Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".
My thoughts are that one's character plays a very important part in one's destiny. If One is timid, and never seek to change, the events that one will engage will likely to be more towards the safe side. To engage in risky task, timid person will feel very stressed. On the other hand, if one's character is towards the bold type, one will tend to engage in more risky things. To engage in safer task, a bold person will feel bored. Hence to be able to fully engage in one task or the other, one's character has to change. Anything outside of you can be change and when I say you, it means the soul. Hence your body obviously can be changed and everything that comes along with your body - emotions, character, thoughts, destiny etc.
Going back to what Einstein has to say, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is total insanity. Hence if one character does not break one to do different things, one's outcome i.e. Health, family, career etc will not change. So how can one change one's character?
An aggressive driver who kills a pedestrian and found out that the later is his beloved son, will that changed his character from being bold to timid next time he drive his car? The impact has to be severed in order to change one's character. Obviously, we would not want such things to happen. What about if a timid person who don't usually put a lot of money on stocks suddenly placed a big bet on a stock as recommended by a reliable friend and the stock quadruple in 6 months. Will she become bold in the next event. When accumulating events of engaging in risky task by a timid person, the later character will changed eventually. And of course if that event did not work out well and she got a big bite off, she will revert to her character back again.
So if you are not a sociable person and wants to be one, looked for a task that requires you to stand in front of a crowd and speak. Get out of your comfort zone, bring the treasure that is hidden inside you shines.
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Sunday, August 22, 2010
Why Not Me
Just attended David Chiem's (MindChamps), and he talks about how he has become the first Asian to star in a lead role in an Australian movie, Butterfly Island. When he was 13.5 years old, he overheard a radio seeking for a 13-14 years old Asian boy who is able to swim. His sister commented why not him. He went to bed thinking why not him.
So why not me? If he is to go back and think why it cannot be him, he will probably just leave that thought there and forget about the whole idea. If every time a challenge comes to him and he come up with ways why it cannot be him, he would bot move forward. However, if he start asking the right questions such as 'Why not me?', he will probably reached nearer to the challenge then if he asked the wrong questions like 'Why it wouldn't be him'.
So he took the challenge and he got the role.
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So why not me? If he is to go back and think why it cannot be him, he will probably just leave that thought there and forget about the whole idea. If every time a challenge comes to him and he come up with ways why it cannot be him, he would bot move forward. However, if he start asking the right questions such as 'Why not me?', he will probably reached nearer to the challenge then if he asked the wrong questions like 'Why it wouldn't be him'.
So he took the challenge and he got the role.
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Before u get angry with your love one
Think about what happened if s/he is no longer there to answer you. Will you still get angry?
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Conflict Intention
Conflict Intention, in my own words, to do something with an intention to gain oneself an advantage but in fact the very thought of that action disadvantage ownself and hence neutralized the position overall. Very Cheem? Yes, I'm also amazed myself for coming out with something like that. Have you ever wanted to get even or take advantage on someone. What if this is somebody you got no idea who s/he is. That can happened like a friend telling you that s/he met some unreasonable person who spitted on his/her shoe and did not apologize. You may feel angry and decided to get even for your friend but when you hit the person from the back, you realized it is your father?
There's a theory on Oneness, one of my dear friend brought out during a chat. She told me that this person by the name of Steve says that every living being came from a single mother and hence every being share the same source. If you see an enemy on the street and wanted to get even with, oneness teaches us that that enemy share the same mother as you and if you hit him/her, you are hurting his/her mother which is also yours. That means, s/he is actually a brother or sister to you, the same blood metaphorically. So think about this before getting even with someone you don't like.
Having said that, I was wondering how the Soul theory fit in? I can explain the Conflict Intention part but what about Oneness. Are they in line?
Let me run through the Soul theory viewpoint on Conflict Intention. Since soul move from one body to another body, there will be a time in space where two souls will meet each other in some sort of relationship. Let say you meet someone you want to get even on the street. However, that someone soul may be your mother's soul in your previous body. So what if s/he is? Will you get even now? Just like oneness, the soul's theory will make you rethink of getting even with another person by thinking more intimately that that someone could be once your benefactor which oneness let your reflect that that someone is actually sharing the same flesh and blood like you.
So how can I explain the origin of souls when long long long ago, there is only one living cell. That cell couldn't possibly contain all the souls in the universe. So how does soul originated?
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There's a theory on Oneness, one of my dear friend brought out during a chat. She told me that this person by the name of Steve says that every living being came from a single mother and hence every being share the same source. If you see an enemy on the street and wanted to get even with, oneness teaches us that that enemy share the same mother as you and if you hit him/her, you are hurting his/her mother which is also yours. That means, s/he is actually a brother or sister to you, the same blood metaphorically. So think about this before getting even with someone you don't like.
