a noun or a verb, it speaks to forward or onward movement and with it, the opportunity to develop the discipline, actions, and character for growth. The underlying golden rule of any progress is you need a goal; something to move you toward. And for the pessimists in the group, yes goals are also involved to regress, but most people who are stagnating tend not to realize the goal they have set for themselves. Progress is growth, and a growth journey is where the joy and fulfillment are found; even when the goal is a challenge. Stagnation not so much.

Ultimately the idea of 500 blogs was a result of an innate desire I have to progress; to keep moving the bar, to keep growing — to keep the journey going! And if you are saying to yourself, “500 blogs is really more of an objective”, you would be correct. In the end though, like a goal, it’s just another tool for moving forward.

Progress is everything and maybe really the only thing for a successful journey. And to that end, I have an objective to bench press 200 lbs by the end of the year — if I’m having a good day and my shoulder isn’t bothering me, I think I have a shot. No matter what… PROGRESS!

iamgpe

*the 483 does not include anything I have written for others.

Reflections — a "poor philosopher"

As I creep closer to one hundred years on this planet, I find myself wondering if I could hit such a lofty goal healthier than ever, but mostly I find myself freeing up white space to think and reflect on things.

At my core, I’ve determined that I’m equal parts, “a poor scientist” and “a poor artist” — a curious combination, although if I look at this as a Venn Diagram, the section that overlaps has offered a wonderful commercial career in the biotechnology and healthcare field. To this day, I meet smart and interesting people, who have challenged me in wonderful ways, I’ve laughed often, cried occasionally, and done some things that still endure today.

I’ve recently determined a third part, a third circle in my Venn Diagram that has started to find its way onto the page — I am affectionately calling this “a poor philosopher”.

Where did this come from? I believe it started when I read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and began a journey to understand the ego, explore the ideas of other philosophers such as Alfred Adler, and ask, “What if everything I know and how I think is wrong?” I’ve always been a proponent of different perspectives and voices to find a better solution but now want to challenge the way I look at things and my critical thinking in different ways. There is a realization that my poor philosopher is crucial to protect my agency in the age of AI and to combat the doublethink and multitude of influencers that have found their way into every social feed.

My first-year philosophy course suggested I am on the right path when I say, “I’m a poor philosopher” — this is fine because I am now looking at the intersection in a three-circle Venn Diagram. It is here that the sum will be greater than its parts.

What will this look like? It’s part of the journey and still coming into focus, but I do know it will be one part science, one part art, and one part philosophy.

iamgpe

The Age of Insecurity — a perspective

As a matter of course, I always have a number of books on the go. As a generalization they fall into two categories: mind candy in the form of science and fantasy fiction and more serious works such as autobiographies, philosophies and current topics of importance — basically, fun or serious. My latest “serious book” is entitled The Age of Insecurity by Astra Taylor (part of the CBC Massey Lectures).

As I started into the first chapter entitled Cura’s gift, who as an aside is the Roman goddess that embodies care, concern, anxiety and worry, there was just something that wasn’t sitting right with me — and it had nothing to do with a questionable divinity. As I put the book down, all I could wonder is if there’s an Age of Insecurity as the title suggests, that would mean there has been an Age of Security. Also, the word insecurity just seems to be one of those modern words favoured in rhetoric that has no interest in the depth and nuance of things.

What I find challenging is I don’t believe there has ever been an Age of Security and being secure is simply not part of the evolutionary model on this beautiful blue planet. To suggest that insecurity is something that is a negative and not the very thing that has brought us to the height of our civilization is misguided at best.

Insecurity or as I prefer to say, “discomfort”, is the motivator that drives change, adaptation, new ways of doing things, and is the very security we are looking for. If you are a fan of Charles Darwin, you can simply defer to survival of the fittest or at the individual level — if the current situation is uncomfortable, it is the driver to change the situation. Mother Earth has never offered security, and that simple fact has us all working to find a way to strive for enough security to leave our mark. To leave the impression that security is a right of life simply creates a complacency and denies the development of the very tools needed to be successful.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am not suggesting it is fair, but rather saying to suggest that it is any different is problematic for developing the very tools to make your way and be successful. Arguably, more than any time over the past 150,000 years, it is easier for us to find security when it comes to our basic needs and the ability to thrive. In fact, I would also suggest if you are feeling secure, you should search out discomfort and keep your skills sharp because things change — you lose your job, a flood destroys your house, civil unrest happens, you are replaced by AI, et cetera.

I believe in a culture with a helping hand, I just don’t want it to come with a message that is contrary to the Human Condition and suggesting otherwise guarantees problems. It is quite possible I have totally misunderstood the message of The Age of Insecurity and will follow-up to let you know.

As I have said before, “Get Comfortable with being Uncomfortable” — it will serve you well.

iamgpe