Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Quote from the Power of Full Engagement about Rituals
"Positive energy rituals are powerful on three levels. They help us to insure that we effectively manage energy in the service of whatever mission we are on. They reduce the need to rely on our limited conscious will and discipline to take action. Finally, rituals are a powerful means by which to translate our values and priorities into action - to embody what matters most to us in our everyday behaviors."
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Book List
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
- The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker
Friday, June 30, 2006
On Brain
In this Tuesday's New York Times article about Dr. Michael Gazzaniga, it mentioned something very interesting. First, the two hemispheres of the brain are connected by the bundle of fibers called "corpus callosum." If they're cut, then the person's left side will be completely disconnected from the right side.
Second, the left hemisphere provides interpretation for a person's experience (so without corpus callosum, can you reason with your left side the right hemisphere?).
Third, in talking about fertilizing human eggs solely for stem cell research, Dr. Gazzaniga compares it to brain death examples, in which surgeons can remove organs for transplants. He argues that the mark of humanity should be the appearance of brain structure (14 days postfertilization). He said, "A single fertilized egg can split into twins - turning one supposedly unique human being into two... twins can then sometimes fuse back together into a single embryo, known as a chimera. So we had one person, and then we had two people, and then we have one person again. So what's that all about?"
Near the end, the article mentioned the human brain's intricate circuitry for understanding other people's thoughts and feelings as "moral". Never mind the moral, but think that when you interpret another person's experience (seeing or hearing a story about, say, stubbing toes in doors), the same region of your brain gets activiated (for stubbing your own toes).
What can we use this for? Let's say you have some great role models. You find out about them, hear stories of their path to great achievements. In doing so, your brain does a similar mental exercise of their experience. The more detailed, vivid, and repeated you learn about them, the better you approach your role models in your actions. So here is a tool to make greater achievement. But remember, learn from the good.
Other interesting readings: How Culture Pushed Us to the Top of the Food Chain: genes give us the capacity for learning and culture, and accumulated culture/knowledge is our species' tools.
Second, the left hemisphere provides interpretation for a person's experience (so without corpus callosum, can you reason with your left side the right hemisphere?).
Third, in talking about fertilizing human eggs solely for stem cell research, Dr. Gazzaniga compares it to brain death examples, in which surgeons can remove organs for transplants. He argues that the mark of humanity should be the appearance of brain structure (14 days postfertilization). He said, "A single fertilized egg can split into twins - turning one supposedly unique human being into two... twins can then sometimes fuse back together into a single embryo, known as a chimera. So we had one person, and then we had two people, and then we have one person again. So what's that all about?"
Near the end, the article mentioned the human brain's intricate circuitry for understanding other people's thoughts and feelings as "moral". Never mind the moral, but think that when you interpret another person's experience (seeing or hearing a story about, say, stubbing toes in doors), the same region of your brain gets activiated (for stubbing your own toes).
What can we use this for? Let's say you have some great role models. You find out about them, hear stories of their path to great achievements. In doing so, your brain does a similar mental exercise of their experience. The more detailed, vivid, and repeated you learn about them, the better you approach your role models in your actions. So here is a tool to make greater achievement. But remember, learn from the good.
Other interesting readings: How Culture Pushed Us to the Top of the Food Chain: genes give us the capacity for learning and culture, and accumulated culture/knowledge is our species' tools.
Pursuit of Virtuous Cycle
One of the striking things of visiting China is the prevalence of panhandling in the city. But they're not homogeniously the same. I saw the following:
1. young musicians
2. young people running out of money
3. 1 or more limps not functioning
4. with very young children (5-10), and those kids will come up to beg and steal.
Why it's much easier to go to a different city in the States to find job or school, find new friends, and settle down, but not so simple in China? First, languages and cultures are quite different between the prosperous areas and the impoverished areas. Second, the government policy does not encourage this.
