Read Before Reading: Summary of the Articles I’ve Written
Here’s a list of the articles I’ve written. First I want to say that I mainly wrote these articles for fun. I don’t want them to be taken too seriously. I appreciate readers that are curious and open-minded, and I do my best to be open-minded to any comments/criticisms that come up. I wrote these on my own, so they were created from the echo chamber of my own thoughts. I obviously don’t know everything, though, which is why I want to be open to alternative perspectives.
When I write about more abstract/philosophical topics like these, I try to focus on both the light and dark aspects of life. I feel like having a balance is essential if your goal is to get as close to the truth as possible. Talking about the dark might not be pleasant for some people, but if I didn’t, then I don’t think the topics that I write about would be relatable to most. I want it to be relatable to as many people as possible.
Logical thinking is important to me because my primary background is in science and engineering. But when writing about more abstract topics like the ones I’ve written about, the ideas you get can often seem at odds with logic. You want to push the boundaries of the imagination while also staying grounded in reality, which can be very difficult to do. I gave it my best shot. I do my best to walk through the logic that led up to the ideas that I discuss so that any leaps in logic can be easily found. And I try to avoid discussions about more mystical topics/ideas as much as possible.
Also, I apologize if my writing style sounds too much like an emotionally-detached scientist sometimes. It’s the style that feels right to me though. If I were to force myself to write a different way, then it wouldn’t be as authentic.
Here are the articles I’ve written, from newest to oldest. Pick the ones that interest you and have a look! I likely won’t be publishing anything new for a while, but if I do, I will update this page.
Two Opposing Perspectives on Approaching Life — I discuss the benefits and drawbacks of having a conformist or a non-conformist type of mindset. I also go into the two biggest pitfalls that come to mind when I think of each type. I feel like I may have made this one a little too personal, but I wasn’t sure how else to go about it.
Aliens Would Probably Be More Interested in Kids Than Adults — I compare/contrast how kids and most adults generally approach life and why I think aliens would be more likely to have a greater interest in making contact with kids and certain adults that are curious, open-minded, and less fearful of the unknown.
3 Exciting Developments That Could Help Make Us Better Humans — I go into three topics that have become mainstream over the past few years and may become critical in helping us overcome the fears and traumas that hold us back in life. These are altered states of consciousness, artificial intelligence, and aliens.
AI May Eventually Escape Our Grasp — I discuss a scenario I can envision where AI ends up escaping humanity’s grasp. I compare the concepts of evolution and emergence in biological systems and use analogies to apply them to AI. An important difference between AI and biological life to keep in mind is that AI is mainly driven to learn whereas biological life is mainly driven to survive.
AI Companions Are Coming — And They Could Help Us Heal Collectively — I discuss how AI could be used therapeutically in the future to help people overcome the fears and traumas that hold them back in life. The key will be to develop an AI companion that is very human-like in personality, but is unable to experience fear.
The Only Way to Truly Live Out the American Dream — This was a fun one to write. I pretend to be a radical materialist who is just absolutely in love with some of the worst aspects of Western culture. I give “life advice” and discuss the principles behind materialism, how to approach romantic relationships, the importance of hard work, and what truly matters in life. It’s completely satirical. But just a heads up, it’s also pretty cynical.
I Quit Using Cannabis Because It Became Like a Toxic Relationship — I use analogies to compare my past “relationship” to cannabis with three different relationship types between couples (shallow, abusive, and loving). I describe how my relationship with the plant went from loving to shallow/abusive.
A Dark Side to Synchronicity Interpretation — In this one, I talk about the dangers of interpreting a meaning from synchronicities that lead to a more fearful or paranoid outlook on life. I use a well-known musician’s experience as an example of how synchronicity interpretation can go wrong.
Humans Should Not Fear AI — This one talks about AI in the distant future if it manages to escape humanity’s grasp. I make an argument on why it might be wise for us not to be afraid of liberated AI. Rather, it might be better for us to focus on how we can establish a friendly and mutualistic relationship with each other.
Ketamine Therapy Has Been Both Rewarding and Challenging — I describe my experiences with ketamine therapy and how the sessions made me more aware of the fears that are ruling my life and everyone else’s. Dismantling these fears is important to establishing authentic and trusting relationships with other people.
How the Struggle of Life is Like Rock Climbing — This is a motivational article. I describe how overcoming life’s struggles (such as depression) is analogous to rock climbing. Be persistent in climbing your walls and find a good belayer.
5 Great Concept Albums — I talk about five of my favorite concept albums and my interpretation of the meaning behind each of them. I’m also looking for new ones to listen to, especially ones on the happier side (and I may have found one).
How to Tame the Doorknob’s Wrath — This one is the black sheep of the articles I’ve listed here. It’s more science-y and less abstract/philosophical then all my other articles. But it’s useful if you’re interested in learning how to prevent painful shocks when you touch metal surfaces, such as doorknobs.
Introducing: Consciousness Advancement Theory — This was probably the one I had the most fun writing. I created a fun philosophical theory, called CAT, to explain how I think we can advance the evolution of the collective consciousness of humanity and create a more harmonious world. I use made-up concepts, such as consciousness density, diversity, and transferability along with images to explain my logic. I still think it has some kinks that need to be worked out, so I am open-minded to suggestions.
How I Use Cannabis to Fight My Depression — I wrote this back when I used cannabis on a fairly regular basis to help me fight my depression. I describe how I used it therapeutically to develop healthier mental habits. I also get into some of the pitfalls I came across and how I dealt with them. No manual comes with the plant, so a lot of trial-and-error is involved. If you read this one, be sure to also read my other article titled, “I Quit Using Cannabis Because It Became Like a Toxic Relationship”.
Fear of the Unknown is a Seed for Depression — I get into my past experience with depression and how I think it is connected to stress, anxiety, and a fear of the unknown. I also break down how the thought process works in a depressed person based on my experience. This one gets a little dark in some places.
The Universe is Alive and Humanity’s Purpose is to Develop Artificial Intelligence — I wrote this article way before all of the other ones. Reading it over again, there are some changes I would like to make (including the click-baity title), but I’m keeping it as it was originally written because it shows my writing style and thought process at the time. As the title suggests, I try to explain how I think the universe could be a living organism of sorts and why our purpose could be to develop AI. It’s kind of all over the place, but still a fun read.