Having said that, I was wondering how the Soul theory fit in? I can explain the Conflict Intention part but what about Oneness. Are they in line?
Let me run through the Soul theory viewpoint on Conflict Intention. Since soul move from one body to another body, there will be a time in space where two souls will meet each other in some sort of relationship. Let say you meet someone you want to get even on the street. However, that someone soul may be your mother's soul in your previous body. So what if s/he is? Will you get even now? Just like oneness, the soul's theory will make you rethink of getting even with another person by thinking more intimately that that someone could be once your benefactor which oneness let your reflect that that someone is actually sharing the same flesh and blood like you.
So how can I explain the origin of souls when long long long ago, there is only one living cell. That cell couldn't possibly contain all the souls in the universe. So how does soul originated?
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Feng Shui and Soul
Is there any relationship between Feng Shui and Soul? Feng shui state that on the year, month, day and time you born based on the Chinese calendar, your destiny, your character are already predetermined.
Does that mean the soul or you that have life to your body are chosen based on feng shui. Does that mean when my current body pass on, I will occupy another body having the same destiny and character? Could that mean that each body I occupy is just a subset of the entire destiny that has been pre determine?
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Does that mean the soul or you that have life to your body are chosen based on feng shui. Does that mean when my current body pass on, I will occupy another body having the same destiny and character? Could that mean that each body I occupy is just a subset of the entire destiny that has been pre determine?
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
Confidence
Although this topic is about confidence, there are also many things I like to touch that I viewed it as equally important.
In around the 4th quarter of 2008, the company that I work has decided to sold off the division that I have work in for almost 8 to 9 years. Since 6 years, I have found myself not progressing much and wanted to leave. However, not comfortable to leave my comfort without a head start, I prayed to get myself retrench which never happened during the 6 years. Because of the financial crisis in 2008, the company announced a voluntarily resignation package. I was particularly interested in it but because I am in the negotiation stage of being sold off, I am not qualified for the package unless.... I stumbled upon a book called 'The Secret' by Rhonda Shepherd and boy, I begin to experience the magic. Everybody do not believed that I can get the package but I practices what was preached - The Law of Attraction and the first thing to do is Believed in it, feel it and felt that you have it in hand. I tell myself everyday and when the day comes to meet the VP of the purchasing company, he told me he will help me to get it and guess what, I got it. Long story but this is the intro to my next part where I want to highlight the magic works again.
A few months back, I was reading a book on EQ by Daniel Goleman and I took the theory that a successful person depends 80% on EQ and only 20% on IQ. And as such, I was kind of thinking of enrolling my daughter in a school that focus on EQ at early age. I don't find that the current school is doing much on EQ. However, because of my comfort zone and switching cost, I have not been looking for that school but thoughts still linger. Then the school announced a 10% hike in fees which they have just done one last year. I wasn't pleased with that and hence I went around looking for a new school. And guess what, I came across this school where the presenter introduced their method. What strike me are the following :-
1. They touches on EQ - Interpersonal Skills. That is what I have been looking for. Besides that, it also touches me that my EQ wasn't that high either. Opportunity strikes one more if one has a higher EQ such as being very approachable, very charismatic etc and they are traits of people who has awesome EQ. I'm a pretty shy person and when it comes to crowd, I tend to make myself less conspicuous. I lack confidence in this area and that is something that I have to improve. Anyway, not too much about me.
2. They touches on assessment not based on regurgitating every single word what was taught but rather a student own views on the subject. This way, they can assess the value perceived by the student. A student will not perceived any value by regurgitating what was taught. In my past year, I remember history lessons. My teacher will asked me to memorize a paragraph and do self dictation. I don't find any value of memorizing paragraph. She should instead asked me to read the paragraph and write the events on my own word and provide my view of what the paragraph means to me. That is alot more precious as it cultivate real meaning in learning.
3. They touches of self confidence and this is a lesson that came to me not just today, but also on Friday when I was doing trading. My mentor mentioned that the worst thing that can happened to a trader is not losing money. It is losing CONFIDENCE. I remember my days when I was in my secondary school. I was in Whampoa Secondary School, now extinct. Sec 1, I was in Position 16. Sec 2, I came in 8. Sec 3, I came in 4 and guess what I came in in Sec 4. I topped the school. Following that, I got 4A's in JC and a First Class Honors in NUS. I reflected why was I pretty good in my studies. I got a method of studying and that is to understand what I'm doing but most important of all is, I am confidence that I can passed exams and I love seeing the outcome. With confidence, I also feel the flow of achieving my optimal performance. Till date, I still have the confidence though I must admit that it was alittle shaken by the next point.
