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peterxpark

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Servant leadership 3 years ago

I would recommend Turn the Ship Around! by David Marquet, former submarine captain who effected a significant turnaround on their nuclear submarine. He empowered his chiefs to take more ownership and responsibility and the rest of the crew. I think it reflects more realistically how things go and I really appreciate his side comments at getting pissed off at subordinates and the allure of being the "captain in charge giving orders". He also mentions the need for technical competence and also clear direction from leadership for this to work.

As a son of Korean entrepreneur immigrants, I can say that many of them work less than minimum wage per hour at their business. These bets can work out but it can also be worse than their employees.

Personally, I think it's a huge issue that many people are terrified of power. That drive just goes underground and comes out likely in unhealthy ways then whether it's self-denial or self-righteousness (aka canceling) others. How to address the problem of self-delusion is through wisdom practices and caring for others.

I also trained at the same place as Tasshin (hi tasshin!)

MLK Jr. also addressed the same phenomenon:

"Now a lot of us are preachers, and all of us have our moral convictions and concerns, and so often have problems with power. There is nothing wrong with power if power is used correctly. You see, what happened is that some of our philosophers got off base. And one of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power have usually been contrasted as opposites - polar opposites, so that love is identified with a resignation of power, and power with a denial of love.

It was this misinterpretation that caused Nietzsche, who was a philosopher of the will to power, to reject the Christian concept of love. It was this same misinterpretation which induced Christian theologians to reject the Nietzschean philosophy of the will to power in the name of the Christian idea of love. Now, we've got to get this thing right. What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love. And this is what we must see as we move on. What has happened is that we have had it wrong and confused in our own country, and this has led Negro Americans in the past to seek their goals through power devoid of love and conscience. "

http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2011/01/dr-martin-luther-k...

I've tried a lot of different things over decades. And, after countless experimentation, I'm still at the same place...

I store data all over the place.

I have Evernote for long book notes and tracking financial data.

I'm using notion right now as my base of notes for learning how to build a cabin (toggles and embedding videos is wonderful).

I tried to really use roam and its off-shots for a while but could never really get into it.

And i use a new txt file all the time. Anytime I don't know what I need or going to do. And 90% of the time, I never look at them again but they're all in my one synced folder.

At the end of the day, I keep thinking I'll settle on one solution but I'm doubtful that's ever going to be true.

I'd say this is the mantra humanity has used for over 2,000 years and part of the issue.

It's not so much that I'm saying technological development is bad. Obviously we won't stop making new tech. It's that the larger context in which that tech development is happening is toxic, is not oriented towards health or wellbeing for everyone. The incentives are all perverted.

I'm not a scientist so if I'm incorrect, I would love to know.

But given the current rate of accelerated use of carbon fueled technologies, how realistic is it that carbon capture technology will catch up within the next decade or less? How certain can we be that such technology won't lead to an even worse problem?

Everything I've seen says carbon capture is a moonshot idea. I'd say Elon Musk has a better shot at populating Mars in 20 years than carbon capture saving us. And even if it is a solid mitigation technique, there still is the issue that we develop this god-level of technological power while have completely underdeveloped and underfunded social/cultural/economic/psychological development of the humans developing and wielding it. Most likely we'll just create a bigger existential threat down the line.

Admittedly i wasn't writing a through essay response. To elaborate, I'm saying that the exponential rise of technology coupled with the same exact type of mind our ancestors had 2,000 years ago is a significant source of the issue right now. The solution to create even more powerful technology to solve this problem will likely only lead to a bigger problem in the future.

What we don't spend relatively anywhere close to same level of energy and effort is creating, developing, funding ways to shape the human culture, values, and mind that underlies this relentless (and in many cases unfulfilling and self-destructive) pattern of looking to technology to solve everything.

It's a hard challenge for sure but I don't see any alternative solution.

Jordan Hall and Daniel Schmachtenberger talk a lot about this as one source to go deeper.

(side note, I live full time in a residential, monastic small community in the country side. Our carbon footprint is tiny for our size and we have daily conversations on this type of thing. We haven't "solved" it but this is a issue close to my heart I've dedicated my life to.)

The tragedy is the growing consensus that the world is going to shit and it's our fault. Even worse is that all this technology, social media, and so on isn't even making us more happy or fulfilled. Yet, most just sit on their hands not doing much at all. Content to eek out what comfort and pleasure we can get now and try our best to ignore the knowledge that devastation awaits us.

It's amazing that in tens of thousands of years, we've developed the power of gods yet have the same minds. And if anything our culture and values in many ways have gotten worse.

The solution to all of this mess isn't going to come from the same mindset that created the same problems (looking at you carbon capture tech).

What's needed most is an entire global shift in what we value and a concerted effort and funding to make that happen.

I'm a little confused what this article is trying to say besides being on a peak state high doesn't mean much when it comes to really changing things. Don't get self-deluded about yourself by having a peak state experience.

If we are saying "enlightened" as in a general broad category of shift in mentality/emotions/peak state then that's one thing. If we're talking about a technical term that is used specifically within certain traditions then that's a different thing. I think it's very problematic that in a lot of people conflate the two as the same thing.

Even Buddhists who spend the decades realizing enlightenment still continue training to deepen. It's still possible to re-enter delusion after awakening.

And most real meditation masters I know do not make any claims about enlightenment meaning you're now a great ruler or CEO or something. That would be the Halo Effect.

You would also need to account for long term capital gains tax being at most 20% cap which is where much of the wealthy make the bulk of their wealth. And if you have a good accountant then you can easily find ways to even offset this.

While in general, I agree with not announcing plans until they're finished, I do have two counterpoints

1) A year ago, I announced to in-person friends and on FB eliminating certain foods from my diet. Afterwards, it was easy because I could always remember I publicly announced it. Last year, it was chicken. This year, I added pork, soda, and processed meats. Haven't touched them since.

2) If it's very tangible and concrete then I find it works well. I announced writing daily for 30 days on my blog and successfully did it.

But yeah, general plans like I'm going to start a business or workout more usually fizzle out after the initial excitement.

tDCS is not a new technology by any means.

I did a week long retreat last year using a prototype tDCS device made specifically as a beta for helping mindfulness practice. I found it useful as an aid definitely in relaxation and as a byproduct for focusing. I would do it more often if they figured out a cheap, sustainable way to put the electrodes on the head without all the gels/sponges/etc.

I have a terrific new naturopathic doctor who actually cares about my health and will run blood panels frequently and let me know what lifestyle changes and supplements would help me. I never knew before that I was deficient in zinc. Before her though, most of my doctors were of the bland "if you aren't in extreme pain then it's not a problem" camp.