The newspaper reported a local millionnaire adopted and hired 20 beggars, in an effort to help them. He succeeded in certain extend, but his business also failed.
It's not the physical condition as much as the mental state that needs to be helped, although physical comfort is pre-requisite for mental aversion to become self-sufficient and contributor to the society.
An effective philanthropic system should generate a virtuous cycle in which ex-panhandlers help others to become self-sufficient. An effective process should be designed. And the process should be well-known, so that people can easily participate to help. At least they can hand out a "name card" to point to the help resource, instead of giving money. The subway ad should say "give this card to those in need, so they can get help and food at this address", instead just tell people. Empower those who wants to help so that when they want to give something, cash is not the only option.
And we need to give people education. It's about choices, the choices you know available to you. Of course, for some, they still have rooms to grow to become a contributing-member of the society (when they're young and healthy). For some, they seem to lose all the ability to do anything (crippled and retarded) other than extending their life meaningless with any resource they can live on from the society. At this point, we have a difficult job to do. Of course we might be able to prevent this at the first place. Then we talk about the source of this, the impoverished areas, the assistance of first-line defence -- good family, the route to economic viability, education, and all that.
It might be a problem larger than I can handle (at this time).
1. young musicians
2. young people running out of money
3. 1 or more limps not functioning
4. with very young children (5-10), and those kids will come up to beg and steal.
Why it's much easier to go to a different city in the States to find job or school, find new friends, and settle down, but not so simple in China? First, languages and cultures are quite different between the prosperous areas and the impoverished areas. Second, the government policy does not encourage this.
The newspaper reported a local millionnaire adopted and hired 20 beggars, in an effort to help them. He succeeded in certain extend, but his business also failed.
It's not the physical condition as much as the mental state that needs to be helped, although physical comfort is pre-requisite for mental aversion to become self-sufficient and contributor to the society.
An effective philanthropic system should generate a virtuous cycle in which ex-panhandlers help others to become self-sufficient. An effective process should be designed. And the process should be well-known, so that people can easily participate to help. At least they can hand out a "name card" to point to the help resource, instead of giving money. The subway ad should say "give this card to those in need, so they can get help and food at this address", instead just tell people. Empower those who wants to help so that when they want to give something, cash is not the only option.
And we need to give people education. It's about choices, the choices you know available to you. Of course, for some, they still have rooms to grow to become a contributing-member of the society (when they're young and healthy). For some, they seem to lose all the ability to do anything (crippled and retarded) other than extending their life meaningless with any resource they can live on from the society. At this point, we have a difficult job to do. Of course we might be able to prevent this at the first place. Then we talk about the source of this, the impoverished areas, the assistance of first-line defence -- good family, the route to economic viability, education, and all that.
It might be a problem larger than I can handle (at this time).
Falling in Love with MRI
An article on NYTimes reported new findings (through brain M.R.I. images) about newly falling in love and getting dumped. You can really see the subconscious area activated in infaturation love, how it subdues overtime, and how it's deepened when you're rejected while you're in the midst of it. From a objective perspective, assuming we're just mechanical bodies, this is really very handy. If you're ever in doubt if someone really likes you, ask him or her to do an M.R.I.. Then if the images show that he or she is not in love with you at the level you want it to be, just dump him or her. That will help.
That's what a scientist will see. But while you're in the middle of it and feeling the feels, there's nothing funny about this. I only hope this new understanding can help us better treat those who we care and who care about us.
As for the article on Korean scientist cloning human egg for stem cell experiement, I think whatever others think, once an idea comes to life, it is like impossible to stop. Can we stop the proliferation of nuclear weapon? Can all human beings, despite all political disagreement in an essentially world anarchy, agree to stop curiosity and the will to master life, not to tap into the power of genetic re-engineering? There's just such little fine line between a conscious human being and plain lab material. The minute human realize they're made from the same material of the rocks, they start to struggle to maintain the distinction between a higher intellectual awareness and pure materials.