4. They touches on speed reading. I don't really considered that as a must value as I think one still can do well in society if one is slow in reading. However, this is a bonus. I am lacking in this as when I was attending a lesson, a part of the lesson was doing questions. Every time I was reading a question and before I could finished, someone already gave the answer. Wasn't that sickening? Hahaha... Then the lecturer goes on and say that the exam also test on how fast you answer your questions. Oh boy that almost kills my confidence in passing exams... hahahaha....
Nevertheless, I have done a 250 multiple choice paper in 6 hours and passed. So screw that thought :).
The last few other decision is of course, cost and proximity and both is better than the current one. So I asked, why not give it a go. The last question I asked myself is - the teachers. Are they able to deliver what they preached? That is where I need to find out by getting my daughter into the school. I learned also that never seek an opinion from someone who never done that thing before. I heard parents claiming that this school and that school is good and when I asked whether they have enrolled their child in it, they says no. So no point going forward to believe in what they say.
Anyway, the whole long blog is about CONFIDENCE which I find this very important. Don't lose your self-confidence. Never let anyone pull you down because you are the one that can only pull yourself down. Self confidence leads to optimal flow where the things that you do begin to feel so effortlessly. ~ for my daughters
In around the 4th quarter of 2008, the company that I work has decided to sold off the division that I have work in for almost 8 to 9 years. Since 6 years, I have found myself not progressing much and wanted to leave. However, not comfortable to leave my comfort without a head start, I prayed to get myself retrench which never happened during the 6 years. Because of the financial crisis in 2008, the company announced a voluntarily resignation package. I was particularly interested in it but because I am in the negotiation stage of being sold off, I am not qualified for the package unless.... I stumbled upon a book called 'The Secret' by Rhonda Shepherd and boy, I begin to experience the magic. Everybody do not believed that I can get the package but I practices what was preached - The Law of Attraction and the first thing to do is Believed in it, feel it and felt that you have it in hand. I tell myself everyday and when the day comes to meet the VP of the purchasing company, he told me he will help me to get it and guess what, I got it. Long story but this is the intro to my next part where I want to highlight the magic works again.
A few months back, I was reading a book on EQ by Daniel Goleman and I took the theory that a successful person depends 80% on EQ and only 20% on IQ. And as such, I was kind of thinking of enrolling my daughter in a school that focus on EQ at early age. I don't find that the current school is doing much on EQ. However, because of my comfort zone and switching cost, I have not been looking for that school but thoughts still linger. Then the school announced a 10% hike in fees which they have just done one last year. I wasn't pleased with that and hence I went around looking for a new school. And guess what, I came across this school where the presenter introduced their method. What strike me are the following :-
1. They touches on EQ - Interpersonal Skills. That is what I have been looking for. Besides that, it also touches me that my EQ wasn't that high either. Opportunity strikes one more if one has a higher EQ such as being very approachable, very charismatic etc and they are traits of people who has awesome EQ. I'm a pretty shy person and when it comes to crowd, I tend to make myself less conspicuous. I lack confidence in this area and that is something that I have to improve. Anyway, not too much about me.
2. They touches on assessment not based on regurgitating every single word what was taught but rather a student own views on the subject. This way, they can assess the value perceived by the student. A student will not perceived any value by regurgitating what was taught. In my past year, I remember history lessons. My teacher will asked me to memorize a paragraph and do self dictation. I don't find any value of memorizing paragraph. She should instead asked me to read the paragraph and write the events on my own word and provide my view of what the paragraph means to me. That is alot more precious as it cultivate real meaning in learning.
3. They touches of self confidence and this is a lesson that came to me not just today, but also on Friday when I was doing trading. My mentor mentioned that the worst thing that can happened to a trader is not losing money. It is losing CONFIDENCE. I remember my days when I was in my secondary school. I was in Whampoa Secondary School, now extinct. Sec 1, I was in Position 16. Sec 2, I came in 8. Sec 3, I came in 4 and guess what I came in in Sec 4. I topped the school. Following that, I got 4A's in JC and a First Class Honors in NUS. I reflected why was I pretty good in my studies. I got a method of studying and that is to understand what I'm doing but most important of all is, I am confidence that I can passed exams and I love seeing the outcome. With confidence, I also feel the flow of achieving my optimal performance. Till date, I still have the confidence though I must admit that it was alittle shaken by the next point.
