Blog — Philo Li

How to Solve a Rubik's Cube Without Memorizing Algorithms: Even a Kid Can Understand

Sat, 09 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Perhaps you're a complete beginner to the Rubik's Cube, someone who's never quite managed to solve one.

Most tutorials out there simply throw a bunch of strange algorithms at you, telling you to do this, then that, and voilà, the cube is solved. But you're left with no real understanding of why it works.

This article is here to save the day. You're about to learn, from the ground up, how to solve a Rubik's Cube without memorizing a single algorithm. We'll delve into the cube's origins, understand its mechanics, and then I'll guide you step-by-step, from theory to practice, through a complete solve, teaching you to truly see the cube.

This might just be the first time you successfully solve a complete Rubik's Cube with your own hands.

The Birth of the Rubik's Cube

What gives the Rubik's Cube such enduring appeal? Let's start by exploring its fascinating origin.

In 1974, Ernő Rubik, a Hungarian architecture professor, created the first prototype out of wood. His goal was to demonstrate to his students how individual parts could move independently without disrupting the overall structure. He painted each of the six faces a different color, and just like that, the Rubik's Cube was born.

The Astonishing Number of Combinations

A standard 3x3 Rubik's Cube consists of 8 corner pieces, 12 edge pieces, and 6 center pieces, totaling 26 visible parts. However, only 20 of these pieces can actually move (all except the 6 fixed center pieces).

So, how many possible states does it have? A staggering 4.3 × 10¹⁹.

To put that into perspective: this number of states is greater than the total number of grains of sand on Earth. If you tried 1 billion states per second, it would still take over 1300 years to cycle through them all. And if you wrote each possible state on a piece of paper and stacked them up, the pile would stretch from Earth to the Sun and back 14,000 times.

This humble 3x3 cube truly defies expectations. Its novel and engaging gameplay, combined with an endless array of variations, instantly captivated the market upon its release, drawing in enthusiasts from all walks of life. Soon, Rubik's Cube competitions emerged, alongside a proliferation of solving methods (Speedsolving, Blindfolded, One-Handed, With Feet) and techniques (Layer by Layer, Corners First, CFOP, Roux Bridge, Petrus, ZZ). The world of puzzle cubes expanded even further with diverse shape mods and larger cubes (from 2x2 to 7x7, Pyraminx, Skewb, Megaminx).

The cube's immense allure has led mathematicians to dedicate decades to studying its underlying math, tirelessly searching for "God's Number." Astronauts have even taken it to space, and people of all ages and genders shine in various competitions. Yet, despite its widespread appeal, the number of actual solvers remains relatively small. My hope with this article is to teach everyone how to solve the cube and experience the joy this clever puzzle game brings.

The Algorithm Conundrum

Most mainstream solving methods demand that players memorize a multitude of algorithms, which can be incredibly daunting for newcomers. They often get bogged down by formulas before they even get a taste of the satisfaction that comes from solving the cube. The popular CFOP method, for example, involves over 100 algorithms, with beginners typically needing to learn dozens.

That's why today I want to share a method that lets you enjoy solving the Rubik's Cube without memorizing any algorithms. You'll be able to restore the cube purely through observation and understanding.

The Mathematical Powerhouse: Group Theory

Question: How can we solve a Rubik's Cube without memorizing a single algorithm?

This is where we unleash the mathematical powerhouse: Group Theory. There's virtually no problem that math can't help us solve.

So, what's the connection between the Rubik's Cube and Group Theory? The cube itself is a group. Every turn on a Rubik's Cube is a permutation operation. This operation has several key characteristics: it can be combined, it can be inverted, but it is not commutative.

Take multiplication, which we learned in elementary school; it's a commutative operation, meaning A × B yields the exact same result as B × A. However, in the Rubik's Cube group, swapping the order of operations A and B leads to different outcomes. Performing R then U is a completely different action than U then R. By understanding groups, we can understand the Rubik's Cube. Conversely, playing with the cube also helps us grasp group theory.

Congratulations! You've just learned the distinction between an Abelian group (like multiplication and addition) and a non-Abelian group (like the Rubik's Cube group).

(Note: Standard Rubik's Cube notation uses letters to represent moves. R means rotating the right face 90 degrees clockwise, U means rotating the top face 90 degrees clockwise, R' means rotating 90 degrees counter-clockwise. M' means moving the middle layer up, and M means moving it down.)

You can observe and learn how the cube turns directly using the online cube animation provided in the appendix.

Principle: The Core of Not Memorizing Algorithms: Commutators

To solve the Rubik's Cube, we need to achieve a specific state: adjusting the positions of certain pieces without altering the positions of others.

In mathematics, this operation is called a commutator, written as A B A⁻¹ B⁻¹.

A⁻¹ denotes the inverse operation of A.

Let's use a very relatable analogy: an elevator. Imagine you want to move a person from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor:

A: The person walks into the elevator.
B: The elevator goes up to the 3rd floor.
A⁻¹: The person walks out of the elevator.
B⁻¹: The elevator returns to the 1st floor.

Result: The elevator is back in its original position, but the person has moved from the 1st to the 3rd floor. The key is that when the elevator returned, the person was no longer inside – so the environment (the elevator) reverted, but the target (the person) changed position.

In the context of the Rubik's Cube, for example, R and R⁻¹ correspond to rotating the right face 90 degrees clockwise and then 90 degrees counter-clockwise in the third step.

The inverse operation A⁻¹ B⁻¹ restores the environment that was disturbed by the A B operations. This allows us to exchange only specific pieces without affecting the surrounding areas.

Why not A A⁻¹ B B⁻¹? Because in that case, each action would immediately cancel itself out, preventing any piece exchange. Performing an action A, then immediately its inverse A⁻¹, amounts to doing nothing at all (e.g., turning the top layer 90 degrees counter-clockwise, then immediately 90 degrees clockwise). Therefore, it must be A B A⁻¹ B⁻¹ to achieve a swap.

This is the most fundamental exchange, and the most intuitive atomic move on the Rubik's Cube is: R U R' U'.

This sequence can be extended and combined to achieve various permutation effects, such as: (R U R' U') (R U R' U') (R U R').

This, in essence, is the origin of algorithms. Why do algorithms exist? They simply combine a series of basic permutation operations into sequences. Executing these sequences allows you to quickly achieve specific results, like solving a particular edge or a corner piece. Different sequences can be combined to guide us toward the final solved state of the cube.

Once you grasp this principle, you can even construct your own custom algorithms. (How to create your own Rubik's Cube algorithms will be thoroughly explained in a future post.)

So, to solve the Rubik's Cube without memorizing a single algorithm, all we need to master is the fundamental concept of permutations. You can then apply this logic to any situation. The most atomic permutation moves will swap the positions of three corner pieces or three edge pieces.

How to Perform Exchanges on the Cube

As mentioned earlier, the most intuitive atomic exchange move on the Rubik's Cube is R U R' U'. A deep understanding of this move will immediately enable you to solve the first two layers of the cube.

This move essentially means: move aside (right layer), insert (target piece), restore (right layer), restore (top layer).

This allows us to insert a corner-edge pair from the top layer into an F2L slot, for instance.

This fundamental move can be varied endlessly, transforming into U R U' R', or F R F' R', and so on, for any position. You can even apply it to middle layers like M U M' U', or use double turns like U2 R U2 R'.

In the initial stages, the cube is at its most chaotic. Therefore, we can use many basic permutations like these to first solve one face or another localized section, thereby reducing the overall disorder.

Furthermore, because the cube is so scrambled, the final 'restore environment' move (U') in R U R' U' can sometimes be omitted, depending on the situation, allowing you to directly transition to the next action. This simplifies the sequence to: move aside, insert, restore.

Move aside, insert, restore.

This is the core action. Congratulations, you now understand the essence of solving the Rubik's Cube!

However, in later stages, we'll need longer permutation sequences to swap specific blocks without completely undoing the already solved parts.

Take R U' L' U R' U' L U as an example. This move can swap three corner pieces without affecting anything else. Let's break it down into commutator logic:

A   = R U'   (Moves a corner piece out of the way)
B   = L'     (Moves the left layer)
A⁻¹ = U R'   (Reverses operation A)
B⁻¹ = U' L U (Reverses operation B, with adjustment)

Effect: The bottom-left corner piece remains in place, while the other three corner pieces swap positions.

This is probably one of only two "algorithms" you'll need to understand in this article. We'll learn how to use it in the practical section, grasping it through observation and practice rather than rote memorization.

Practical Section: Solving from Scratch

Now, we arrive at the main event of this article! I'll guide you step-by-step, using only observation and understanding, to completely solve a Rubik's Cube from scratch.

Here's what you'll need:

A Rubik's Cube
And a little patience (because our focus is on observation and understanding)

First, assume you have a Rubik's Cube in hand. We'll use the international standard scramble (F' D2 F' U F' U2 F' L R F U2 F2 D' R L D L B R D'), and then I'll guide you through solving it together.

Alternatively, you can play the online version directly. Clicking this link will show you a pre-scrambled cube: 3D Rubik's Cube — Philo Li

We can solve the cube using the elegant approach of the Roux bridge method. Unlike layer-by-layer methods, the bridge method focuses on first building 1x2x3 blocks on the left and right sides (known as the 'bridges'), then solving the top layer and remaining pieces.

The Roux method is incredibly free and flexible, often requiring fewer moves than many well-known methods. It also demands very little algorithm memorization, as it's primarily based on commutator logic. Within this framework, we'll learn how to solve the cube without memorizing a single algorithm.

Step One: Fix Your Viewing Position

The Roux method uses a fixed viewing position. Throughout the solve, we won't need to constantly reorient the cube; instead, we'll maintain the same perspective for thinking and solving. By sticking to this fixed orientation, we can easily spot corner and edge pieces and understand where they need to go.

We can use this orientation as our standard:

Front (facing you): Green face
Left: Red
Right: Orange
Top: Yellow
Bottom: White
Back: Blue

Step Two: Build the Side Bridges

Left Bridge Construction Order:

First, position the white-red edge piece (the bottom-left pillar).
Next, place the back blue-red edge piece.
Finally, position the two front red corner pieces.

Left bridge completed state diagram:

This entire process requires no algorithms—just observation and understanding. With practice, you'll become increasingly proficient.

F' L: Using observation, find the white-red edge piece and position it so white is on the bottom and red is on the left.

M2 F2 U2 B: Position the blue-red edge piece and corner pieces.

U2 B U R' U2 F': Locate the final two pieces for the left bridge, figure out how to place them, and thus complete a perfect left bridge.

The right bridge follows the same logic: simply replace red with orange and repeat the steps. However, be careful not to scramble the left bridge you've already built. If you need to temporarily move pieces, shift the left bridge out of the way first so your right-side operations don't affect it, then restore the left bridge once the right-side moves are complete.

Right bridge middle: U' M U' R2

Right bridge first piece: U' M' U2 R' U R

Having prepared the last module for the right bridge and wanting to insert it, we first move the left bridge out of the way (F') to create space, then move the module (U), and finally restore both the left and right bridges simultaneously.

This is the state with both bridges complete. As long as the bridges are formed, don't worry about the other colors for now.

Step Three: Solve the Top Layer Corners

Once you've completed both side bridges, the next step is to solve the remaining four corner pieces. Here, we'll use a corner 3-cycle, which rotates three corners from position A to B, B to C, and C back to A.

Corner 3-Cycle

Algorithm 1

R U' L' U R' U' L U

The bottom-left corner piece remains stationary.
The other three corner pieces swap positions counter-clockwise.
However, their internal colors rotate clockwise.