Maybe those who made the discoveries are innocent, only with the wish to cure and help people, but the same tools or technologies can be in the hands of those with a deviant agenda. We cannot block, we can only channel the human creativity and curiosity energy into beneficial use. It's like the river must be dammed and released. We can choose to make this a wonder or a disaster for human race.
That's what a scientist will see. But while you're in the middle of it and feeling the feels, there's nothing funny about this. I only hope this new understanding can help us better treat those who we care and who care about us.
As for the article on Korean scientist cloning human egg for stem cell experiement, I think whatever others think, once an idea comes to life, it is like impossible to stop. Can we stop the proliferation of nuclear weapon? Can all human beings, despite all political disagreement in an essentially world anarchy, agree to stop curiosity and the will to master life, not to tap into the power of genetic re-engineering? There's just such little fine line between a conscious human being and plain lab material. The minute human realize they're made from the same material of the rocks, they start to struggle to maintain the distinction between a higher intellectual awareness and pure materials.
Maybe those who made the discoveries are innocent, only with the wish to cure and help people, but the same tools or technologies can be in the hands of those with a deviant agenda. We cannot block, we can only channel the human creativity and curiosity energy into beneficial use. It's like the river must be dammed and released. We can choose to make this a wonder or a disaster for human race.
Poison against Poison
There's a Chinese saying: "use poison against poison." We can use this method to combat computer virus and worms. What virus and worms do is to exploit discovered bugs or weaknesses in software. When bugs are first discovered, software companies are usually quick to make patches to fix it, but not everyone gets the patch, or get in time. To prevent discovered bugs being exploited in malicious code, we can send a benevolent worm that just exploit this weakness but at the same time patch the host machine first. To maximize the good and minimize the bad of this "poison", here are the rules:
1. upon infection, the code will patch first
2. then make a limited effort to infect the next 0-N vulnerable machines (this step is optional)
3. inform the user that the machine has been saved from potential catastrophic disaster, and provide further information to allow users educate themselves
4. ask users if they would like to contribute their idle computer power to patch other computers (including their friends), just like looking for ET signals
5. if yes, they can configure the rescue effort
6. if no, the code provides the option to remove itself
7. there should be a federation of these codes, so they use resources in an orderly manner and according to regulations. A URL is embodied in the code to allow users to validate its authenticity on the federation official website.
Inspired by the article German Court Convicts Sasser Worm Creator
1. upon infection, the code will patch first
2. then make a limited effort to infect the next 0-N vulnerable machines (this step is optional)
3. inform the user that the machine has been saved from potential catastrophic disaster, and provide further information to allow users educate themselves
4. ask users if they would like to contribute their idle computer power to patch other computers (including their friends), just like looking for ET signals
5. if yes, they can configure the rescue effort
6. if no, the code provides the option to remove itself
7. there should be a federation of these codes, so they use resources in an orderly manner and according to regulations. A URL is embodied in the code to allow users to validate its authenticity on the federation official website.