4. They touches on speed reading. I don't really considered that as a must value as I think one still can do well in society if one is slow in reading. However, this is a bonus. I am lacking in this as when I was attending a lesson, a part of the lesson was doing questions. Every time I was reading a question and before I could finished, someone already gave the answer. Wasn't that sickening? Hahaha... Then the lecturer goes on and say that the exam also test on how fast you answer your questions. Oh boy that almost kills my confidence in passing exams... hahahaha....
Nevertheless, I have done a 250 multiple choice paper in 6 hours and passed. So screw that thought :).
The last few other decision is of course, cost and proximity and both is better than the current one. So I asked, why not give it a go. The last question I asked myself is - the teachers. Are they able to deliver what they preached? That is where I need to find out by getting my daughter into the school. I learned also that never seek an opinion from someone who never done that thing before. I heard parents claiming that this school and that school is good and when I asked whether they have enrolled their child in it, they says no. So no point going forward to believe in what they say.
Anyway, the whole long blog is about CONFIDENCE which I find this very important. Don't lose your self-confidence. Never let anyone pull you down because you are the one that can only pull yourself down. Self confidence leads to optimal flow where the things that you do begin to feel so effortlessly. ~ for my daughters
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Affinity
Why some babies are afraid of crockcoaches and some are not. Why some people has a nice feeling about some stranger on first impression while some simply has none. Could there be some sort of memory that the soul has?
Soul move from body to another and the body can be any living things besides human being, it can occupy a tiger, a crockcoache or even a stalk of grass. Could it be that one soul has experience being a crockcoache while another soul has yet to experience and hence the soul that has been a crockcoache would not be afraid of one while the other is? Similarly, could one soul has shared a long beautiful moment with another soul in their past bodies and hence felt an affinity to the other soul presence even if it is in a stranger body who s/he have never met?
My wife stated that what is good if one is immortal when one love ones are not. This is a weakness on many mortals on the issue of attachment. If one rid oneself from attachment, one will have no issue of living without their love ones. Besides, everyone has a soul that cannot be destroy since existence. Hence, even when one's love ones pass away, they may meet one again via means of other bodies and one may automatically sense that feeling when s/he or it is near. She commented that Tyona, my eldest daughter could be the reincarnation of Vena, her late Chihuahua.
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Soul move from body to another and the body can be any living things besides human being, it can occupy a tiger, a crockcoache or even a stalk of grass. Could it be that one soul has experience being a crockcoache while another soul has yet to experience and hence the soul that has been a crockcoache would not be afraid of one while the other is? Similarly, could one soul has shared a long beautiful moment with another soul in their past bodies and hence felt an affinity to the other soul presence even if it is in a stranger body who s/he have never met?
My wife stated that what is good if one is immortal when one love ones are not. This is a weakness on many mortals on the issue of attachment. If one rid oneself from attachment, one will have no issue of living without their love ones. Besides, everyone has a soul that cannot be destroy since existence. Hence, even when one's love ones pass away, they may meet one again via means of other bodies and one may automatically sense that feeling when s/he or it is near. She commented that Tyona, my eldest daughter could be the reincarnation of Vena, her late Chihuahua.
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Is there a Heaven
I'm never been there so I can't comment. Neither have I met someone who claims that s/he is from there. If every good souls go to Heaven, then there will be lesser and lesser soul on earth presumably that soul cannot be created.
We can see or feel that the human population is always increasing. Does that mean that more souls are created. Could this be an expense to the decreasing populations of other species? Note that all species have a life force in them and hence each has a soul. We note that there are lesser greens on earth to make way for concrete buildings. There are animal species that are declining in population and even extinct. Could these species being replaced by the human? There is always a balance and the number of souls available are always a constant. So when earth reboots, I will presumed that the greenery population will grow again.
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We can see or feel that the human population is always increasing. Does that mean that more souls are created. Could this be an expense to the decreasing populations of other species? Note that all species have a life force in them and hence each has a soul. We note that there are lesser greens on earth to make way for concrete buildings. There are animal species that are declining in population and even extinct. Could these species being replaced by the human? There is always a balance and the number of souls available are always a constant. So when earth reboots, I will presumed that the greenery population will grow again.
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Immortality
Can a soul be created? Can it be be destroy? Knowing the answer to one will lead to the answer of another. If I will to assume that a soul could neither be create or destroy then the soul is the link to immortality.
