Light Insight #2
Sharing knowledge and valuable insights with an intellectually curious community
Insights
Woodworking as a way to rekindle my relationship with the material world. After reading Cam Newport's Digital Minimalism, I realized that I need to reassess my relationship with the online world. In his book, Newport explains how digital minimalists are reevaluating their use of social media, rediscovering the joys of the offline world, and reconnecting with their inner selves through periods of solitude. I took his advice to heart and decided to buy some scrap wood and a circular saw. I never thought of myself as artistic or crafty, but I think I've been selling myself short. Last month I built my very first shelf, and I think I've found a new favorite hobby. It's quite loud, though, so sorry in advance to my neighbors.
Discoveries
Why Will Power Doesn’t Work Link
Be Wary of Imitating High-Status People Who Can Afford to Counter-signal Link
Walt Disney’s Design Philosophy Link
Shop Class as Soulcraft, The Case for the Manual Trades Link
Marriage & Family Help Suicide Prevention Link
How to Use ChatGPT to Write an Essay Link
Recommendations
Ancient Apocalypse on Netflix. Graham Hancock is an author and journalist who has extensively researched ancient civilizations and their possible connections to advanced technology. One of his theories is that an ancient global civilization was destroyed by a comet strike, resulting in the loss of much of the world's knowledge and technology. He believes that this civilization was the source of many of the world's myths and legends, and that its destruction led to the rise of the various cultures and civilizations that exist today. If you prefer a podcast explanation, check out JRE episode #1284.
edX Course on Strategic Management. I've been thinking about going back to school for an MBA, but I don't want to spend a fortune on a degree. I'm putting together my own MBA program based on the curriculums of top schools. I'm still working on the 2-year ‘DIY MBA’ plan, and I'll share it here when it's finished. This is the first of 12 courses I plan to complete.
GPT-3. ChatGPT is a sophisticated language model trained by OpenAI that is capable of understanding and generating human-like text. It can assist with a wide range of tasks, such as answering complex questions, providing advice, summarizing books or text, and offering suggestions for rephrasing sentences. This has potentially significant implications for the future of essay writing.
Quote
“Search for the seed of good in every adversity.” - Og Mandino