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I’ve developed a perspective on mental wellbeing that emphasizes the irreplaceable value of authentic human connection. While professional therapeutic approaches serve important purposes for many individuals, I believe we sometimes overlook the profound healing potential of genuine friendship in our contemporary discussions about mental health. The Social Connection Perspective # Professional therapy involves paying for scheduled sessions where a trained individual listens to your concerns and potentially offers guidance or applies techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. While this structured approach benefits many, I’ve observed a tendency in online discourse to position therapy as a universal solution for all life challenges—from workplace difficulties to economic pressures—which may create unrealistic expectations.

Software engineers are likely familiar with the CAP theorem, a concept introduced by Eric Brewer. In essence, the CAP theorem posits that distributed databases can have at most 2 of 3 attributes: consistency, availability, or partition tolerance (fault tolerance). This means you can design a database that is consistent and highly available, but not fault tolerant. Alternatively, you can create a system that’s fault tolerant and highly available, but isn’t always consistent (especially during failure scenarios).

Our digital landscape perpetuates a particularly insidious myth: somewhere, certain individuals navigate life with effortless grace, untouched by the struggles that define most human experience. This carefully curated illusion—sustained through filtered social media feeds, selective storytelling, and commercial narratives—creates a phantom standard against which we measure our messy reality. My personal journey resembles what I’d call “productive stumbling”—a series of missteps that somehow propelled me forward rather than backward. This trajectory of failing upward may represent the most favorable path available to any of us. Even those occupying society’s most envied positions acknowledge profound struggles beneath the polished surface. When billionaires lament their difficulties (though their complaints ring somewhat hollow when contrasted with material abundance that could sustain generations), they inadvertently confirm a universal truth: struggle remains democratic, touching lives across every socioeconomic stratum.

Life presents two distinct approaches to navigating its complexities: engaging with the immediate, visible game according to established protocols, or recognizing and operating within the broader metagame—the system that surrounds and shapes the game itself. The first approach resembles single-dimensional chess, while the latter expands into multi-dimensional strategic thinking. Understanding Incentive Structures # This conceptual framework applies across diverse domains of human activity. One effective pathway for transitioning from game-level to metagame thinking involves analyzing incentive structures that drive behavior. By understanding what motivates different actors within a system, you can transform potentially adversarial interactions into collaborative opportunities where all participants benefit.

For a long time I was a futurist, and an optimist about technology in general. I agreed with the thesis that technology makes everything better over time. These days, I’m older and (maybe?) wiser, and I’ve developed a more nuanced perspective about technology’s role in our society. Can our fossil fuel machines save us from the problem created by fossil fuels? 🤔

I still remember a time when algorithm-focused technical interviews were less common, and then, rather suddenly, they became the industry standard. Even for roles that have little connection to algorithmic problem-solving, it seems that most technology companies have converged around the idea that candidates must first demonstrate their coding abilities through structured technical exercises during interviews.

The big news today is the US Federal Reserve’s significant FOMC meeting. Market observers anticipate that the Fed will announce one of the largest rate hikes in decades. The previous rate adjustment amounted to 0.5%, with expectations for today’s announcement hovering around 0.75%. Perspectives on Policy and Expertise # While financial media personalities offer various opinions on economic matters, it’s particularly interesting to consider the inherent challenges that even established institutions face when navigating complex economic environments.

I watched yesterday’s budget committee meeting at the US senate (which you can find here). While the pace of political change can feel frustratingly slow, there are growing signs of awareness about the environmental challenges we face and the need for meaningful action. The human footprint on our environment

I’ve observed a fascinating psychological pattern emerging in our collective consciousness: the persistent belief that somewhere, an authoritative figure possesses complete understanding of our complex problems and will inevitably arrive to resolve them. The 2020 presidential election provided a striking illustration of this phenomenon, as many Americans genuinely believed a change in leadership would instantly restore normalcy and resolve deep-seated societal challenges.

One of the most valuable insights we eventually encounter as we mature is that correctness alone rarely determines our impact or success. What often matters more profoundly are our relationships, timing, and how our ideas are perceived and received by others. This perspective has been developing in my thinking for some time, and I find that storytelling offers the clearest way to explore this nuanced understanding of how influence actually works.