First one has to understand the 'Who Am I'. I am the life-force that run this body. The body I occupied can be created and hence be destroyed. However, I will not be destroyed or created with the body. Simply I exist. So if that mindset is in one, how will one feel about life. There will be no fear of death simply because one is immortal. Hence, feeling immortal, one first have time in hand to do as many things one desire. Without any attachment to anything, time and the physical space, one can take things less seriously and pursue on things that are self enriching. Why do angels fly? Because they take themselves lightly.
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First one has to understand the 'Who Am I'. I am the life-force that run this body. The body I occupied can be created and hence be destroyed. However, I will not be destroyed or created with the body. Simply I exist. So if that mindset is in one, how will one feel about life. There will be no fear of death simply because one is immortal. Hence, feeling immortal, one first have time in hand to do as many things one desire. Without any attachment to anything, time and the physical space, one can take things less seriously and pursue on things that are self enriching. Why do angels fly? Because they take themselves lightly.
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Caveman anyone?
If earth reboots and all species restarted and evolution begins, many of us will be living in the prehistoric ages or even backwards. Will you want that to happen? To hunt like cavemen, run like cavemen? If one could choose, one will probably prefer to live in the modern age where one is already so well adapt to. However, note that we are souls. We may not be cavemen. We may be birds, plants, reptiles etc. What if you are a bird. Will it matter if you live in the prehistoric age or the modern age?
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Afraid of Death?
If you remember you are just a shapeless mass with no attachment to anything i.e. no physical resemblance, no emotional residue then you will not die as it is not possible to die. What died is your body and not you. You will just occupy another body when your current body expires be it a human, animal or even plants, anything that lives. So if one says that s/he is afraid of dying, one actually is afraid of losing the attachment feeling to that body. Suiciders usually do not want to have anymore attachment to their body and hence are not afraid to die. So what about pain? Dying is not physical painful. Usually it is more mentally painful if one has attachment to the body. Mental pain is usually much more painful and harmful.
Circle of life
What happens to you after you die? You will moved to another body and your body that died will be recycle to give birth to other bodies where others like your will give life to them. That is the Circle of Life. If you don't die and if everyone else also don't die, there will be lesser and lesser bodies to be created for other to give life to. When I say everyone, I mean all life forms. Hence we can see one species population grows at the expense of another species population. There is always a balance. If all human, animal, insect species dies, trees and grasses will blossom and we will occupy those bodies. Hence you will never die. You just move from one body to another when the current body expires. So why are we afraid to die? See my blog on Are you afraid of death.
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Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Best High School Valedictorian Speech
http://www.bspcn.com/2010/08/01/the-best-high-school-valedictorian-speech/
There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, “If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years . .” ?The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast — How long then?” Replied the Master, “Well, twenty years.” “But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student. “Thirty years,” replied the Master. “But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?” ?Replied the Master, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”
This is the dilemma I’ve faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.
Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn’t you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.
I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I’m scared.
John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, “We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness – curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don’t do that.” Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.
H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not “to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. … Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim … is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States.”
My views:
I would want my children to focus on the basic subjects, main languages and maths that are sufficient to build the fundamental building blocks to learn academically so that they can have more time to focus on their interests. They should not have too many subjects that only filled up their time and have no contribution to their interest but merely to scoring well academically. On the other hand, once they learn the ability to learn on their own, there is no need to send them to schools, colleges or university. They can just take the subjects via self learning courses, releasing time for more constructive activities towards their interest.
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There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, “If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years . .” ?The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast — How long then?” Replied the Master, “Well, twenty years.” “But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student. “Thirty years,” replied the Master. “But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?” ?Replied the Master, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”
This is the dilemma I’ve faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.
Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn’t you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.
I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I’m scared.
John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, “We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness – curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don’t do that.” Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.
H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not “to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. … Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim … is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States.”
My views:
I would want my children to focus on the basic subjects, main languages and maths that are sufficient to build the fundamental building blocks to learn academically so that they can have more time to focus on their interests. They should not have too many subjects that only filled up their time and have no contribution to their interest but merely to scoring well academically. On the other hand, once they learn the ability to learn on their own, there is no need to send them to schools, colleges or university. They can just take the subjects via self learning courses, releasing time for more constructive activities towards their interest.
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Virtues
This is a classic example of detachment, focus - doing one thing at a time and minimum distraction.
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/08/the-taming-of-floods/
Extraction :-
The Legend
Five thousand years ago, the flooding by the Yellow River was so bad that the confederation of chieftains under the leadership of Yao （尧）decided to appoint Gun （鲧） to take charge of the fight against the flood.
When Yao abdicated out of old age to Shun （舜）, his successor continued to attach great importance to flood control. For nine years, Gun and his men built dams, dykes and barrages to try and stop the flow of the rivers, but these efforts only resulted in more disastrous floods and more destruction of lives and properties.