Inspired by the article German Court Convicts Sasser Worm Creator
Multiple Choice
Multiple choice:
1. true
2. yes
3. ok
4. positive
5. 1
6. combinations of the above
7. any of the above
1. true
2. yes
3. ok
4. positive
5. 1
6. combinations of the above
7. any of the above
慎独
独处的时候是充电的时候。
知识上的充电，精神上的充电，感情上的充电，体力上的充电。
不要放电。不要乱放电。不要随便放电。
有目的，充电才有意义。
完全没人生目的？容易：你的目的是“找到目的”。
怎么找？容易：问自己、问我。
知识上的充电，精神上的充电，感情上的充电，体力上的充电。
不要放电。不要乱放电。不要随便放电。
有目的，充电才有意义。
完全没人生目的？容易：你的目的是“找到目的”。
怎么找？容易：问自己、问我。
犯错
自从在３８亿年前出现在地球上以后，生命就在不断地犯错误。在亿万年的奋斗中，生命率战率败，率败率战，从来没有放弃过。３８亿年的无间断尝试和失败积累了１５４万物种和我们身体里的几万独特基因。
因为没有放弃失败，成功从海洋登上陆地。因为没有避免错误，成功改造地球。因为没有心理负担，成功孕育出人类的智慧。
生命不是最快，生命不是最强，生命不是最坚硬，生命更不是完美。生命只是不放弃，不停地犯错，不停地尝试。
不敢那么狂妄，不敢藐视生命，不敢不犯错误。
因为没有放弃失败，成功从海洋登上陆地。因为没有避免错误，成功改造地球。因为没有心理负担，成功孕育出人类的智慧。
生命不是最快，生命不是最强，生命不是最坚硬，生命更不是完美。生命只是不放弃，不停地犯错，不停地尝试。
不敢那么狂妄，不敢藐视生命，不敢不犯错误。
语言（１）
工欲善其事，必先利其器。
若果思想为工，器则为语言也。语言作为一个沟通和构造思想的工具，可以左右我们的人生。如何选择和自己对话，须慎用每词每句。
例１：为什么我总是这么苯？
潜意思：
Ａ：我苯
Ｂ：无时间限制，无条件限制
Ｃ：“我苯”得顺理成章，要寻找借口来巩固这个立论
。。。
解法：把“为什么”问句改成“如何”问句
改善版：如何才能在下一次做得好些呢？下一次如何避免出这样的错？怎样学到好的ＸＸＸ呢？谁可以做个好的榜样？怎么样的结果是理想的呢？怎样达到那个结果？
例２：点解你不ＸＸＸ？
潜意思：
Ａ：你错了
Ｂ：你应该早就知道你错了
Ｃ：我的幸福依赖于你做对
Ｄ：因为你做错，因此我不能开心了
解法：把“点解”问句改成“如何”问句
改善版：什么是我的目的？如何可以达到目的呢？如果你做ＸＸＸ，就比较好，因为结果会ＸＸＸ的（赚更多ＸＸ，付更少ＸＸ，ＸＸ会更开心，等等）。所以下次 可以记得你有ＸＸＸ的选择。如果不记得，可以采取ＸＸＸ的办法来帮你记起（写在ＸＸＸ上，我提醒你，你提醒自己，叫你妈打电话提醒你）。
例３a：我一定要ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：如果我这次不ＸＸＸ，以后就没有机会了
Ｂ：如果我这次不ＸＸＸ，就没有其他选择了
Ｃ：如果我不ＸＸＸ，我会死
Ｄ：如果我不ＸＸＸ，可能全家ＰＫ
Ｅ：如果我不ＸＸＸ，地球会停
Ｆ：但是我做不到ＸＸＸ，所以以后没有机会，没有其他选择，我会死，全世界也都跟着我死
例３b：我不可以ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：如果我ＸＸＸ，我妈会打我
Ｂ：如果我ＸＸＸ，我一定七窍流血而亡
Ｄ：如果我ＸＸＸ，地球会停
Ｅ：不过我肯定会ＸＸＸ，所以我妈肯定会打我，我肯定七窍流血而亡，全世界也会死