Algorithm 2 (Mirrored Version)

L' U R U' L U R' U'

The bottom-right corner piece remains stationary.
The other three corner pieces swap positions clockwise.
However, their internal colors rotate counter-clockwise.

You'll only encounter four types of corner orientations: 0, 1, 2, or 4 'good' corners.

4 good corners: Solved state.
1 good corner (Fish shape): Perform another 3-cycle or its mirrored version to complete it.
0 / 2 good corners: First, move a 'bad' corner to the position unaffected by the 3-cycle (bottom-left corner). Perform one 3-cycle, which will result in 1 good corner, returning to the previous situation.

Sometimes, the basic 3-cycle version needs to be performed twice for a complete solve, while the mirrored version might only take one. For beginners, just master the basic version, focusing on observation and understanding, and you'll soon grasp the concept. This yellow-up 3-cycle is also a well-known classic algorithm, often called the 'left/right fish' algorithm; try to recognize the 'fish' pattern.

You don't need to memorize this algorithm either. Just observe how the two green pieces move, and after a few hands-on attempts, you'll become familiar with it. The core idea is to swap three corner pieces on the top layer.

Looking at our cube after completing the left and right bridges, we see two yellow pieces on top. So, we'll move a non-yellow piece to the bottom-left corner and perform one corner 3-cycle. Then, either two more 3-cycles or one mirrored 3-cycle will orient all four top-layer corners with yellow facing up.

All four yellow corners are solved!

Adjusting Positions (Aligning Side Colors)

Once all four corner pieces have yellow facing up, you still need to align their side colors for them to be completely solved.

At this point, we'll use a J-perm variant: R U2 R' U' R U2 L' U R' U' L.

The logic of this algorithm can be broken down into "carrying a pair + logical swap":

First half R U2 R' U' R: Moves a pair of pieces to a "safe zone" for temporary storage, creating space.
Second half U2 L' U R' U' L: Uses 3-cycle logic to precisely swap two corner pieces.

Effect: The two corner pieces on the right swap positions, while keeping their yellow faces oriented upwards. Other corner pieces remain unchanged.

This means you can swap any two adjacent corner pieces (use U to position which two corners are on the right). By repeating this swap a few times, all four corner pieces will be perfectly aligned and solved.

Step Four: Solve the Last Six Edges (LSE)

At this point, first align the center pieces so yellow is on top and white is on the bottom, then proceed to adjust the edge pieces.

Only 6 edge pieces remain. This step is highly intuitive, using only M and U moves.

4a: Adjust Orientation (EO, Edge Orientation)

How to identify: Check if the white/yellow sticker on the edge piece is facing up or down.

Facing up / down = Good edge ✓
Facing sideways = Bad edge ✗

How to adjust: Use M U M' or M' U M to flip the bad edge.

Intuitive understanding: M brings a middle-layer edge up, U adjusts its position, and M' brings it back down.

Repeat a few times until all edge pieces have their white/yellow side facing either up or down.

We can call correctly oriented edges "good edges" and incorrectly oriented ones "bad edges."

As highlighted in the image, the three top-layer edges are "bad" because they are neither yellow nor white.

Adjustment Tips: You'll only encounter four types of "bad edge" scenarios:

0 bad edges: Solved state.
Not 0 or 4 bad edges: Use M' U M to change the number of bad edges, aiming to get 4 bad edges.
4 bad edges (2 on top, 2 on bottom): Use M' U2 M to swap top and bottom edges, resulting in a 3 top, 1 bottom configuration.
4 bad edges (3 on top, 1 on bottom): The three bad edges on the top layer will form an arrow. Rotate the top layer so the arrow points towards the single bad edge on the bottom layer. Perform M' U M once, and all four bad edges will cancel out, becoming good edges.

If an arrow doesn't appear, keep trying M' U M; you'll eventually get it. As you advance, you can start looking for patterns.

4b: Solve the Side Edges (Red and Orange)

Locate the red-yellow and orange-yellow edge pieces (aiming for them to return to the left and right side edges). Use an edge 3-cycle to move them to their correct positions.

Tip:

Move the red-yellow (or orange-yellow) piece to the top of the middle layer, then sink it to the bottom by swapping top and bottom edges (M' U2 M).
Sink the other orange-yellow (or red-yellow) piece on the opposite side.
Rotate the top layer so the red side appears opposite the sunken red-yellow edge piece.
Turn the middle layer half a turn (M2), then observe and align the top layer (U).

4c: Solve the Last Four Edges (Blue and Green)

Tips:

Continuously use the edge 3-cycle to swap top and bottom edges: M' U2 M. The final step is to align by observation using U2.
Quick tip: Place the white-green (or white-blue) edge piece above its target position, swap top and bottom edges, and the white-green (or white-blue) piece will be solved.

There are only three scenarios:

Already correct → Solved!
Needs M2 → Perform M2 once.
Needs a swap → M' U2 M U2 or M U2 M' U2.

We can also simplify the logic of the 3-edge cycle: M' brings the middle layer up, U2 turns the top layer halfway, M restores the middle layer, and U2 restores the top layer.

Done!

Summary

No need for rote memorization of algorithms, just the "open-operate-close" commutator logic. You'll find this process far more engaging than simply memorizing, and you won't have to worry about forgetting it years down the line, as you can always re-derive it yourself.

This same line of thinking can be applied to solve any Rubik's Cube, including all sorts of weird and wonderful shape mods.

However, if you aspire to competitive speedcubing, that path demands endless rigorous practice. But for beginners, achieving a solve under 90 seconds with a little practice should be well within reach.

There are countless solving methods out there; see if you can discover an even more elegant or intuitive approach that works for you.

The world of Rubik's Cubes offers endless fun. Happy cubing!

Appendix 1: Rubik's Cube Solving Cheat Sheet (Cube-Solving Mantra)

Build the Side Bridges: Rely on Observation and Intuition
- Tips: Once you're highly proficient at observation and anticipation, you can prioritize building other modules or even both bridges simultaneously based on the cube's specific state. This allows for fewer moves and offers great flexibility.
Orient the Top Layer Corners: All Four Yellow Faces Up
- Top layer corner 3-cycle: R U' L' U R' U' L U (Keeps the bottom-left corner piece stationary; the internal colors of the other three corner pieces rotate clockwise.)
- Top layer corner 3-cycle mirrored version: L' U R U' L U R' U' (Keeps the bottom-right corner piece stationary; the internal colors of the other three corner pieces rotate counter-clockwise.)
Solve the Side Faces of the Top Layer Corners
- Top layer corner position fine-tuning: R U2 R' U' R U2 L' U R' U' L (Keeps all four corner pieces with yellow facing up; swaps the positions of the two right-hand corner pieces.)
Orient the Edge Pieces: White or Yellow Facing Up/Down
- First, align the center pieces so yellow is on top and white is on the bottom, then adjust the edge pieces.
- Use M' U M to change the number of 'bad' edges. Form an arrow, point it towards a bad edge, perform M' U M once, and all four bad edges will cancel out and be oriented correctly.
Solve the Side Edges (Red and Orange)
- First, move the red-yellow (or orange-yellow) piece to the bottom by swapping top and bottom edges (M' U2 M).
Solve the Remaining Edges (Blue and Green)
- Continuously use the edge 3-cycle to swap top and bottom edges: M' U2 M. The final step is to align by observation using U2.

You don't need to memorize any of the algorithms above; they're included in the appendix merely for easy reference. In practice, as you try them yourself, observing and understanding how the corresponding pieces move, you'll become familiar with them after a few attempts. The core idea is always about swapping three top-layer corner pieces.

Appendix 2: Useful Websites and Tools

I've also created an online 3D Rubik's Cube for you to play with! You can turn it freely, scramble it with a fixed algorithm, or solve it, and every step comes with beautiful animations!

3D Rubik's Cube — Philo Li

The same scramble algorithm used in this tutorial: F' D2 F' U F' U2 F' L R F U2 F2 D' R L D L B R D'

The left and right bridge solution steps for this tutorial: F'LM2F2U2BUR'U2F'UFR'F'U2MR'URUM'UR'U2RUF'UFU'M'UF'UF

Click this link to see the scrambled cube: 3D Rubik's Cube — Philo Li

The Rubik's Cube timer used by world champions: csTimer - Professional Rubik's Cube Speedsolving / Training Timer

12 Standout Books: My 2025 Top-Rated Reading List

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:10:00 GMT

Last year, I read 47 books. Between various commitments, it was an incredibly hectic year, so I didn't quite hit the 100-book milestone I reached in 2024. Still, I managed to discover some truly remarkable works. My reading spanned across writing, art, psychology, social sciences, finance, and personal growth—many of which have stayed with me long after I closed the covers. To keep this list concise, I’ve narrowed it down to 12 titles that earned a solid four or five-star rating.

The reviews below are the raw notes I jotted down immediately after finishing each book. I initially thought about polishing them for this post, but there’s a certain sincerity and "unfiltered" energy in those original reactions that I wanted to preserve.

Whether they expanded my worldview, provided high-value insights, or simply touched my soul in ways that brought joy or sorrow, many of these are books I plan to revisit. That alone speaks to their weight and the quality of this list.

1 - George Soros: A Life in Full - Peter L.W. Osnos (ed.) (5 Stars | 2025-01-28)

Recommended for

Anyone interested in Soros or high-profile financial biographies.
Readers curious about how the roles of investor, philanthropist, and public intellectual can coexist in one life.
Fans of well-crafted, multi-perspective non-fiction.

Notes

SURVIVOR, BILLIONAIRE, SPECULATOR, PHILANTHROPIST, PHILOSOPHER, POLITICAL ACTIVIST, NEMESIS OF THE FAR RIGHT, GLOBAL CITIZEN.
The prose here is exceptional. It captures every dimension of Soros—his history, the evolution of his philosophy, and the intimate details of his lifestyle—offering glimpses you won't find anywhere else. I came away even more fascinated by him. It’s written by five different authors; I think the first section was my favorite.
His philanthropic network almost functions like a series of private embassies across the globe. The author likens him to an emperor, but of the "enlightened ruler" variety. He also hosts regular gatherings at his estate for brilliant and, more importantly, interesting people to exchange ideas. It’s very Renaissance—the kind of life I genuinely aspire to. It’s not about celebrity decadence; it’s about creating meaningful connections where everyone brings their intellectual A-game.
Ultimately, he’s an extraordinary man who has lived an incredibly full life. If I could live a life like his, I’d consider it a complete success. I suspect his drive for global influence is partly a way to combat loneliness—immense influence can be a powerful antidote to isolation.

2 - Write a Must-Read - A.J. Harper (5 Stars | 2025-03-10)

Recommended for

Aspiring non-fiction authors, or anyone writing manuscripts and long-form essays.
Those wanting to master audience positioning and structural clarity.
Writers who aren't satisfied with "just finishing," but want to create something truly impactful.

Notes

This is a unique guide on how to write a great book—the kind people read again and again. It’s packed with practical advice on outlining, pushing through "writer's block," and pinpointing your target reader.
A book like this can’t be a vanity project; it has to be in service of the reader. By caring for the reader from the first page to the last, you create a sense of companionship that keeps them engaged. A truly "must-read" book changes the reader—they are not the same person they were before they started. Producing work of this caliber takes immense effort and likely years of iterative editing.
Whether for its practicality, its sincerity, or its underlying philosophy, this is a masterpiece. Essential reading for every writer.

3 - The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin (5 Stars | 2025-04-07)

Recommended for

Artists, writers, musicians, and serious creators.
Anyone fascinated by intuition, aesthetics, and the "flow state."
Creators who feel stuck and want to reconnect with the "why" of their work.