For his failure and the increased loss of lives, Gun suffered detention without trial on Plume Hill and he was incarcerated there until his death.
Shun then ordered Yü （禹）, who was Gun’s son, to carry on his father’s work of fighting the flood.
The Toil and Sacrifice
After a careful study of his father’s failures, Yü decided to abandon his father’s method of building dams and barrages to stop the flow of water. Instead, he attempted to divert water into the sea by digging ditches and canals and dredging the rivers. He even cut a canal into the Mount Long Men and other mountain ridges to achieve this.
For thirteen years, rain or shine, Yü and his men dug and carried away the soil. He suffered sunburn and poor nutrition. His muscles wasted and hair dropped off from his legs. But he continued to toil and persevere.
“Passing his own door three times and refusing to go in” (三过家门不入) is a popular Chinese saying and the story behind it is a tale of Yü ‘s dedication. When he was given the job, he had been married for only five days. During his thirteen years of fighting the flood, he passed by his home three times but refused to go in as he felt it would affect him in dealing with a public crisis. The first time he passed by, his wife was in labour and he heard the baby cried. The second time he passed by, the son was learning to walk and on the third time, his son was old enough to wave to him. Yet each time, Yü walked on, saying that as the flood was rendering countless people homeless, he could not rest in his own.
After thirteen years of engineering feat and exemplary determination and perseverance, he finally brought the floods under control.
Because of his achievement and selflessness, when Emperor Shun finally retired, he decided to pass the throne to Yü instead of his own son.
In the Book of History (书经) he said：
“Come, Yü. The inundating waters filled me with dread, when you realized all that you represented and accomplished your task, thus showing your superiority to other men. Full of toilsome earnestness in the service of the State, and sparing in your expenditure on your family, and this without being full of yourself or elated; you again show your superiority to other men. Without any prideful assumption, there is no one in the empire to contest with you the palm of ability; without any boasting, there is no one in the empire to contest with you the claim of merit. I see how great is your virtue, how admirable your vast achievements. The determinate appointment of Heaven rests on your person; you must eventually ascend the throne of the great sovereign.” (James Legge’s translation)
帝曰：「來！禹！降水儆予，成允成功，惟汝賢。克勤于邦，克儉于家，不自滿假，惟汝賢。汝惟不矜，天下莫與汝爭能；汝惟不伐，天下莫與汝爭功。予懋乃德，嘉乃丕績，天之歷數在汝躬，汝終陟元后。
My View
Yu is someone who has only one focus, to get rid of the flood. He detached himself from any emotions which led to no distraction that can slow down his task. He knows the outcome of his task and work tirelessly to achieve it. Hence to be successful, once a goal has been determined and felt, one must minimized distractions, detached from any distractions that can slow down one's progress.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/08/the-taming-of-floods/
Extraction :-
The Legend
Five thousand years ago, the flooding by the Yellow River was so bad that the confederation of chieftains under the leadership of Yao （尧）decided to appoint Gun （鲧） to take charge of the fight against the flood.
When Yao abdicated out of old age to Shun （舜）, his successor continued to attach great importance to flood control. For nine years, Gun and his men built dams, dykes and barrages to try and stop the flow of the rivers, but these efforts only resulted in more disastrous floods and more destruction of lives and properties.
For his failure and the increased loss of lives, Gun suffered detention without trial on Plume Hill and he was incarcerated there until his death.
Shun then ordered Yü （禹）, who was Gun’s son, to carry on his father’s work of fighting the flood.
The Toil and Sacrifice
After a careful study of his father’s failures, Yü decided to abandon his father’s method of building dams and barrages to stop the flow of water. Instead, he attempted to divert water into the sea by digging ditches and canals and dredging the rivers. He even cut a canal into the Mount Long Men and other mountain ridges to achieve this.
For thirteen years, rain or shine, Yü and his men dug and carried away the soil. He suffered sunburn and poor nutrition. His muscles wasted and hair dropped off from his legs. But he continued to toil and persevere.
“Passing his own door three times and refusing to go in” (三过家门不入) is a popular Chinese saying and the story behind it is a tale of Yü ‘s dedication. When he was given the job, he had been married for only five days. During his thirteen years of fighting the flood, he passed by his home three times but refused to go in as he felt it would affect him in dealing with a public crisis. The first time he passed by, his wife was in labour and he heard the baby cried. The second time he passed by, the son was learning to walk and on the third time, his son was old enough to wave to him. Yet each time, Yü walked on, saying that as the flood was rendering countless people homeless, he could not rest in his own.