例３c：我不可以ＸＸＸ，但我又一定要ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：我死定
Ｂ：全世界死定
解法：去掉“一定要”和“不可以”的口头禅
改善版：我有几个选择，结果各有千秋。我有自由选择任何一个。不管选择哪一个，我都会做好，开心并且无悔
题１：我希望ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：希望而已
Ｂ：我需要有人把饼挂在我颈上
解法：
改善版：
题２：我尽量ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：肯定不行
Ｂ：理论上说得对，但是我不相信这是可能的
Ｃ：我不想负责任
解法：
改善版：
若果思想为工，器则为语言也。语言作为一个沟通和构造思想的工具，可以左右我们的人生。如何选择和自己对话，须慎用每词每句。
例１：为什么我总是这么苯？
潜意思：
Ａ：我苯
Ｂ：无时间限制，无条件限制
Ｃ：“我苯”得顺理成章，要寻找借口来巩固这个立论
。。。
解法：把“为什么”问句改成“如何”问句
改善版：如何才能在下一次做得好些呢？下一次如何避免出这样的错？怎样学到好的ＸＸＸ呢？谁可以做个好的榜样？怎么样的结果是理想的呢？怎样达到那个结果？
例２：点解你不ＸＸＸ？
潜意思：
Ａ：你错了
Ｂ：你应该早就知道你错了
Ｃ：我的幸福依赖于你做对
Ｄ：因为你做错，因此我不能开心了
解法：把“点解”问句改成“如何”问句
改善版：什么是我的目的？如何可以达到目的呢？如果你做ＸＸＸ，就比较好，因为结果会ＸＸＸ的（赚更多ＸＸ，付更少ＸＸ，ＸＸ会更开心，等等）。所以下次 可以记得你有ＸＸＸ的选择。如果不记得，可以采取ＸＸＸ的办法来帮你记起（写在ＸＸＸ上，我提醒你，你提醒自己，叫你妈打电话提醒你）。
例３a：我一定要ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：如果我这次不ＸＸＸ，以后就没有机会了
Ｂ：如果我这次不ＸＸＸ，就没有其他选择了
Ｃ：如果我不ＸＸＸ，我会死
Ｄ：如果我不ＸＸＸ，可能全家ＰＫ
Ｅ：如果我不ＸＸＸ，地球会停
Ｆ：但是我做不到ＸＸＸ，所以以后没有机会，没有其他选择，我会死，全世界也都跟着我死
例３b：我不可以ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：如果我ＸＸＸ，我妈会打我
Ｂ：如果我ＸＸＸ，我一定七窍流血而亡
Ｄ：如果我ＸＸＸ，地球会停
Ｅ：不过我肯定会ＸＸＸ，所以我妈肯定会打我，我肯定七窍流血而亡，全世界也会死
例３c：我不可以ＸＸＸ，但我又一定要ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：我死定
Ｂ：全世界死定
解法：去掉“一定要”和“不可以”的口头禅
改善版：我有几个选择，结果各有千秋。我有自由选择任何一个。不管选择哪一个，我都会做好，开心并且无悔
题１：我希望ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：希望而已
Ｂ：我需要有人把饼挂在我颈上
解法：
改善版：
题２：我尽量ＸＸＸ
潜意思：
Ａ：肯定不行
Ｂ：理论上说得对，但是我不相信这是可能的
Ｃ：我不想负责任
解法：
改善版：
盲流
美国是一个移民国家，纽约一个移民城市。用一种角度来看，是盲流逃亡地。幸好，这里采取了另外一个角度。
不管你是农民还是大城市市民，不管你来自发达还是落后地区，不管你是健康还是残废，不管你正常还是弱智，不管你是同性恋还是妓女，不管你是教授还是文盲，不管你是什么颜色和从哪里来，你和你的孩子都有得到教育的机会和合法的政府的帮助。
有些理想化。有它的有利条件和环境。不是每个人都可以涌进这里（历史上曾经可以）。不是没有歧视，不是应该完全一视同仁，也不是每个人都懂得珍惜和争 取这些权利。但是知道一个人的成就和他/她的背景和历史没有必然的联系令人振奋。这里没有“民工”这个贬低外来人的概念。