Notes

This was a sublime reading experience. I wanted to highlight every single sentence; each one felt like a profound aphorism. I was completely immersed. This is one of those rare books that explains why artists create from a high-level philosophical perspective. It seems to have a "magical" resonance for serious artists, though non-creators might find it elusive. I found myself slowing down because I didn’t want it to end.
It’s like spiritual nourishment.
I think the impact of this book is most profound for top-tier creators. Rubin, a legendary producer who has guided icons, writes in a way that serves as a lighthouse. It’s not just about "making stuff"—it’s about the pursuit of greatness. That is the artist's raison d'être.

4 - Writing For Impact - Bill Birchard (5 Stars | 2025-07-18)

Recommended for

Writers looking to boost engagement and "stickiness."
Anyone interested in the intersection of neuroscience and psychology with writing.
Bloggers, newsletter creators, and copywriters.

Notes

Core Premise: Impactful writing isn't just an art; it’s a science rooted in neuroscience. The key is understanding how the human brain works and "rewarding" the reader to keep them hooked.
I loved this. It gave me a scientific framework to explain why we gravitate toward certain stories or articles. Once you internalize these principles, you can use them to reverse-engineer your own writing. It’s definitely worth a reread.
The eight scientific secrets: Simple / Specific / Surprising / Stirring / Seductive / Smart / Social / Story-driven.

5 - So Good They Can't Ignore You - Cal Newport (5 Stars | 2025-06-11)

Recommended for

People rethinking their career path who are skeptical of the "follow your passion" mantra.
Those looking to build "career capital" and gain more autonomy.
Readers interested in long-term career optimization.

Notes

A fantastic read. I expected "self-help fluff," but found something much deeper. Newport, a professor, debunks the "passion hypothesis," arguing that passion alone is a shaky foundation for a career. The advice is highly grounded, using examples of high-performers across various fields. Most people don’t have a "calling" early on—great innovations often happen only after you’ve mastered a field. You earn autonomy by accumulating "career capital."
He shares stories of people who didn't find their "true north" until they were deep into their PhDs or professorships. They didn't start with a clear vision, but by consistently refining their path and putting in the work, they achieved a high level of career satisfaction.
I liked his personal example: choosing a smaller state school over a more prestigious university because the former offered more autonomy for a new researcher. That control over his work led to much greater fulfillment.
There’s a lot of meat in this book; it’s worth a deep dive.

6 - The Nature Fix - Florence Williams (5 Stars | 2025-05-10)

Recommended for

Anyone curious about how nature impacts mental health and cognitive function.
City dwellers who spend too much time indoors.
Fans of non-fiction that blends scientific rigor with beautiful storytelling.

Notes

I was halfway through this book when I actually felt compelled to head into the forest!
It’s full of research on how natural environments improve focus, boost cognitive performance, and alleviate depression. Nature is truly powerful.
I need to write a dedicated post for this one. The writing is captivating—never dry, always engaging. It balances vivid descriptions of the natural world with clear, logical scientific analysis.
The section on the history of kindergartens was eye-opening—Northern Europe still gets it right with "forest schools" where kids play in the wild rather than being cooped up in classrooms.

7 - The Anxious Generation - Jonathan Haidt (5 Stars | 2025-09-15)

Recommended for

Those concerned about youth mental health and the impact of social media.
Parents, educators, and anyone working with Gen Z.
Readers seeking a systematic look at the modern anxiety epidemic.

Notes

A vital book. It explores how the "great rewiring" of childhood through social media has made Gen Z more prone to anxiety and depression. The impact is far more profound than just "wasted time." It deserves a feature article of its own.
Modern teens spend so much time online that face-to-face interaction has plummeted. We don't yet know the full cost of this on social skills and human connection, but it’s likely affecting how they form intimate bonds as adults.
Haidt’s four proposals for reform are compelling: no smartphones before high school; no social media before 16; phone-free schools; and more unsupervised "free play" for kids.

8 - Way of the Wolf - Jordan Belfort (5 Stars | 2025-11-27)

Recommended for

Anyone looking to sharpen their sales, persuasion, or closing skills.
Entrepreneurs and creators who need to understand the psychology of a "buy" decision.
Fans of practical, high-energy methodology.

Notes

Absolutely gripping. Belfort isn't just a sales master; he’s an incredibly engaging writer.
If you liked the movie, you'll find the book equally fascinating, if not more so.
The Three 10s: The prospect must have absolute trust (a "10") in the product, in you, and in your company. If you hit all three, the sale is inevitable.
He also emphasizes not wasting time on people who aren't genuine prospects.
Certainty is everything. In sales, you have to move a prospect toward a state of absolute certainty—that the product solves their pain and is worth every penny.

9 - Becoming Leonardo - Mike Lankford (4 Stars | 2025-04-01)

Recommended for

Fans of Da Vinci and the Renaissance era.
Readers who enjoy biographies with a more literary, imaginative flair.
Those looking for an evocative, "moody" look at a historical genius.

Notes

This feels like a biography written by a fan. It takes historical facts and weaves them into a highly atmospheric narrative. It was a joy to read.
That said, it should be approached more as a work of "biographical fiction" or literature than a strict historical record, as many of the intimate details are clearly imagined. If you accept it on those terms, it's a wonderful read.

10 - The Lonely City - Olivia Laing (4 Stars | 2025-01-19)

Recommended for

People interested in the intersection of urban life, art, and the human condition.
Fans of lyrical, essay-style non-fiction.
Anyone who has navigated their own periods of isolation.

Notes

A very unique perspective. Laing explores loneliness by looking at the lives and works of various artists while navigating her own period of isolation in New York. She shows how many great artists used their work to heal and process their own solitude.
It’s rare to find a book that discusses loneliness so directly and through the lens of art criticism.
I loved this passage:

"In her essay, Fromm-Reichmann returns repeatedly to this problem of incommunicability... One of her case studies concerns a schizophrenic woman who asked specifically to see her psychiatrist in order to discuss her deep, despairing sense of loneliness. After several vain attempts, she finally burst out: 'I don't know why people think hell is a place where there is heat and where fires are burning. That is not hell. Hell is if you are frozen in isolation into a block of ice. That is where I have been.'"

11 - The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson (4 Stars | 2025-02-23)

Recommended for

People looking to audit their values and priorities.
Readers who want personal growth advice without the "toxic positivity."
Those who appreciate a blunt, honest approach to life’s problems.

Notes

This was a solid, sincere read. Since my own outlook is already quite similar to Manson’s, it didn't feel revolutionary—it felt like reading something I might have written myself. But its massive popularity makes sense; it hits a nerve.
The core isn't about apathy; it's about being selective. It’s a counter-argument to the constant pursuit of "more" and "positive vibes," which often just leads to more anxiety.
Pain is inevitable; trying to avoid it is its own kind of suffering. "Not giving a f*ck" doesn't mean being indifferent; it means being comfortable with being different or misunderstood for the sake of your values. It’s about choosing what is worth your limited emotional energy.
Even though it didn't give me much "new" info, I’d recommend it for its clarity and methodology. It's a great "recalibration" book.
My favorite part was the final chapter, where he describes sitting on the edge of a cliff to contemplate mortality. His writing there was brilliant and deeply personal—a stark contrast to the more generalized advice earlier in the book.

12 - Clear Thinking - Shane Parrish (4 Stars | 2025-01-04)

Recommended for

Readers wanting to build a toolkit of mental models and decision-making habits.
Those new to cognitive science who want a high-level framework.
Anyone looking to recognize and override their own cognitive biases.

Notes

I started this book with a 5-star feeling—it’s a solid synthesis of mental models. But after reading some critical reviews on Goodreads, I noticed flaws I had initially overlooked and moved it down to a 4.
The Core Theme: Our lives are shaped not by grand strokes of genius, but by our ability to pause between "stimulus and response" in ordinary moments. Most people spend their lives on "autopilot."
Our biggest enemies are our "defaults"—ego, social pressure, and biological instincts. We often prioritize fitting in or protecting our image over getting the right result.
Parrish suggests building four "strengths" to override these defaults: Accountability (owning your results), Self-Knowledge (knowing your blind spots), Self-Control (managing emotional flares), and Self-Trust (backing your own judgment).
The Downsides: It feels a bit like "academic-lite" self-help. It’s a collection of great ideas from other thinkers (similar to Naval Ravikant’s style) rather than original research. It lacks deep data or unique case studies, occasionally drifting into "correct-sounding truisms" (正确的废话).
Interestingly, Parrish writes: "The sheer volume of information we consume in the form of highlights and summaries is an illusion of knowledge." I’m not sure he realized that this critique applies to his own book. He might not have been "thinking clearly" when he wrote that!

That’s it for my 2025 recommendations.

With World Book Day (April 23rd) just around the corner, I hope you find the time to get lost in a great book. Whether it’s for knowledge, inspiration, or simple companionship, reading is a boundless world.

May you always have a great book within reach.

Hacking My Sleep: Day 1 of a Personal Experiment

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT

I've embarked on a sleep experiment. My goal is to improve my sleep quality and energy levels by adjusting my diet and lifestyle, aiming to maintain a more alert and vibrant state of being.

The Origin: Why I'm Experimenting with My Own Sleep

The old saying about "spring sleepiness and autumn fatigue" feels like it was written just for me. Even though I often sleep a full eight or nine hours — and sometimes, when I'm feeling down, for over ten hours straight — I still wake up tired.

I've come to believe that to achieve higher efficiency in work and life, the focus shouldn't be on time management, but on energy management. When your energy is high, you approach tasks with more vitality. Your execution, work, and learning efficiency increase dramatically, leading to feedback and a sense of accomplishment far greater than what's possible in a low-energy state.

A recent conversation with a friend lit the fire for this experiment. She's what you'd call a "superhuman" — she sleeps only four hours a day yet is perpetually full of energy, her mind clear year-round. Through our chat, I discovered that her diet and lifestyle are vastly different from mine.

I am a die-hard carb lover. Rice, noodles, and fruit are my sources of joy. She, on the other hand, eats very few carbs. I started to think this might be the root cause of my chronic drowsiness.

After all, I don't remember being this tired back in my school days, when I could be full of life on an average of seven hours of sleep. But in recent years, I've had this persistent feeling of never getting enough sleep. Sleep affects mood, work, and learning efficiency. I hope that by adjusting my diet and habits, I can maintain a higher level of energy, achieve better sleep quality for more complete rest, and think more clearly during my waking hours. This would be a crucial boost to my productivity.

Several years ago, I read many books on energy management, neuroscience, and nutrition. But books can't offer a personalized diagnosis, and it's hard to spot problems in habits accumulated over a lifetime. For a long time, I had resigned myself to being a low-energy person who simply needs a lot of sleep.

But my friend's mother and my own are the same type of person: they don't sleep much, but from the moment they wake up until they go to bed, they can keep going without stopping, year after year. Genes can determine how much sleep a person needs. I began to wonder, could I have the "short-sleeper" gene too?

Even if I can't achieve a four-hour sleep schedule, I can still explore the question: How much sleep do I really need to be at my best?

The Protocol: My Plan and Objectives

1. Project Name: The High-Efficiency Sleep Protocol

2. Core Objective: To enhance sleep quality and daytime productivity by optimizing diet and lifestyle habits, without sacrificing health, and to discover my body's optimal sleep duration.

3. Core Hypothesis: Reducing carbohydrate intake will stabilize blood sugar and improve sleep efficiency, thereby naturally shortening total sleep time without negatively impacting energy levels.

