Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Ideal is not ideal

Life is interesting because it is not straightforward. We want to be in the ideal state, but being in the ideal state is probably not ideal. It's like many phenomena in nature. Being in equilibrium is like being in the ideal state. When there is a pressure difference in the atmosphere, the air moves so as to reduce the pressure difference and we call this movement ‘wind’. However, if this equilibrium is maintained, then there will be no wind, which is not nice, or lifeless. If the pressure difference were allowed to build up, then the wind that is formed might be too strong and become an unfriendly wind. Thus, it is not about reaching and remaining at the ideal state but the gentle oscillations about the ideal state at comfortable amplitude of oscillations.

Tuesday, June 29, 2004


The word 'suffering' was mentioned on Sunday. Am I suffering? By what standard do I measure or compare against? Comparing to those starving in Africa, how can I say that I am suffering? However if I ask is my conscience at ease? Am I able to answer ‘yes’ comfortably? Then, if my conscience is not at ease, how can I say that I am not suffering? In a way, if we are not able to live a life of the highest moral standard, our conscience will not be at ease. Thus, deep inside us, we are actually suffering.

Then, there are probably two main ways to reduce the suffering, by living a life of the highest moral standard, or by ignoring the voices from our conscience.

Friday, June 25, 2004

Perceived reality vs true reality

Sometime, it may be nice to question if some of our perceived likes and dislikes are truly what we like and dislike. For many years, I thought I don't like to eat vegetables. One day, I asked myself why don't I like to eat vegetables. Then I realized that it is not I myself who doesn't like to eat vegetables, but probably, I was somehow influenced by my family members that I don't like to eat vegetables. All along at home I only use spoon during meal time. Spoon is not suitable to scoop vegetables. Thus, I tend not to scoop vegetables. This was observed and concluded by my family members that I don't like to eat vegetables. Then, quite often they make comments about me not liking vegetables and try to encourage me to eat more. Eventually, I was influenced to belief that indeed I don't like to eat vegetables.

Similarly, when a small boys and girls are 'naughty' from our perspective, I think it is bad to mention to them that they are naughty. If the 'naughty' act or intention is way above their existing intelligence, I would say that they were not 'smart' enough to want to be naughty, but probably they thought behaving in such ways could fulfill certain of their desires. Isn't this call innocent? However, if we indicate to them that they were naughty, in a way, they will learn this concept of being naughty and soon gain the intelligence to be naughty, intentionally.

Thursday, June 24, 2004

Give and take actions

Today the company Informatics announces the resignation of its CEO. I did a Google search on the new CEO. Interestingly, he treats a company in a similar approach as a doctor treats a patient. I also have similar thoughts. In the chinese medicine, it stresses on the smooth flow of 'qi' and 'xue'. In economics, I feel that it is important to have the smooth flow of resources. In enviroment, an important issue is the smooth flow of H2O, heat, etc. (just watched the 'Day after tomorrow' movie recently) Between a couple, communications, or a smooth flow of love is essential.

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Generation gap

Was with a bunch of kids last Saturday. I wonder the term 'generation gap' is a modern term or not. Imagine during the ancient times when there is probably no changes in the lifestyle between the time a grandfather was 12 years old and the time his great grandson is 12 years old, did people then have any idea of this term 'generation gap'? May be, but surely not as intense as today. The world and culture is changing so fast. It is very easy for two persons of a age difference of 10 or 5 years to feel the gap between them. What about parents? Some parents tried to close the gap by becoming friends to their children. It is not easy, and I also wonder, when the parents became friend of the kids, who then is their parents? Any suggestions, people?
I am considering these:
- build good bonding between a group of families of different generations, then both the children and can learn from the slightly elder ones. Because some practical advices that work 5 years back could already have become outdated.
- the elder ones cannot assume that the younger are experiencing and growing in a similar way as them, and therefore cannot expect the younger to understand them by default. Thus the elder ones, other than trying to listen to the younger, also need to tell and explain to them what happened during their times. Because this background knowledge helps the younger to better understand the advices and instructions given by the elder ones.
- traditional and conservative practices may not be good or practical in the present times. However, many new concepts and ideas are also worse than the traditional and conservative practices. So, don't blindly follow any of the traditional, conservative, new concepts, new ideas. Study and analyze the various practices according to some fundamentally correct principles (the pure conscience in each one of us knows what's that) and adopt the right way.