当我们面对一件事情要当面解决的时候，我们会在某种程度上依赖我们的感觉。我们的感情和观念是我们无形的限制。当没有情绪困扰的时候，我们可以比较公正地作出决定。在这种情况下把我们认 同的价值观写为法律，而给予在有情绪困扰时的行动指示，可给予我们更好的结果。就是说，如果没有法律给掌权者（警察、官员等等），难以保证他/她们在遇到 问题时能够作出正确决定。更不用说平常人。
不管你是农民还是大城市市民，不管你来自发达还是落后地区，不管你是健康还是残废，不管你正常还是弱智，不管你是同性恋还是妓女，不管你是教授还是文盲，不管你是什么颜色和从哪里来，你和你的孩子都有得到教育的机会和合法的政府的帮助。
有些理想化。有它的有利条件和环境。不是每个人都可以涌进这里（历史上曾经可以）。不是没有歧视，不是应该完全一视同仁，也不是每个人都懂得珍惜和争 取这些权利。但是知道一个人的成就和他/她的背景和历史没有必然的联系令人振奋。这里没有“民工”这个贬低外来人的概念。
当我们面对一件事情要当面解决的时候，我们会在某种程度上依赖我们的感觉。我们的感情和观念是我们无形的限制。当没有情绪困扰的时候，我们可以比较公正地作出决定。在这种情况下把我们认 同的价值观写为法律，而给予在有情绪困扰时的行动指示，可给予我们更好的结果。就是说，如果没有法律给掌权者（警察、官员等等），难以保证他/她们在遇到 问题时能够作出正确决定。更不用说平常人。
心颤
有没有去爬过很高的山？一路上有很多悬崖峭壁。累的时候可以歇息一下，喘口气。要和周围的同伴首尾相顾，互相拉一把。不过不要往后看，一看就心颤脚软。
有机会，使劲跺一跺脚，感觉一下坚实的大地在你脚下，就不会觉得自己在漂浮了。
不要只是希望健康和幸运，做一个健康而幸运的人每天都会做的事情。
有机会，使劲跺一跺脚，感觉一下坚实的大地在你脚下，就不会觉得自己在漂浮了。
不要只是希望健康和幸运，做一个健康而幸运的人每天都会做的事情。
崛起
万万年以前，一个还名不见经传的星球上有一群正在崛起的小小生物。它们每人（暂且称为“人”）都很有个性，各有自己的喜好和能力。为了在恶劣的环境 中生存，它们不断地寻求突破。它们尝试改造自己，尝试改造自然，尝试改造自己群体之间的关系。每分每秒都在努力奋斗，从生到死。燃烧尽自己的所有能量，每 人只能有短暂的辉煌。 它们契而不舍，因为放弃本身已经是消失的足够原因。
它们发现，它们自己的生命虽然短暂，它们的联合体却可以超越时间的限制。它们可以自我繁殖，但是个人的想象力和突破点总是受到限制。于是它们追求互 相结合以产生可以结合所有优势的后代。它们的后代也不断地追求和发展“合作生存”这一远大的目标。前赴后继地组建一个强大的组织。
它们学会利用和借助外物以巩固自己的组织。用坚硬的物质来造成中流砥柱。它们学会用电来传递信息，拉起运行全组织的高速网络。有些成员开始执行细分 的任务。有的更适合担当指挥工作，有的能够有效地传递信息，有的能够驱动庞大的机械设备。它们分工协作，把自己的命运和组织的命运紧密联系起来。
每个组织都有自己的信仰和规章制度。这些结构和流程都记录在案，深深印在每个成员的记忆中。这些结构和流程决定了这个组织的特性和能力。这些组织利 用这些信息来复制与自己有相同结构的组织。当一个组织衰老灭亡的时候，它的精髓通过复制的新组织而重生。不断延续和繁衍，产生不同种类的组织。
能源和资源是维持一个组织生存的决定因素。每个组织再次为生存而各显神通。同种类组织之间的权力斗争，不同组织之间的吞并或者合作都不断发生。再一次，组织和组织之间合作研制新的一代自我，以合并互相之间的适合环境的优势，抵消减少先天不足或者不合时宜的缺点：完善自我。
在这个过程中，最开始的那些小小的生物，在庞大的组织里面已经失去了独立的意义。每人都只是这个组织里亿万个默默无闻辛勤工作的其中一个，细胞。
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