After thirteen years of engineering feat and exemplary determination and perseverance, he finally brought the floods under control.
Because of his achievement and selflessness, when Emperor Shun finally retired, he decided to pass the throne to Yü instead of his own son.
In the Book of History (书经) he said：
“Come, Yü. The inundating waters filled me with dread, when you realized all that you represented and accomplished your task, thus showing your superiority to other men. Full of toilsome earnestness in the service of the State, and sparing in your expenditure on your family, and this without being full of yourself or elated; you again show your superiority to other men. Without any prideful assumption, there is no one in the empire to contest with you the palm of ability; without any boasting, there is no one in the empire to contest with you the claim of merit. I see how great is your virtue, how admirable your vast achievements. The determinate appointment of Heaven rests on your person; you must eventually ascend the throne of the great sovereign.” (James Legge’s translation)
帝曰：「來！禹！降水儆予，成允成功，惟汝賢。克勤于邦，克儉于家，不自滿假，惟汝賢。汝惟不矜，天下莫與汝爭能；汝惟不伐，天下莫與汝爭功。予懋乃德，嘉乃丕績，天之歷數在汝躬，汝終陟元后。
My View
Yu is someone who has only one focus, to get rid of the flood. He detached himself from any emotions which led to no distraction that can slow down his task. He knows the outcome of his task and work tirelessly to achieve it. Hence to be successful, once a goal has been determined and felt, one must minimized distractions, detached from any distractions that can slow down one's progress.
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
911
I remember the day on Sep 9 not because of the World Trade Center but because of the day when my girlfriend, now my wife had a little secret rendezvous. I believed it was 2 days before that actual date where I discovered accidentally via her phone on those messages. We had a talked and I remember saying those words.
We know each other for almost 6 years. Not married but have been cohabiting. So in other words, we probably know each other inside out to a certain large degrees. In fact, if a normal couple has been together very close for 6 months, I believed the couple should more or less know what life s/he is getting into with the other. Within this period, a couple must choose whether to continue with each other or call it quit and look for someone else. This is my first point.
In the beginning, both of us are excited about the relationship. There are so many things to find out from each other and things like hobby, experiences, sports to share with each other. After 6 months whatever that is a mystery should probably be no more a mystery and the fire in one will not be as strong as in the beginning. One has find more things to do together that both are interested like new hobby, new friends, new experiences in order to prolong the flame and that is not an easy task. Besides, tolerance come into play as the relationship gets deeper and deeper. There will be a point where both parties has set an unconscious tolerance limit in the relationship. This limit is set by the worst incident that the couple has gone through. This limit will always be tested by more difficult incident and if the couple ride through, the limit extends. This limit cannot contract by normal events unless one party has some psychological changes by another event. So it is either a break or moving on.
So if the limit is broken and the couple decides to go separate ways, the cycle ends and each will go back to when s/he is single. If s/he falls in love again, though experience, s/he goes through the same cycle. S/he will not know the outcome but for sure limits will be created and will be tested again and again.
So my point is why go through the whole cycle again especially after 6 long years. One will not know whether after another 6 years, one will reach to the same stage, better or worst. So it is always better to sort out, find solutions over solution first before going through another cycle. If one can't solved the present problem, what makes one think that s/he can solved the same next issue. Unless of course if s/he choose to be single. So if you want to break because you found someone better, please take time and really think twice about it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We know each other for almost 6 years. Not married but have been cohabiting. So in other words, we probably know each other inside out to a certain large degrees. In fact, if a normal couple has been together very close for 6 months, I believed the couple should more or less know what life s/he is getting into with the other. Within this period, a couple must choose whether to continue with each other or call it quit and look for someone else. This is my first point.
In the beginning, both of us are excited about the relationship. There are so many things to find out from each other and things like hobby, experiences, sports to share with each other. After 6 months whatever that is a mystery should probably be no more a mystery and the fire in one will not be as strong as in the beginning. One has find more things to do together that both are interested like new hobby, new friends, new experiences in order to prolong the flame and that is not an easy task. Besides, tolerance come into play as the relationship gets deeper and deeper. There will be a point where both parties has set an unconscious tolerance limit in the relationship. This limit is set by the worst incident that the couple has gone through. This limit will always be tested by more difficult incident and if the couple ride through, the limit extends. This limit cannot contract by normal events unless one party has some psychological changes by another event. So it is either a break or moving on.
