The mind body challenge

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We can think about axioms and appreciate the beauty. We are enlightened in that way. And (not but) we are humans. In part, embracing our human condition is the path to become enlightened.

To hide the human condition is to lie. But how to appreciate peeing or a sexual joke? It’s more than the fact that those activities are useful.

It’s part of life. “It is what it is.” Your sharp edges are what makes you attractive and unique. Would I be a better mathematician than Euler? Wrong question. Each person is a unique blend of experiences, and from there I can make my best contribution. [1].

Embracing our human condition does not make us smaller or bigger, but it makes us humans.

Note the importance of appreciating a human, from the empathy. “The kingdom of god is between humans,” and inside humans.

The quality of making an impersonal, perfect piece of work is not the final answer. Or isn’t it the personal attitude of playing and “what do you care what other people think” that led Feynman to his discoveries?

All of us have the capacity to understand — to doubt. Note how lots of important things reduce to doubt. “It is not how fast you learn math, but how well you understand it.” It is on appreciation. What is the point on being a tourist that takes a lot of photos, but that doesn’t stop to appreciate? [2]

What does this appreciation mean? To connect concepts — from here humans derive pleasure. [3]. One of the best ways to learn is to compare what you are receiving with what you know. Learning is being surprised.

None is totally right, none is totally wrong. We are in the dark, and we can only see through our flashlight and those from our “close” people. “Call often,” mom says in the airport. You are leaving to the unknown, to build. That is what young ambitious people share. Don’t be afraid of going slow, be afraid of standing still. Think of the right life as an asymptote to the perfect version of You.

[1] Math analogy. Think of people as unit vectors in high-dimensional space. All the ways you can compare the vectors are arbitrary. When looking for a partner, consider the projection of their vector onto yours. That is, consider how much that person awakes on you and how many shared values you have. There isn’t a universal standard partner.

[2] And what is the point on arriving to the high ranks without being able to appreciate the content that is possible to appreciate? And the point of arriving to the high ranks in a place where there is nothing to appreciate? And the point of arriving there in a dishonest way?

[3] Define (good) pleasure as the enjoyment we get in the process of doing a useful action.