When you start to think about it, it is sobering – no – downright scary just how many people and events may be affected in the future by the decisions we make, individually and collectively, today. I may believe that I have some idea of the immediate effects however, given the way that the world is now connected so much more than ever before, it is next to impossible to determine the totality of the effect of each and every decision we make.
Philosophical
If Only
I have had personal and harrowing experience of the “if only” thoughts – I find it hardest to deal with in respect of how my actions (or my inaction) affects other people. I don’t mean directly – since that is ‘usually’ understood at the time – at least to a certain extent – I am talking about decisions that have long term repercussions that are far from what is envisaged.
A Word That Deserves A Better Press
There are some words that fall into disuse. There are other words that people are scared of. There are words that change their meaning over time. We all use too many words without thinking. Words play a huge part in everyone’s life. I’d like to talk about an adjective that we seemingly try to avoid – vulnerable.
History Is What We Make It
The fact that our memory is nearly 100% fallible (note that I am not saying 100% wrong) means that to some extent we need to doubt what we have really experienced in the past. Our own personal life story is full of bits and pieces that our minds have made up to “fill in the gaps” between the reality that we actually do remember correctly.
Daring Greatly
This book is definitely on my wish list. I have been very impressed and encouraged by the author’s TED talks on vulnerability and would like to read more. There is little doubt that the topics covered here are in many ways central to the way that I feel about my ‘connections’ to others.
It is, of course very closely linked to the next book down – “Being Wrong” – since the ability to admit to wrongness is an admission of vulnerability.
Being Wrong
This book almost perfectly matches my own world view – now, perhaps that is simply an instance of one of the dangers warned against in the book – confirmation bias – but I would like to think that it is more than that.
Its Not Just The Big Picture
The devil is in the detail
Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves
Big things come in small packages
The longest journey begins with one step
The Great Partnership
This book by the Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, is one of the most compelling on the subject of science and religion that I have read in a long time.
Understanding Backwards
It was Søren Kierkegaard who said that (and I paraphrase) life can only be understood backwards however we must live it forwards. Although I have been aware of that quote for quite some time it is only recently that I have begun to understand the real nature and truth of it.