So if the limit is broken and the couple decides to go separate ways, the cycle ends and each will go back to when s/he is single. If s/he falls in love again, though experience, s/he goes through the same cycle. S/he will not know the outcome but for sure limits will be created and will be tested again and again.
So my point is why go through the whole cycle again especially after 6 long years. One will not know whether after another 6 years, one will reach to the same stage, better or worst. So it is always better to sort out, find solutions over solution first before going through another cycle. If one can't solved the present problem, what makes one think that s/he can solved the same next issue. Unless of course if s/he choose to be single. So if you want to break because you found someone better, please take time and really think twice about it.
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Who Am I
View yourself lying on your bed. The viewer is you and the body that you are viewing is the body you are currently using.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, August 2, 2010
Earth needs a Reboot again
When God told Noah to build an Ark, He is going to reboot the earth via a big flood that will wash away all living beings except every one pair (a male and a female) of a unique species that will board together with Noah on the Ark. If He again wants to reboot the earth, will He do the same, i.e. another Noah Ark with another Noah and a single pair of species?
I don't think so because the last Noah Ark project did not work else why does He need to reboot earth again. My guess is that this time, similarly Noah will build the Ark and gather every pair of single species to board the Ark. However, this time He will not let Noah or any human board the Ark.
Without the human species that are equipped with a powerful brain to alter nature, earth will be left in peace for many many centuries unless there's another powerful species take control and the cycle repeats.
Then why did He wipe out the Dinosaurs?
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I don't think so because the last Noah Ark project did not work else why does He need to reboot earth again. My guess is that this time, similarly Noah will build the Ark and gather every pair of single species to board the Ark. However, this time He will not let Noah or any human board the Ark.
Without the human species that are equipped with a powerful brain to alter nature, earth will be left in peace for many many centuries unless there's another powerful species take control and the cycle repeats.
Then why did He wipe out the Dinosaurs?
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Sunday, August 1, 2010
Is humane being human?
Humane looks like a word that came out from the word human and from a layman term it could have meant 'being human', somewhat related to the good side of human characteristics. Hence, one will associate the phrase 'being human' as something good as opposed to being called 'an animal' which is something bad. If someone called someone an animal, one will no doubt think that that someone is behaving like an animal, a characteristic of a beast that is not good term to be associated to.
So does being a human really humane? Seriously, what did the animals did to be labelled that their term being an animal is something bad. Animals really did nothing. They just behave what nature creates them to be. Like any other species, they kill to survive, they kill to defend themselves or their offsprings. Has anyone witness they killed for other evil motives besides the above stated? Hence an animal being an animal is what nature creates that ultimately leads to the term, the circle of life. A balanced and an efficient system that leads to no waste.
On the other hand, being a human is not beneficial to nature. A human is once an animal and still it is an animal but an animal with a destructive mind engineered against nature. Humans engineered things to make their life better and most of their inventions or rather all their inventions have something in them that will destroy nature. Nature does not need anymore human invention to be better. Her default nature is already perfect on the day that she was born.
Hence being called human is actually a even worse then being called an animal.
Anyway, here is what the definition of humane in Wikipedia :-
Humane in early use meant civil, courteous or obliging towards humans and animals. In modern times it is characterized by sympathy with or consideration, compassion and benevolence for others, especially for the suffering or distressed.
Animals do have such characteristics too. Dogs, dolphins etc shows such characteristics without being taught by human. They are naturally born with that. So being human is an overrated word. So when someone called you an animal, be proud of it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
So does being a human really humane? Seriously, what did the animals did to be labelled that their term being an animal is something bad. Animals really did nothing. They just behave what nature creates them to be. Like any other species, they kill to survive, they kill to defend themselves or their offsprings. Has anyone witness they killed for other evil motives besides the above stated? Hence an animal being an animal is what nature creates that ultimately leads to the term, the circle of life. A balanced and an efficient system that leads to no waste.
On the other hand, being a human is not beneficial to nature. A human is once an animal and still it is an animal but an animal with a destructive mind engineered against nature. Humans engineered things to make their life better and most of their inventions or rather all their inventions have something in them that will destroy nature. Nature does not need anymore human invention to be better. Her default nature is already perfect on the day that she was born.
Hence being called human is actually a even worse then being called an animal.
Anyway, here is what the definition of humane in Wikipedia :-
Humane in early use meant civil, courteous or obliging towards humans and animals. In modern times it is characterized by sympathy with or consideration, compassion and benevolence for others, especially for the suffering or distressed.
Animals do have such characteristics too. Dogs, dolphins etc shows such characteristics without being taught by human. They are naturally born with that. So being human is an overrated word. So when someone called you an animal, be proud of it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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