4. Phase 1 Variable:

Action: Cut carbohydrate intake by half and meticulously record daily food consumption.
Control: Keep other habits unchanged for now, with gradual adjustments to be made later.

5. Metrics to Measure:

Objective Metrics: Total sleep duration, Sleep Score (continuously tracked by my fitness watch).
Subjective Metrics: Mental state upon waking, daytime energy levels, cravings for carbohydrates.

6. Safety Disclaimer: I solemnly declare that this is a personal exploration and will not be conducted at the expense of my health. If any adverse reactions occur (such as persistent fatigue, low mood, or severe lack of concentration), I will immediately adjust or terminate the experiment.

Experiment Log Day 1: An Unexpected First-Day Result

Baseline Data (Pre-Experiment)

Average Sleep This Month: ~9 hours
Daytime State: Often drowsy, especially during a caffeine-free afternoon.

Day 1 Log | 2025–07–10

Date: 2025–07–10

Food Log: 1 slice of toast, 1 fried egg, milk, 1 Yakult; 2 boiled corn cobs; 4 xiao long bao (steamed buns)

Total Calories: 730 kcal

Total Carbs: 102g

Sleep Duration: 5.5h

Subjective Notes: Main carb intake reduced by ~50% vs. usual. Waking hours significantly extended.

When my usual bedtime arrived last night, I found myself wide awake for several more hours. I was pleasantly surprised by such an immediate and dramatic effect from the very first day of reducing carbs; it was completely unexpected. Whether this result can be consistently replicated remains to be seen over the coming days.

WHO Guidelines on Carbohydrate Intake

Carbohydrates, found mainly in plant-based foods, are the primary source of energy (i.e., calories) in many people's diets. They are metabolized into glucose, which is the main "fuel" for the brain and other organs and tissues. Carbohydrates can be classified as sugars, oligosaccharides, or polysaccharides (i.e., starches).

We should consume more high-quality carbohydrates, which are those that digest slowly. Sugars are generally considered low-quality. The key to slowing down carb digestion is dietary fiber.

High-quality carbs have been shown to have significant positive health effects, while low-quality carbs can be detrimental. A high intake of dietary fiber and the consumption of high-quality carbohydrate foods — such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses — has been shown to widely improve health outcomes.

According to the latest (2023) WHO guideline on carbohydrate intake for adults and children, there are several strong recommendations for adults:

WHO recommends that carbohydrate intake should come primarily from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and pulses (strong recommendation; applicable to all individuals 2 years of age and older).
For adults, WHO recommends an intake of at least 400 g of vegetables and fruits per day (strong recommendation).
For adults, WHO recommends an intake of at least 25 g per day of naturally occurring dietary fibre as consumed in foods (strong recommendation).

Regarding the first point, the guideline also notes that based on one study's analysis, total carbohydrate intake within a certain range does not seem to conflict with a healthy diet. A carbohydrate intake of approximately 40–70% of total energy intake is associated with a lower risk of mortality compared to lower (<40%) or higher (>70%) intakes.

Regarding the second point, 400g of fruits and vegetables per day is the minimum level for significant health benefits. Studies report that within the 400–800g per day range, the risk for all outcomes except cancer was reduced, with greater benefits at higher intake levels (data is lacking for even higher amounts). Therefore, the better practice is to eat as much as possible while ensuring a minimum of 400g daily.

Regarding the third point, at least 25g of natural dietary fiber per day, studies found the greatest benefit in the 25–29 g/day range, which can effectively reduce the risk of mortality from several noncommunicable diseases.

You can also use this guide to improve your own daily diet, maintain a healthier lifestyle, and enhance your quality of life.

Next Steps and Thoughts

Short-Term Plan: For the next week, I will continue with the basic strategy of "carb halving" and record my daily energy levels and diet in more detail to see if this is a stable and reproducible result.

Long-Term Thinking: To make the experiment more scientific, I need to manage my nutrient intake more precisely. Based on my basal metabolic rate and activity level, my daily energy requirement is around 1800 kcal. The body needs at least 130g of carbs to meet basic energy needs. According to internationally recommended dietary standards (an earlier, widely circulated ratio), 45–65% of energy should come from carbohydrates. For me, this is 190g-275g per day. Capping it around 200g/day is both within a safe range and easy to remember.

Overall, this experiment is primarily focused on changing habits in a way that doesn't drain too much willpower, so that I can sustain it in the long run. I hope that through this experiment, I can find a lifestyle and diet that keeps me more energized and improves my sleep quality. I also hope to explore more methods for safely and effectively boosting my energy.

I will continue to document and share my progress. Let's see what happens next.

Beyond the Algorithm: How to Spark Creativity Without AI

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Imagination is the birthright of every human being. The real question is not how to acquire it, but how to unleash it. What follows, therefore, is less a manual for "getting imagination" and more a guide to releasing your own — especially the free-ranging, sky-galloping variety we loosely call fantasy.

Two Tiers of Imaginative Association

Simple Association — Connecting one image or idea to another that seems unrelated at first glance — often through a shared visual or emotional cue.
Story Weaving — The more demanding art of stringing those associations into a narrative with a beginning, middle, and end.

Every Fantasy Needs a Spark

No vision appears ex nihilo. It requires a spark: a memory fragment, a landscape, a voice, a passage of music, a book, a work of art — indeed, anything in the world, including another completed fantasy. Your mind can riff on sights, scents, atmospheres, or sounds; the prompt may be concrete or abstract.

Simple, Familiar Links

The broader and more familiar the linked image, the wider the resonance. Clouds, stars, kittens, oceans — symbols even a child can grasp — tend to glow with innocence. Invoke an obscure theorem, a cult meme, or an esoteric painting, and the effect suddenly feels "hard-core."

Creation by Combination

Change the spark's shape, material, or function, and new entities appear almost automatically.

Example — Horse

Forms: centaur, horse-headed man, winged Pegasus, unicorn

Materials: ice horse, water mare, flaming steed, wooden toy horse, clockwork stallion, cloud colt, wind-ridden mustang

Functions: shape-shifting horse, color-changing horse, flying horse, tunneling horse, time-traveling horse, talking horse

Reversal & Surprise

Violating intuition — or physics — jolts an audience awake.

Scale — A colossal kitten calmly guarding a trembling child
Power — A super-powered daughter and her magic-less father; a cat bullied by its mouse
Texture — A steel-shelled robot with a tender heart; a velvet angel devoid of mercy
Reality — Stars you can pluck, edible dreams, trees that sprint on rooted feet

"Imagine a cloud as a pet: tethered by a string like a balloon, dressed in costumes. Its hue mirrors its owner's mood. Some clouds prove stone-hard and ring when tapped; others rule a Cloud Empire mirroring our own, while human 'cloud hunters' capture, tame, and ride these aerial beasts…"

Master these rules and you can mass-produce what looks like effortless whimsy. Let the concepts run feral and you enter a pure daydream — exhilarating, ungoverned, and draining.

From Associations to Stories

Add coherent logic and structure, and the wildest notions become stories. Yet every tale — however extravagant — ultimately revolves around humankind: love of people, of truth, of freedom. Storycraft is a realm unto itself; we will not attempt to survey it here.

What Makes an Association Excellent?

Creative leaps themselves are endless; choosing the finest is the art. A photographer hunts beauty in the physical world; a painter in both mind and matter; a composer in sound. A computer could brute-force trillions of permutations, but unsorted randomness seldom yields value, emotion, or greatness. Better to grasp the rules yourself, then imagine — and build.

A truly excellent association should be:

Interesting — delivering an "aha!" moment: unexpected yet perfectly apt.
Evocative — leaving space for the audience's own fantasies and interpretations.
Moving — rooted in sincerity, goodness, and universal human feeling; capable of delight, nostalgia, awe, or tears.

From Dreamer to Maker

Imagination alone produces daydreamers; turning visions into tangible work demands execution and patience. Ideas are cheap; resolve is precious. Many have fantasized about flight; few have engineered an airplane, and fewer still a rocket that safely carries humans.

Inspiration is essential — but beyond that summit lies the remaining 99 percent of the ascent: sweat, skill, and grit, where masters spar and legends are born.

A Human Gift

Imagination may be a uniquely human faculty. May we dare ever greater flights, enriching our days, enlivening our creations, and deepening our emotional lives.

These reflections spring from years of observation and from a sleepless night of 2019 brainstorming. Back then, AI had yet to sweep into every household. Now, in 2025, anyone can summon art with a single prompt. How do you view AI-generated work? In an age of algorithmic abundance, is raw, unassisted imagination still priceless?

Essential Truths About Aging and Death

Thu, 22 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Last year (2024) I reached my goal of reading one hundred books — works ranging from science, medicine, psychology, and the arts to social science, literature, and investing. Among them were many outstanding titles. To keep this recommendation list from growing unwieldy, I have chosen only the finest: every book below earned at least four, and often five, stars in my personal ledger.

Why these particular books? Some expanded my vision and sharpened my thinking; others offered knowledge of genuine practical value; still others moved me so deeply that I felt both joy and sorrow. All of them are volumes I will revisit — proof enough, I hope, of their worth.

First on the list

Title: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Author: Atul Gawande

Most of you who are reading this newsletter are still far from old age, and the realities of decline and death may feel both remote and frightening. Yet every life reaches the same terminus. What will we face when that time comes?

What physical and emotional journeys lie ahead? What can we do to prepare — and how must medicine itself change to meet those needs? To dispel fear, we must first dispel ignorance.

In Being Mortal, surgeon and public-health professor Atul Gawande addresses many of the most pressing questions about aging and death. He examines modern medicine's current stance — and its limitations — arguing persuasively that the traditional goal of "curing disease" is often ill-suited to the elderly.

The book explores nursing homes, in-home care, hospice, and more: Why do we grow old? How does aging alter each part of the body (a healthy sixty-year-old's retinas, for instance, receive only one-third the light of a young adult's)? Is remaining at home truly better than moving to a facility? How can we accept aging with grace and find courage before death? What, finally, is the meaning of life — and what should the aims of end-of-life care be?

Gawande combines scientific rigor with profound humanism. Real cases abound, including the moving account of his own father's final illness. Below are a few insights that struck me most forcefully.

The will to live is stubborn. Many young people blithely declare, "If I'm ever bedridden or terminally ill, I'll end my life on my own terms." Yet when the moment arrives, that resolve often melts. One patient in the book once told his son he would never die "full of tubes" as his late wife had. But when confronted with a life-or-death operation, he begged: "Don't give up on me — try everything."
Healthy habits slow aging but do not halt it. Mainstream medicine is not designed for older patients; physicians treat symptoms, expecting the patient to regain vigor unaided. The elderly, lacking that resilience, often suffer greater pain from identical interventions. Thus geriatrics emerged — medicine that considers not only disease but also a patient's daily life and mental health, reducing depression and disability. Sadly, geriatrics still receives scant attention and funding.
Japan's quiet lessons. Living in Japan, the world's oldest society, I see daily how thoughtfully the country adapts. Slower escalators, flawless barrier-free design, "mild-cool" subway cars, and traditional services such as cash payments or postal forms ensure seniors are not stranded in a digital world. Even rented apartments include bathroom handrails and non-slip floors; New Year dishes like ebi kakiage (shrimp tempura) and toshikoshi soba carry long-life symbolism. These details, woven through every aspect of life, deserve study by any nation confronting demographic change.

Aging and death await us all. Understanding them grants us courage: we need not fear tomorrow, but can instead devote ourselves to becoming our best selves today, cherishing the vigor of youth while offering deeper empathy and care as our parents grow old.

