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#WritingOutput/Newsletter

Random Walk Newsletter, Issue 32#

Observations & Insights#

Attitude Towards Life

This week, I read a thought-provoking article: "Xiao Gongqin: Why Do We Lack an Independent Attitude Towards Life?". The author explores a question: why are we Chinese people less diverse in our pursuit of life compared to Westerners? The article is rich in content, and interested friends can read it on their own. Personally, I think this article is well worth the time to read.

After reading this article, I remembered a similar question I saw on a forum before. Although I searched for a long time, I couldn't find the original post, but the question was roughly: why do Chinese people seem to focus more on material pursuits while Westerners focus more on spiritual pursuits? One comment left a deep impression on me: "How many years have Chinese people been full?"

Interestingly, this article also mentions a similar viewpoint: "I discussed this issue with one of my former middle school teachers over the phone, and this teacher used a plot from one of Jack London's novels to illustrate this point: when a drowning person is rescued from the sea, they unconsciously hide the water and food from the boat in their arms. Because they are so thirsty in the sea. Because of this, the teacher believes that when Chinese people become wealthy in the future, everything will change. People's pursuits will become more diverse."

From my own perspective, I agree with this viewpoint. The biggest influencing factor for me when making certain decisions is a sense of security, in other words, the ability to bear risks. For example, am I willing to change careers and start from scratch? I like the environment by the seaside, but am I brave enough to make a firm decision to move there? I can find various reasons to deny my own ideas, but ultimately it is because of a lack of security.

Recently, I have been studying English and taking classes with a foreign teacher. In the process of chatting with the teacher, I learned that he was born in London but is Colombian. A few years ago, he moved back to Colombia and currently plans to live in Thailand for a while before moving to the United States. He enjoys camping and has a very free lifestyle. Although he was unemployed for a period of time, it did not affect his plans.

In reality, we can already see some changes. For example, young people are becoming more and more independent in their thoughts and pursuits. I once saw a clip from a talent show where the judges asked the contestant's family if they supported his choice. The contestant replied that his father had told him, "I have been working hard for survival in my life. If in your generation, you are still working towards this goal, then my efforts have been in vain."

These words are thought-provoking. I hope that our next generation can have more diverse pursuits in life and no longer be suffocated by various loans.

Gray Rhinoceros

I believe everyone is already very familiar with "Black Swan," but there is also the concept of "Gray Rhinoceros."

Behind every black swan, there is a gray rhinoceros. For example, before the concept of "gray rhinoceros" came out, the subprime crisis was considered a "black swan," but in fact, the precariousness of the American credit system had early signs a few years ago. If a plane crash occurs, there must be 300 attempted accidents and 1000 hidden dangers behind it, which is called the "Hain Rule." If a person suddenly dies, it is likely that his body has been struggling in an unhealthy lifestyle for several years, continuously sending out warnings.

Perhaps you also have such examples around you, taking the most comprehensive health supplements, ordering the most takeout; applying the most expensive face masks, staying up the latest.

Review Your Decisions

1. Look at your calendar and see what you have been spending your time on.
2. Look at your account statement and see what you have been spending your money on.

One is money, the other is time. From the allocation of these two important things, you can see your decision-making strategy.

Audiobooks & Books#

Why Do We Sleep?

As we reach middle age, we clearly feel that our physical functions are not as good as before. If you read 100 articles related to health, probably 90 of them will mention sleep. Sleep occupies at least one-third of our lives, so it is necessary to understand it well.

The book starts with a question: why do we sleep? "Looking at sleep itself, you will find that it seems to be an activity that is not very cost-effective. When we are asleep, we cannot go out to find food, communicate with others, or find a mate. What's worse, sleep greatly increases our chances of being harmed by the outside world. For example, if a primitive person accidentally falls asleep in the wild, they are likely to become a feast for wild animals."

From this perspective, from the perspective of evolution, sleep should gradually be abandoned.

But in fact, sleep is one of the most powerful evolutionary advantages that humans have gained, mainly manifested in the following points:

1. Helping the brain consolidate memory and learning: through sleep, the brain can strengthen the connections and information transmission between neurons, promote the storage and retrieval of memory.
2. Promoting body recovery and repair: during sleep, the body can secrete growth hormones to promote cell growth and repair, while reducing the body's metabolic rate and saving energy.
3. Improving immunity: sleep can enhance immunity and help humans resist diseases and infections. During sleep, the body can secrete immune cells and antibodies, enhancing the function of the immune system.
4. Improving mood and mental health: lack of sleep can lead to emotional instability, anxiety, and depression, while sufficient sleep can help maintain good mental state.

How can we get a good night's sleep?

1. Eliminate influencing factors: nowadays, mainly electronic devices.
2. Create a sleep-friendly environment, including temperature, lighting, etc.
3. Develop good habits, have a regular sleep schedule, not only for waking up but also for going to bed.

Sleep is the foundation of all activities: sleep is a 1, and eating, exercising, working, and entertainment are all 0s that follow this 1. Without the 1 in front, no matter how many 0s there are, they are not valid.

Lastly, I would like to share a quote:

In the preface to the third edition of "The World as Will and Representation," he wrote: "When the first edition of this book was published, I was only 30 years old. By the time the third edition was published, I was nearly 72 years old."

A quote from Arthur Schopenhauer gives comfort: "If a person walks all day and finally arrives in the evening, that should be enough."

That's all for this issue of the Newsletter. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Thank you for reading.