Friday, June 18, 2004

Ideal workplace

Have to spend more time closer to nature. I was enclosed by air-conditional filtered air almost the whole day. My ideal workplace: deep within forest or high up on mountain with an effective power source supplying a notebook with broadband communication to the internet. Won't I feel lonely, you may ask. Don't worry, when this is achievable, I'll not be the first one doing it and probably there'll be some other people around me in the forest or on top of the mountain.

Thursday, June 17, 2004

Endless cycle can have a beginning

Yesterday in a TV drama, a kid asked the adult relatives, "What is life?" Most responded without any answer until an aunt expresses her feeling by the illustration of the life cycle of water, rain from the sky ends up in the sea, sea water evaporates up to become clouds in the sky, clouds turn in to rain and falls on to the earth, and the cycle went on. From this natural phenomenon, I would like to mention two points.

For those who study ecology, the idea of cycle is very clear. A balance or harmonious cycle is very important. Now, most countries have strict custom control on the import of living creatures into their countries. However, this idea has not been formally brought to the other fields, especially in the manufacturing and invention field. When a new invention is being developed or a new product is being designed, the inventor and designer should include the consideration of keeping harmony. Is the raw materials used being threatened or a feasible way is proposed to maintain the amount of such raw materials? Is the by products or the item after its life time able to return to the nature properly. Sad to say, for so many years, especially in the recent century where technology advances greatly, almost all the products created are without the above considerations.

Such seemingly endless cycles might still stop when the harmony could not be maintained or when there is too great a disturbance. Thus, although it is possible for endless cycles to exist, the possibility for it to stop also exists. By similar reasoning, we could not say for sure that there isn't a starting point for such cycles. An example, the CPU fetch-execute cycle in computers. If the power supply can be eternal, then this cycle might also be endless. However, we know that there is a point at some earlier time this cycle started.

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Names reflect what is being valued

I like the names of some company that highlight the concept of solution provider. Recently, more and more I feel that 'problem oriented' is not a good way. Instead, it should be the reasons that brought about the problem being the main concern. Thus, we should be 'solution oriented', but must be clear that the solution is not to solve the problem, but to satisfy the reasons or needs that is behind the problems.

An example, if there is a part of a road that is not allowed to U-turn, but many vehicles do so. If this is viewed as a problem to the authority as the law is not being followed, the solution could be to set up some structure to block vehicle from doing so at that spot. If this is viewed as there exist the need for vehicles to U-turn, the solution could be to provide directions for the vehicles to proper alternatives that has the similar cost and outcome as illegally U-turn at that spot.

Between western and traditional medicine approaches, western is more 'problem oriented' that reduce the symptoms or the measured indicator of adnormalities, while traditional medicine looks at the status of the health and provides what is needed to achieve balance and harmony for the prevention of illness.
Hope the new look is good. Spent some time last few days on adjusting the template, thus used up the time to post.

Friday, June 11, 2004

Do whichever is more important

Few days back, I came across a comment made by a mother on her disagreement of another mother's decision of going out to work. Few weeks back, I realised that a friend who has 4 kids is baby sitting a baby for another friend, while she works outside. Fundamentally, I feel that parents' main responsibility is the upbringing of their children. However, if they are also holding an above family level role that benefit the larger society, then I feel that they should not give up their societal role and use 100% of the time for their family. Thus, the issue is about how to live a contributing life. Considering the great contribution in properly raising up children, I would like to suggest all working mother and girls/women who will become mother to reconsider. Is the time and effort spent on raising children or the preparation of it sufficient.

Similarly, for working fathers who claimed to be too tired to deal with their children after work is not proper. Between the role of providing financial support and the role of parenting, I think the latter should be more valued.

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Live by the rules

I was away from internet for a week. Just returned. Had a good time for self reflections and realignment. What kind of life should we live? I feel that the concept of eternity is very important. Since young, we were told to follow rules. However, many times once we thought we were outside the boundaries of the rules, we stopped following rules. The boundary could be geographical such as within a campus or country, or time limited such as before certain ages. There are rules without boundary. However, without the concept of eternity, all rules are bounded in time. Considering our eternal existence even after physical death, it is important for us to live properly.

An analogy: A secondary school student who understands the effects of his behavior matters long after graduation will be more serious in his study life than another who doesn't or understands otherwise. If our existence is temporal, it is eventually pointless to live a proper life.
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