The Way of Trading

Thu, 22 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The path to becoming a top trader is a journey of "seeing oneself, seeing the world, and seeing all beings." It's not about battling the market, but battling your inner self.

This year (2024), I successfully completed my annual reading challenge, devouring 100 books. The works spanned diverse fields including science, medicine, psychology, art, social sciences, literature, and investment trading, with many truly exceptional titles among them. I've compiled a list of recommendations from this treasure trove. There are so many excellent books worth reading that, to keep this list manageable, I've had to be highly selective. The following recommendations are all books I rated at least four, and often five, out of five stars.

These books either broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding, provided a wealth of valuable knowledge, or profoundly moved my soul, evoking both joy and sorrow. I plan to revisit all of these books in the future, which speaks volumes about their significance to me and the quality of this curated list.

These are books #3 and #4:

Market Wizards - Jack D. Schwager

Original Title: Market Wizards - Jack D. Schwager

The New Market Wizards - Jack D. Schwager

Original Title: The Market Wizards - Jack D. Schwager

Jack D. Schwager's Market Wizards and The New Market Wizards are two classic interview compilations, featuring conversations with numerous top traders, hedge fund managers, and other financial "masters." The interviewed traders represent a wide spectrum of personalities and trading styles—some specializing in commodity futures, others preferring forex, global macro strategies, or excelling in quantitative trading. Yet, one consistent thread unites them all: their unparalleled performance.

Schwager himself was once a trader, albeit not a particularly successful one (though he's now a highly accomplished author). Driven by a desire to uncover the secrets of top traders' success, he embarked on these two classic interview series. These books capture both the triumphant highs and agonizing lows of these traders' careers.

Some Traders' Triumphs:

Monroe Trout: Over a five-year period under review, Monroe Trout achieved an average return of 67%, with a maximum drawdown of just over 8% throughout. He was profitable in 87% of months. His exceptional risk/reward ratio remained unmatched, even by legendary traders like Paul Tudor Jones.
Randy McKay: A seasoned and experienced currency futures trader, Randy McKay grew $2,000 to $70,000 in seven months, then to a million dollars the following year. He boasts a record of consistent profitability spanning over 20 years, with estimated cumulative earnings in the tens of millions of dollars. His earliest account, started in 1982 with $10,000, generated over $1 million in cumulative gains (over two decades).
Eckhardt: A mathematician and partner to the renowned futures speculator Richard Dennis, Eckhardt managed a few other accounts over the five years leading up to his interview, achieving an average return of 62%. His performance ranged from a 7% loss in 1989 to a staggering 234% gain in 1987. Since 1987, his personal trading has yielded an annual average return exceeding 60%, with 1989 being his only losing year.
Paul Tudor Jones: The famous manager of Tudor Futures Fund, Paul Tudor Jones still managed to secure a 62% return in a single month during the 1929 market crash. He achieved five consecutive years of triple-digit returns with remarkably low risk drawdowns. When he launched Tudor Futures Fund in September 1984 with $1.5 million under management, every $1,000 invested grew to $17,482 by the end of October 1988, and his total assets under management had swelled to $330 million.
Bielfeldt: Starting with a modest $1,000, Bielfeldt, a trader from a small American town, rose to become one of the world's largest bond traders.
Martin S. Schwartz: A former securities analyst, Martin S. Schwartz achieved an average monthly return of 25% (annualizing to over 1,400%) over seven years, primarily trading stocks and index futures.

Some Traders' Struggles:

Bill Lipschutz: A forex trader, Bill Lipschutz initially grew his $12,000 account, primarily through stock trading, to $250,000 within four to five years. However, he eventually lost almost all of it in a matter of days by consistently shorting at the bottom of a bear market until he was wiped out. Subsequently, he stopped trading his personal account and focused on institutional work, securing a stable income.
Eckhardt: The mathematician mentioned earlier, Eckhardt once lost over half of his capital in two trades within five minutes, learning his first lesson in risk management the hard way.
Richard Dennis: Richard Dennis famously transformed a $30,000 account into $80 million over ten years, yet he also lost over 50% of the capital in a fund he managed in 1988.
One trader made $27 million trading copper spreads in a single year, only to lose almost all of it.

Such triumphs are rare; the struggles, however, are endless… I won't list them all, as they generally follow a similar pattern: significant, often devastating, losses.

What Defines a Top Trader?

As a trader who has achieved consistent profitability, I'd like to share some of my insights and reflections on trading, drawing not only from these two books but also from my practical experience and extensive research across numerous other books and interviews. This section delves deeper into the broader aspects of being a trader.

What distinguishes successful top traders? And what about the "chives" (novices/retail investors)? The following points will help you discern who on the market is a scammer, a chive, or a gambler, and who is a truly exceptional trader.

Top Traders Share These Fundamental Qualities:

1. Don't treat money as money. For elite traders, trading is a game where money is merely the scoreboard. Being too attached to money in this game will only lead to losing it.

True "chives" are overly fixated on money. They're reluctant to cut losses at the first sign of a dip, leading to a long and arduous journey to break even, and ultimately, transforming small losses into massive ones. Because they're so preoccupied with money, true "chives" begin dreaming of lavish lives—luxury cars, beautiful women, extravagant nights—the moment they open a position. Then, at the slightest profit or minor pullback, they'll close the trade, locking in a tiny gain. Their reasoning? If it can't make them rich overnight, at least they can afford a pork knuckle rice meal.

Top traders, however, don't view money as an end in itself; they understand it's merely a numbers game. Whether a trade involves $100 or tens of millions, its essence remains the same when measured by the same risk percentage. These elite traders focus on improving their "score" within this game, which allows them to maintain a calm and steady mind.

2. Emphasize risk management. This is what all investment masters and top traders repeatedly stress: what's most crucial in investing? Risk management, risk management, and damn well, more risk management.

True "chives" never manage risk. They ignore the laws of probability, fixate solely on profits, dream of getting rich overnight, love to "all-in" with heavy positions, seek out bargains, adore "buying the dip," and constantly chase after 100x or 1000x opportunities. If you chase bottoms, you'll find an endless supply of them. You might be focused on profit, but the market is focused on your capital.

Top traders know they won't always be right; even the best average only a 50% win rate. Fail to manage risk effectively, and the market will simply devour your capital. Elite traders never over-leverage or attempt to "catch falling knives" (buy the dip). They understand the importance of respecting the market, knowing that "black swan" events are inevitable and occur far more frequently than most people imagine. Therefore, every trade is meticulously calculated for risk. They absolutely avoid unfavorable trades that risk a lot for a small potential gain.

3. Love for Trading.

True "chives" don't love trading itself; they love spending money. They dislike the process of trading, which is why they invest minimal time in genuinely studying and researching it. They don't focus on self-improvement, instead hoping for massive returns from minimal effort. They neither research, analyze, nor confront their mistakes, trading purely out of a desire for overnight riches. "Chives" emotions swing wildly with market fluctuations; they aren't trading, they're gambling.

To clarify: Gambling refers to systems with a negative expectancy, where consistent participation leads to losses. Trading, on the other hand, refers to systems with a positive expectancy, where consistent participation leads to gains. The underlying asset—whether U.S. stocks, cryptocurrencies, or various financial derivatives (options, futures, bonds)—makes no difference.

Top traders, without exception, deeply love trading. They work harder than anyone else. Beyond the monetary rewards, trading itself offers immense enjoyment and challenge. They understand the fundamental difference between genuine trading and gambling, so they don't fantasize about getting rich overnight. Instead, they focus on refining their processes, maintaining discipline, and meticulously analyzing their mistakes. Many elite traders developed an interest in the business and financial world from a young age.

4. Unwavering Self-Confidence. True, robust self-confidence leads to fearlessness, not complacency or an inability to admit mistakes.

True "chives" are driven solely by fear, devoid of confidence. Lacking a system or discipline, they distrust their own judgment, unable to hold onto winning positions for fear of their hard-earned profits slipping away. Conversely, they stubbornly cling to losing positions, afraid to honestly confront their errors, which ultimately transforms small losses into catastrophic ones.

Elite traders, however, possess unwavering confidence in their systems and exhibit absolute discipline. They maintain a calm demeanor regardless of market fluctuations, daring to hold onto winning trades to let profits run, and courageously cutting losses decisively, nipping major setbacks in the bud. This confidence also empowers top traders to honestly confront their mistakes, understanding that only by acknowledging and correcting errors can they truly improve.

5. Courage to Admit Mistakes. Elite traders are far more adept at self-reflection regarding their errors and are quick to acknowledge them. How you handle failure ultimately determines whether you remain mediocre or achieve greatness.

True "chives" never admit fault: they believe they are always right. If they profit, they're a "badass" trader, making Warren Buffett look ordinary. If they lose, they're even more "badass," a value investor, a spiritual shareholder, the next Buffett. "I'm always right," they declare. "I'm so smart and capable, I have a degree and a career. If I lose money in the stock market, it can only be because the market is specifically targeting me." When "chives" make money, they flaunt it everywhere, offering elaborate analyses to prove how intelligently they executed points 1, 2, and 3 to earn their profits. When they lose money, they stay silent, convinced it will eventually bounce back. True "chives" readily take credit for profits but never take responsibility for losses, always deflecting blame.

"Chives" need to understand whether they are trading or investing. Those who try to do both often end up as "chives" who excel at neither, merely providing capital and liquidity to the market.

Top traders know: "If I'm consistently losing money, then I am unequivocally wrong, and I must find a way to correct my mistakes." Traders take 100% responsibility for their trading outcomes, never deflecting blame onto the market or external factors. "If I lose a significant amount of money, then I am simply not a competent trader." "If I make money, it's just the market being generous, or I got lucky. In every trade, I simply strive to lose less, or ideally, not lose at all."

6. Intelligence is not a prerequisite. Top traders come from all walks of life—some with finance backgrounds, many transitioning from non-financial fields, ranging from average education to economics professors. In reality, trading has no IQ barrier; in fact, overly "smart" individuals can often become arrogant, refusing to admit mistakes, leading to devastating losses. What top traders need isn't "cleverness," but wisdom.

True "chives" think: "Isn't trading just buying low and selling high? With my high education and successful career, do I really need to use my brain for something this simple?" "If I lose money, it must be the market's fault; how could I be wrong? If it drops, I'll buy the dip; if it drops further, I'll buy more. If it keeps falling, then I'm a value investor! If it rises a little, I'll quickly exit and then post on social media: 'Look how badass I am, I just made money!'" When prices rise, they claim they were "already positioned." When prices fall, they insist they "already bailed out." Yet, in the quiet solitude of night, they secretly weep over their losing positions.

Top traders know: "If trading were that simple, if a degree were all it took, then all the money in the world would already be mine." In reality, when it comes to trading, the market is equally merciless to the clever and the foolish; there's no distinction. What trading demands isn't cleverness, but wisdom, humility, and a profound respect for the market. Elite traders remain unfazed by both profits and losses. They understand that any gains are gifts from the market, and if they fail to remain humble, the market will reclaim them. Consequently, they have no need to boast about their trades daily.

Can 'Chives' Change Their Fate by Copying Top Traders? No.

Firstly, different individuals have different trading styles, and attempting to execute strategies that don't align with your personality is unsustainable. Secondly, since you aren't the trader yourself, you can't perfectly replicate their actions. You might fail to cut losses, struggle to hold onto profitable positions, and bail out with minimal gains. You won't enter trades at the exact same time or price points; even an hour's delay can significantly shrink profit margins. Furthermore, a 50% win rate with a 2x risk-reward ratio already qualifies one as an excellent trader. If you don't follow every single trade, and only happen to catch the losing ones, you'll simply conclude that the original trader's skill is lacking. Without their own trading strategy and independent critical thinking, "chives" are destined to remain "chives."

What's the big picture of trading? There are myriad trading styles, and each can form the basis of a positively expectant trading system. The key then lies in execution. Fundamental analysis, technical analysis, a combination of both, price action, quantitative trading, arbitrage, long-term trading, short-term trading—the list goes on. As evidenced by dozens of interviews with the world's top traders, every single one of these approaches can lead to becoming an elite trader.

Each of them, including top hedge fund managers, possesses a long track record of outstanding performance. The crucial step is finding a style and trading model that suits you, and then, most importantly, executing it with unwavering conviction. Don't assume someone is wrong just because their ideas differ from yours. Two traders with divergent styles might argue fiercely over the same market scenario, yet both could ultimately be correct. The key is to discover what works best for you.

The Biggest Misconception About Trading: Its Simplicity.

As a consistently profitable trader, I can tell you unequivocally: there are only top traders, no mediocre ones. It's either 0 or 100. A mediocre programmer can still find work as a CRUD developer (a "brick-mover"), but a mediocre trader will inevitably become a "chive" who loses money sooner or later. Becoming a top trader demands full-time, undivided attention, an intense passion for trading, strong learning ability, innate understanding, and formidable execution skills. It also requires a dedicated risk capital for trial and error, a robust financial safety net, and at least three to five years of "007" level effort (this is for those with high aptitude; on average, it takes five to eight years, and many don't see significant results for over a decade). Even then, success isn't guaranteed. There are countless "chives" who have been losing money for decades and are still trying to break even. If you lack the time, cost, courage, determination, and patience to commit to at least three years of "007" effort, then you might as well bid farewell to the path of a trader.

Trading can be likened to sports, music, or painting: just as you can't simply "effort" your way into becoming a top athlete or musician, you must accept that you can't necessarily "effort" your way into becoming a top trader. Reaching the pinnacle of any field demands a similar degree of time, sweat, pain, and struggle. A person's innate understanding and resilience determine how quickly they reach the summit, though many never even find the path up the mountain.

Anyone attempting short-term trading in the market must understand that your counterparts are hardworking and talented top traders. If you cannot outperform them, your money will simply be transferred to their accounts.

For anyone else who doesn't aspire to be a top trader, who lacks the interest or desire to dedicate immense effort to a full-time trading career, and simply wishes to effortlessly achieve the market's average annual return of roughly 10-20%, the best path is to stop fiddling around aimlessly. Instead, focus on building your earning potential outside of trading, educate yourself on investing, and then consistently invest in U.S. stock market index funds. In five years, you'll discover you've outperformed most self-proclaimed retail "chives," a large number of hedge funds [1] and various ETFs [2], and 99% of "mediocre traders" [3].

[1] Many hedge funds don't survive beyond three years. Exceptionally successful hedge funds (referring to those with at least hundreds of millions in AUM and annual returns of at least 50%) are typically only accessible to internal employees or well-connected high-net-worth individuals.

[2] Studies have shown that most individuals' stock-picking abilities are worse than those of randomly selecting monkeys.

[3] Statistical data indicates that only 1% of day traders achieve consistent profitability for even one year, and the number consistently profitable for over three years is certainly even lower.

The Philosophy of Trading

The path to becoming a top trader is a journey of "seeing oneself, seeing the world, and seeing all beings." It's not about battling the market, but battling your inner self.

"Seeing oneself" means honestly confronting your own greed, fear, and weaknesses. It means understanding your true strengths and flaws, and if you're truly wrong, admitting it without deflecting blame or making excuses. Trading illuminates your human nature and personality with stark clarity. Either you can do it, or you can't. The courage to defy self-imposed limits is wisdom, as is the courage to acknowledge your shortcomings. This is self-awareness.

From the Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33: "He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."

"Seeing the world" means revering the market and respecting risk. The market is ruthless; it doesn't care about your positions. In the face of true, monumental crises, all individuals are mere ants. Maintain constant humility and reverence for the market. If you expose arrogance or hubris, the market will swiftly teach you a lesson. And if you refuse to learn that lesson, bankruptcy awaits.

"Seeing all beings" means using others as a mirror—observing the daily ebb and flow of greed and fear in the market, witnessing the countless scammers rampant, and reminding yourself that without humility and honesty, you are no different from those myriad "chives" and "gambling addicts." Seeing all beings also implies recognizing the myriad sufferings of humanity and giving back to society through charity, making the world a slightly better place. Many investors and top traders are also remarkable philanthropists and educators. As the saying goes, "When poor, improve yourself; when prosperous, improve the world." Like Buddha, they save others and themselves. Those who only act for their own benefit will never become masters.

The journey of "seeing oneself, seeing the world, and seeing all beings" is both sequential and interwoven, mutually reinforcing and indispensable. This is the "Dao" (the Way) of a top trader; the specific techniques ("shu") are far less crucial. Thus, top traders are simultaneously profound thinkers, practitioners of a philosophy, and individuals of deep self-awareness.

These are some of my thoughts and insights on trading. Both books are well worth reading and re-reading for anyone interested. All of Jack D. Schwager's books are excellent; while he may not have been a successful trader himself, he is a highly accomplished author. Finding a path one loves and is suited for is indeed a very wise choice.

Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined

Thu, 22 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Last year (2024) I fulfilled my goal of reading one hundred books. The list spanned science, medicine, psychology, the arts, social science, literature, and investing. Outstanding titles were plentiful; to keep the recommendations concise, I have distilled the very best — volumes that earned at least four, often five, stars in my journal.

Some broadened my vision and refined my thinking; others delivered practical knowledge of lasting value; still others touched me so deeply that I felt both joy and sorrow. All are titles I will read again — testimony to the weight they hold for me and, I hope, to the worth of this curated list.

Recommendation №2

Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined — Scott Barry Kaufman

Who should read it?

Anyone intrigued by cognitive science, psychology, or education
Readers eager to push their limits and unlock hidden potential
Parents and teachers concerned with special education or multiple-intelligence development

A Scholarly Surprise

The title first led me to expect another feel-good self-help book, yet I soon discovered a rigorous work of cognitive science. Some reviewers fault its academic tone; for me, that very density of high-quality information, argument, and nuance was a delight.

Scott Barry Kaufman — an American cognitive scientist who studies intelligence, creativity, and human potential — does more than ask how we learn. He challenges the narrow public faith in "IQ" and "innate talent," weaving in his own story to offer hope to those labeled "learning-disabled" or "not gifted."

Questioning the Reign of IQ

A central virtue of the book is its bold critique of traditional intelligence tests. Drawing on extensive research and vivid cases, Kaufman shows that many people excluded from the "high-IQ club" have achieved extraordinary success.

He writes from experience. As a child he scored poorly on an IQ test — crippled by anxiety and ill at ease with standardized formats — and was duly tagged "learning disabled":

With every question I doubted myself. Each problem presented several possible answers… Alas, the test had no score for creativity… And so, in one stroke of the examiner's pen, my fate was sealed.

Because IQ tests attend to only a few dimensions, vast ranges of ability remain invisible to that single number. Kaufman argues that intelligence is a constellation of capacities — linguistic, logical, artistic, musical, spatial, social, creative, passionate, perseverant — each braided into the others.

Even Alfred Binet, co-inventor of the first IQ scale, never intended intelligence to be reduced to a lone digit. The test was meant to identify children who needed additional help, not to sort and discard them. Ironically, history took the tool and used it as a gatekeeper.

Potential Is a Moving Target

Kaufman insists that potential is not static but evolves with practice and experience. Michael Jordan was not born dunking from the free-throw line; talent unfolds over time. Genes do not mandate traits; they build proteins. Nature and nurture are inseparable partners, each amplifying — or muting — the other in what Kaufman calls the multiplicative effect.

Great achievement, he says, arises from the confluence of many factors: personal characteristics, accumulated experience, opportunity, and chance. IQ score is but one minor ingredient.

Because potential shifts the more we engage, no field has a true "IQ threshold." Do not impose ceilings on yourself. Dream big.

I once put it this way:

Regret often sounds like "If only I had chosen A instead of B, my life would be utterly different." Life, however, offers not one choice but thousands. A few missteps mean little; we correct and redirect, and sooner or later regress toward the life we choose — because we choose who we become.

Neurodiversity: Embracing Difference

Kaufman also adopts a broadly inclusive lens toward autism-spectrum conditions, ADHD, dyslexia, and other forms of neurodivergence. Far from deficits, these profiles often harbor distinctive strengths: ADHD may fuel creativity, autism can confer extraordinary focus or memory, dyslexia unique visual gifts. Such variation, he argues, is part of our evolutionary tapestry.

His own childhood diagnosis spurred the lifelong quest that underpins the book: to dismantle the stigma of labels, to challenge the IQ regime, and to demonstrate — through both research and personal triumph — that human capability is far wider than we are taught to believe.

A Scientific Compass for Personal Growth

What I have sketched here is only the tip of the iceberg. Ungifted brims with insights that echo the bromides of popular self-help but at last ground them in empirical science. In that sense, it is a kind of scientific bible for personal development — rigorous, humane, and deeply inspiring.

If you have ever wondered whether a test score defines you, or whether your best days are bounded by birthright, this book will widen your horizon. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Monet's Water Lilies: A Visit That Left My Heart Afloat

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 19:29:55 GMT

A few days ago, I finally caught — literally at the last possible moment — the monumental Monet exhibition I'd been longing to see. Claude Monet is one of my dearest painters, and unquestionably my favorite Impressionist.

I could not help thinking: If, centuries from now, crowds still gather in museums to contemplate my own work so intently, I would burst with joy — enough to lift the very lid of my coffin.

Billed as the largest Monet Water-Lilies show in Japanese history, the exhibition brought together sixty-four original canvases — most of them major works. Roughly fifty travelled from the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris and were joined by masterpieces from the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo and other Japanese collections. The result was nothing short of breathtaking.

I queued for an hour and a half before I finally secured a ticket, yet it was — without question — the finest exhibition I have attended in years. With an audio guide in my ears, the sea of onlookers faded away; I slipped into Monet's universe, entirely alone with the paintings.

Four Halls, Five Chapters — A Soul in Motion

The show unfolded across four galleries and five thematic chapters: from Monet's initial vision for the Water-Lily series and the creation of his garden pond, through the trials of war and the shadow of cataracts. What hung before me were not merely paintings, but the unfolding of a soul.

In the early chapters I savored the serenity and lush colors: Monet had poured his heart into that pond, observing day after day how light and shadow danced upon the lilies. Gazing at the canvases, one felt dawn and dusk, a fiery sunset, tranquility interwoven with richness — rugged strokes married to delicate nuance.

The later chapters moved me in another way. These works belong to Monet's final years, when he wrestled with the horrors of World War I and with advancing cataracts. The compositions grow wilder, the palette more incandescent. Yet within the storm one still senses Monet's exquisite sensitivity to life and beauty — a defiance of fate, a lament for the suffering of innocents.

Painting Against the Dimming Light

For years Monet's eyesight deteriorated. While he painted the Japanese Bridge canvases, his cataracts grew severe; by ninety-three his right eye was nearly blind. An operation restored a little clarity — tinged forever with yellow-green distortion — yet he would not stop painting:

When a singer loses their voice, they retire. When a painter undergoes cataract surgery, they are expected to lay down the brush. But giving up painting is the one thing I absolutely cannot do.

Towering Willows, Blazing Trunks

Among my favorites were several monumental paintings of weeping willows. One in particular loomed as though viewed from below: no sky, only willow from edge to edge, its crimson trunk cutting bold and vertical through the canvas while cascading foliage filled every corner. The sheer scale spills beyond the frame and strikes the viewer straight in the heart.

A small anecdote:

Three Japanese visitors once observed Monet at work on a red-trunked willow. One, puzzled, asked whether such colors could be "correct."

Monet replied with a smile:

"You know, those older paintings of mine — whose colors you now praise — were once condemned as bizarre. So if these hues appear strange today, rest assured: one day people will marvel at how beautiful they are."

Years later, after Monet's death, his Water-Lily panoramas entered museum halls and captured the hearts of the public.

The Rose Walk and the Last Glimpse of Home

Beside the pond Monet built a rose-covered arbor. House Seen through the Roses — three canvases forming his final series — shows that view. The mingled colors are sublime; in the upper left a hint of the house peeks through, the home where he had lived for more than forty years.

Sooner or later, Monet confessed, everything I see will warp and become bewildering. Such a state is unbearable. If I can no longer behold nature as I do now, I would rather remain blind, preserving in memory the beauty I have always known.

When the Great War erupted in 1914, Monet plunged into vast compositions, saying that work spared him the grief of the times:

I am ashamed, studying these tiny nuances of color and form, while so many are dying and suffering.

After the armistice, in November 1918, he wrote to his old friend, Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, offering two works to celebrate peace. The willow stood for mourning; Monet imagined viewers entering a meditative calm, enveloped by infinite, painted waters where real willow and reflected willow merge, reality and illusion dissolving in motion.

In another canvas a single willow trunk bends toward its own reflection — like a figure bowing in silent grief.

Notes in Motion

Most of what you have read I jotted while walking; only the third gallery allowed photographs (eight pieces), and writing by hand deepened the memory. The special exhibition occupied two basement levels — so deep that even mobile signals failed, a perfect excuse for immersion. The audio guide lifted the experience several stories higher; I recommend it without reservation. Though the show was not large, I lingered for more than three hours.

Tokyo's run has ended, but the exhibition will travel on to Kyoto — there is still time if you missed it. It is a triumph of curatorial care and scholarly depth. The museum shop proved irresistible: postcards, the limited-edition catalogue — souvenirs of an unforgettable day. Crowd aside, I give the show my highest praise.

For a quick flip-through of the catalogue, see my video on X: https://x.com/Philo2022/status/1890294639682601296

The World as I See It

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:19:46 GMT

Albert Einstein had a book called The World as I See It. It was a collection of his letters, articles, and speeches. One of them was the essay that gave the book its name. I want to write my own "The World as I See It".

I am writing this to organize my thoughts. And to write down the things that are important to me. To hold myself to them. To remind myself, when I am low, what strength it is that pushes me forward. What my way is. I hope not to lose my direction. I hope to keep my courage and my curiosity.

And though I am still young, I think I have walked a long road in my mind and in my heart. I have crossed mountains and seas, seen the most beautiful sights of the world, and explored lands where no one has been. I have known the joy of discovery. I have tasted a solitude that comes from the deep universe. I have been through a pain that whipped the soul. I have felt the cold and warmth of the crowd, and I have felt the heat of a true embrace that touched the spirit. For a long time, I have felt that many souls live inside this young body. One of them, a heavy one, is that of a wise old man who has weathered the storms of life. I often think of myself as a hermit in the city. A seeker of the Way.

If a reader finds some resonance here, some encouragement or insight, that would be a good thing too.

On Politics

I have never seen myself as part of a country or a people. I see myself as a citizen of the world. Or maybe an alien. I belong to nature, to the sky, to the sea, and to the cosmos.

For as long as I can remember, solitude has been my companion. But I do not feel lonely. I am distant from crowds and groups. I have never wanted to belong to a collective, and I have no interest in grand narratives. I like to entertain myself, and I am good at it. I enjoy the pleasure of exploring and discovering things, and I can find this pleasure in everything. I am good at seeing and learning the good in others. Whether they are people near me, or figures like distant lighthouses, or the scattered lights in history books. I find I can always learn much from all kinds of people.

Since I was small, I have known that I am lucky. In a high school classroom one afternoon, I listed dozens of my blessings in a notebook and was thankful for them. My greatest luck was to be born in a time of peace, in a place of relative peace. But as a woman born in a remote mountain village, I did not have much. I lived with my grandparents for my preschool years. We rose with the sun and rested with the sun. And though I did not have much, and had far less than many friends my age, I was still grateful for everything I had. I was content.

In the Analects, I read, "A simple bowl of rice, a gourd of water, living in a humble alley. Others could not bear the hardship, but he was not deterred from his joy." I think I am like that too.

I believe in the free development of people. I oppose any power that limits a person's lawful freedom. I support the freedom of speech. I oppose totalitarianism and dictatorship. A person has the freedom to express political views. A person has the freedom from fear.

I believe the basic job of a government, inside the frame of a democratic constitution, is to protect the rights of its citizens. To use tax money responsibly under the watch of the people, for the good of society. I long to live in a society where everyone can live and work in peace, where the old are cared for and the young are supported. Of course, a utopia does not exist in the real world. It is only about finding a good balance in all things. And the foundation for this balance is a democracy, because it can always correct and improve itself. A dictatorship lacks a good way to correct itself over time. It lacks strong oversight. It lacks a true separation of powers. Even when it chips away at the lives, property, safety, and freedom of its citizens, there is no brake mechanism. This is a great potential danger. It is not a good thing for a government to have too much power.

I do not support a full ban on the death penalty, but it should not be used lightly. I am neutral. I believe the right to life is a natural right, and no one, including the government, can take another's life. But I have learned about some criminals in history, sociopaths who did terrible things. And I believe taxpayers have the right to decide not to waste their money on housing such criminals for life. If such a person were to escape, they would be a great danger to the lives and property of the people. But the death penalty should be very restricted. It should not be used lightly. Except for these extreme cases that cause great harm, the life of a criminal should not be easily taken.

I support the legalization of euthanasia, with strict conditions. If I were to get a terminal illness, I would want a dignified way to leave the world on my own terms, not to be tortured by endless pain in a hospital bed. But a country or region must be careful in making euthanasia legal, based on its social development, and the quality and education of its citizens. It must not be misused.

I support the legalization of same-sex marriage. I think marriage is an old-fashioned system, but when most people in the world have the right to marry, sexual minorities should have the same right. A marriage certificate is not just about getting society's approval for a relationship. It also gives a partner the right to sign for major surgery. It gives protection and division of property under the law. You do not have to hire a lawyer for a long and complex notarization. For now, it seems a convenient and good choice.

I oppose the legalization of prostitution and the buying and selling of organs. I know that whether I support it or not, prostitution will not disappear. That is how people are. But I am against making it legal. That is my view. On one hand, it brings great harm, both physical and mental, to the sex worker. Legalizing it would make the related gray and black markets grow, and human trafficking would increase. These are facts in countries where prostitution is legal now. On the other hand, when sex can be legally bought with money, it encourages the objectification of people. It poisons some people's minds, making them seek only animal desires and give up on finding and building equal and loving relationships. This is a road of no return.

I oppose war and anything that promotes it. I oppose any war started for any reason. War is brutal, far beyond what one can imagine. And peace is very precious. People born in peacetime often forget this, so history repeats itself. I believe that judging people and putting them in different classes for any reason is the start of many great evils, including war, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. I believe that clearing out the so-called "low-end population" is a crime.

After reading Invisible Women, the many facts in the book showed me the shocking state of how women's rights are ignored and treated unequally across the world. It showed me that the situation for women in the real world is much worse than I knew. I hope this will always remind me, on my path in life, of what I can do within my power.

I believe people need faith. Whether it is faith in a religion, or faith in truth, goodness, and beauty, or faith in justice and truth. A person without faith can easily drift and become a walking shell. Faith gives a person direction again when they are lost. No matter how dark it gets, the light of faith will cut through the darkness and haze, shine on us, and keep us company as we walk forward.

Against All Hierarchies

Many people use school rankings to choose a school, subject rankings to choose a major, and career rankings to choose a job. What their personality is, what their interests and passions are, what their values are—none of it matters here. It is as if their life was put into a template the moment they were born. Every day after that is just acting out a script that is the same as everyone else's.

The purpose of studying for Chinese people has always been for practical gain. The slogans are all about studying for fame and fortune, for the rise of the nation, not to satisfy curiosity. The goals of many people are also from a template: a house, a car, a partner, a child, and endless comparison with others.

I do not want that kind of life. I am willing to be a different person. I am not afraid to be a different person.

I oppose all forms of looking down on others. This includes all hierarchies, all attitudes of superiority, and all accusations and moral pressures from a so-called moral high ground. Be kind to others and strict with yourself. Morality is for oneself, not for demanding of others.

A disclaimer: Everything I say is for my own discipline. I can show sympathy and understanding for people and their actions in all kinds of situations, but I cannot admire them all. Not admiring is not the same as criticizing. It is simply a matter of different tastes, a simple truth.

I do not like to look up to or down on others. Nor do I like to be looked up to or down upon. I believe in the absolute equality of all people, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, and so on. I respect everyone. I see everyone as an equal individual, the same as me. This needs no condition. It is not something to be "earned." It is my default setting. But if someone does something I find truly despicable, they will probably lose my respect. We are still equal as people, but I will not like them. And I will not get close to them or build a relationship with them.

The comment function on social media gives many underdeveloped people the illusion that it is the same as "leaving a review after buying something." I bought the thing, so I can write a review. I saw this post, so I can comment on you from any angle in any way. The nature of comments should be a tool for communication and exchange, not for reviews to show likes and dislikes.

Freedom and Happiness

For me, making big decisions is not a hard thing that takes a lot of back and forth. For me, freedom is the most important thing. Then comes the happiness that freedom brings, and the joy of discovery. I can spend a long time thinking, building my own system of values. Then I spend a short time making a decision. And then I spend a long time carrying it out. Because I know what my most important principles are.

I choose to spend most of my energy on myself, not on others. I choose to spend most of my energy on thinking and doing, not on hesitating. It is easy to just criticize (including from a moral high ground). It feels good to just type. But it is hard to do the difficult things. Like challenging and realizing oneself. Like creating something great. Like building influence and starting a charitable foundation to bring real help to real people. I will surely choose the harder paths.

I will choose to leave an environment that is not free. I will leave a relationship that makes me feel not free and not comfortable. For me, freedom and happiness go hand in hand. They create and destroy each other. For me, happiness without freedom is not happiness. And freedom without happiness does not exist at all.

Freedom includes freedom of thought. It also includes financial independence and freedom of character. The freedom to say no to anything you do not want to do.

I am more emotionally free than I was in the past. I used to resist sadness, thinking it was a sign of weakness. After I went through many emotional peaks and valleys, fell into a long depression, and reached the abyss, I learned how important it is to let emotions flow freely. Whether happy or sad, you must admit your true feelings. Denial will not make the hurt go away. Daring to admit it is also a kind of courage. Only after you admit it can the wound begin to heal.

For a person, just making life longer is not interesting. Because for anyone, the quality of life in the last stage (from a few years to a few decades) is quite bad. Instead of making life longer, one should think more about how to make life better.

A happy atmosphere is really contagious. Not a silly happiness, but a feeling full of life and energy. I think I am sometimes like that when I am with people, very cheerful. Happiness is also an art of life. To be able to find beauty in the ordinary. To be full of curiosity, to have some humor, to understand beauty, to be sincere. Then you are a small artist.

Life, Luck, and the Meaning of Persistence

After reading so many biographies of famous people, stories of great and accomplished people, I know how important the course of history, luck, and talent are to a person's success. But from the individual's point of view, the effort of those people in the stories was also far greater than that of ordinary people and their peers. Yes, there are many people who have better luck, more talent, and work harder than you. If you keep moving forward on this path, you will meet such people.

From my own subjective point of view, what I can control is my own time and actions. What I can control and change is myself. History has its own course, and I have my own will. I say again, this is a way of self-discipline. I will not use it to blame others for not working hard (this goes against the principle of equality mentioned earlier). It is to demand of myself not to simply chalk up the achievements of others to "luck." Although for most people this is a very good psychological comfort, do not stop there. You must see more than this. If I stop there, I will never improve.

Luck is a lever. More important than luck is the ability to find and seize it. And 0 times 10,000 is still 0. I must work hard to give myself such a lever, to make luck come to me. To grasp the lever is to grasp the key to my own destiny. Not to passively accept, but to actively change.

If the success rate of trying something is 10%, and let's say it costs nothing to try, then the probability of succeeding at least once in 10 consecutive tries is 65.13%. The probability of succeeding in 20 tries is 87.84%. And the probability of succeeding at least once in 38 tries reaches 98%.

And people are very good at learning and growing from mistakes and failures. You absorb the experience from past mistakes, and then you try again. You will find that you grow surprisingly fast. The success rate of each try will keep increasing with experience. So, in reality, the number of tries needed to reach a 98% success rate will be much less than the initial estimate.

This is the meaning of persistence. It is also the meaning of not letting unknown difficulties defeat you. And there are many things in the world where the cost of trying again and again is very small. The key is to find and actively look for the real opportunities, and then keep trying and testing.

Life is a game for the brave. Only by giving it your all can you win it all.

Risk Management

Risk management is not just a concept in investing. To live your life well, you should put risk management first. Making mistakes is not scary. It is certain that people will make mistakes. But you must build a good system of understanding and execution to prevent the possibility of a life-imploding event from which you can never recover. Black swan events will happen, and they happen much more often than people think. A once-in-a-century event does not happen once every 100 years. It means that every year, there is a 1% chance of it happening.

As my understanding has grown, I have come to realize that many of the things I have been doing have always been about risk management. Because what I have always pursued is freedom. But in fact, freedom and risk management are similar things. Low risk for high return is a kind of freedom. Low cost but high reward is freedom. Low risk, low cost of trial and error, high fault tolerance is freedom. A good attitude means a high tolerance for your own and others' mistakes, which is a kind of emotional freedom. There is the freedom to do what you want to do, and the freedom not to do what you don't want to do.

I said before that from a probability standpoint, persistence has meaning. But gambling is an exception. For example, the probability of success in buying a lottery ticket once is much less than 1%. And the odds do not increase with experience. It is a negative-expectation game. If you play enough times, bankruptcy is certain.

Managing your personal risks, managing your family's risks, managing the risks for the next generation—these are also expressions of love. Managing your family's risks is not about keeping them in a greenhouse. It is about systematic prevention. This includes regular health check-ups, frequent communication in life, and good risk management and reasonable allocation of assets. When there is a problem, find it early. Do not wait until it is too late and then regret it.

On Intimate Relationships and True Love

People today probably overestimate the value of romantic love, and underestimate the power and healing that a good love can bring.

I think the ranking of the power/healing/happiness that different relationship states can bring is:

A very good love > A self-sufficient single state >> An ordinary intimate relationship >> A bad intimate relationship.

I cannot give a precise definition of love. But I am sure that true love is not a template, not a formula. It is not a list of dozens of items where checking them off means it is true love.

True love must be something like this: before you truly meet it, you cannot imagine what it looks like, what shape it has. You cannot imagine what kind of experience it will bring you. Until you meet it. You know it is something special enough. But you have searched through dictionaries and all the great books, looked for all the interviews on the subject, and still cannot describe your experience well. You can only tentatively, with a nervous heart, define it as "love." As time passes, your feeling about this definition goes from nervous and uncertain to gradually sure, and finally, to certain.

A good love should not only stir your emotions. It should also be a very effective tranquilizer for the spirit. So I must also love reading, thinking, doing research, painting, and taking pictures.

Although open relationships seem interesting, I still long for that one-on-one, long-term relationship. The kind where after many years together, there are still stars in your eyes when you look at me. The kind where you cannot help but smile when you mention me to others. You may not be the best in the world's eyes, but you are a very, very good person. And in my eyes, you are the most special being. There are so many stars in the sky, but my heart is set on only one.

And I believe that only a very few people with extremely high emotional and mental intelligence can love many people at the same time and handle the relationships with ease. Whether it is an open relationship or a polyamorous one, it is a very difficult thing. Most other people are probably just using it as an excuse to date and sleep around. If someone in a marriage suggests opening it up, they have probably already cheated.

The most precious thing in this world is a true heart. And the rarest thing in a true heart is a child's heart that can glimpse another's soul.

Why is true love so rare? A big reason is that a true heart is hard to find. First, there must be truth. Then, there must be love. Some have only truth but no love. Some have only love but are not true enough. Only when the two are one can you reach the state of true love. You have to be true, and you have to be lovable. So you are truly lovable.

What I Admire Most

I cannot be attracted to someone whose heart is not strong enough. I like a strong character. Someone with a tenacious life force, a good aesthetic sense, who is not arrogant or insecure. Someone who is excellent but does not enjoy showing off their superiority. Someone who is kind and not aggressive. And some special traits that are different from others. An untiring curiosity. A great vision. A serious devotion to what they love.

And a very important point: to be honest with oneself and with others.

What I admire most is my "ideal self." I think I can do about 85% of the things above. This also shows that I really like myself. It does not matter if others judge me or not, or how they judge me. It will not shake my position in my own heart. It is not about whether a specific thing is right or wrong. You could say this is the foundation of self-confidence in one's character. All other ways of doing things are built on this foundation.

A person will only see what they want to see, not the real world. Everyone is influenced by their own biases.

But I only want to be a lovable person. Because the world seen by a lovable person is also lovable.

The human qualities I cherish most: courage, kindness, sincerity.

I think an important sign of a person's character growth is whether they can truly recognize the existence of the other. To realize that you are not the center of the world. No one is obligated to meet your needs at all times. No one is obligated to like and approve of you. When I care for the people around me, it should not be for the purpose of getting them to like me. It is because they are important people to me. I care if they are troubled. I hope they can be happy.

When I learn and grow to be a better and more excellent person, the main purpose is not to gain the admiration and approval of others. It is because learning and growing bring happiness. Even if a person is excellent and strong and has few flaws, others still have the right not to like them. Otherwise, it becomes a form of passive control. One must recognize the existence of the other. We are all equal, and we each have different needs. Everyone has to go through this stage of growth. And then most of your troubles will disappear.

Values as an Aesthetic Standard

A shared aesthetic is more important than shared hobbies. It is a better way to tell people apart. People are divided into groups by their aesthetics. A broad sense of aesthetics includes both your view on "whether a concrete work is beautiful" and your views on abstract things, your values, and so on. It shows in whether you agree with these views.

A shared aesthetic is a higher level of abstraction than shared values. A person might not know about something yet. But if they already have their own aesthetic standard, when they first learn about that thing, they will form their own value judgment. People with a shared aesthetic will come to similar conclusions on similar value judgments.

People with shared interests might not become friends. Because there may be many things that conflict, and they will go their separate ways sooner or later.

But with a shared aesthetic, if A finds something beautiful and shares it with B, B can also understand and appreciate its beauty to some extent. They do not need to have the same interest. They have already met at a crossroads and are now walking on the same path.

A person's style of language also shows their aesthetic. Some people write like poetry. Their expression is sincere and lovely. Others use foul language, making you wonder if it is the language of a human. If a person's style online, while anonymous, is similar to their style offline, you can say they are consistent in word and deed. That person is relatively reliable. If a person's anonymous language and behavior online are foul, no matter what they are like offline, they are someone you want to stay away from.

In my view, the most important qualities for a good creator are an extraordinary perception and a heart that can find truth, goodness, and beauty. Other things, like the desire to express, creativity, and aesthetic sense, are not mysterious. They are skills that can be learned and practiced. But the former cannot be achieved through effort alone. If you think creation is a mystery, it is only because you do not have a deep understanding of what it is.

I feel that my life is a journey in search of beauty. The beauty of the ultimate theory, of a fine character, of beautiful landscapes, of delicious food... The beauty in the instant and the eternal, the ordinary and the great, the real and the illusion, good and evil, submission and resistance. If I cannot find it for a while, I will sculpt myself and create my own work. I am an observer, an admirer, and a creator.

Later, I happened to read that Zhu Guangqian wrote something similar:

Life itself is a broader form of art. Each person's life story is their own work. This work can be artistic, or it can be not artistic. Just as with the same piece of rough stone, one person can carve it into a great statue, while another cannot make it into anything useful. The difference lies entirely in one's nature and cultivation. A person who knows how to live is an artist, and their life is a work of art. — Zhu Guangqian, On Beauty

I Am a Tree

The state of being "useless" is the freest. I do not ask anything of anyone, and no one asks anything of me. I love Zhuangzi's "Free and Easy Wandering." I have always said I want to be a tree. It is this kind of tree. A useless tree. A free and easy tree. A tree that grows as it pleases, undisturbed.

Now you have a big tree and are worried that it is useless. Why not plant it in the land of Nothing Whatsoever, in the broad and barren wilds? You can wander aimlessly by its side, and sleep free and easy beneath it. It will not be cut down by an axe. Nothing will harm it. Since it has no use, what trouble can it have?

Of course, on a physical level, I am surely kin to plants. On sunny days, my mood is bright. Without sun, I tend to feel blue.

I also love this cypress tree in Walden:

I read in the Gulistan, or Flower Garden, of Sheik Sadi of Shiraz, that “They asked a wise man, saying; Of the many celebrated trees which the Most High God has created lofty and umbrageous, they call none azad, or free, excepting the cypress, which bears no fruit; what mystery is there in this? He replied; Each has its appropriate produce, and appointed season, during the continuance of which it is fresh and blooming, and during their absence dry and withered; to neither of which states is the cypress exposed, it being always flourishing; and of this nature are the azads, or religious independents.—Fix not thy heart on that which is transitory; for the Dijlah, or Tigris, will continue to flow through Bagdad after the race of caliphs is extinct: if thy hand has plenty, be liberal as the date tree; but if it affords nothing to give away, be an azad, or free man, like the cypress.”

My Worldview

To return to the theme at the end. Einstein wrote in My Worldview:

The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed to me empty. The trite objects of human efforts—possessions, outward success, luxury—have always seemed to me contemptible.

I am willing to take this as my guiding motto.

When poor, attend to your own virtue in solitude. When successful, share your goodness with the world.

I know I cannot express "my worldview" in full detail. Perhaps I will revise it in the future. But the basic frame presented here will not change. These will be the colors of my spirit, lighting the road ahead. I know that with these thoughts to accompany me, whether I have companions on the road or not, I will never be truly lonely.

Postscript

As I wrote this, my watch reminded me several times that my heart rate was abnormally high. I am always like this. When I am immersed in something, I forget myself, forget time, forget place. On Christmas afternoon, writing these words at a sun-filled desk. I wrote from daylight to darkness. The sun set behind Mount Fuji, and the curtain of night was drawn. The indoor lights of the vast residential area gradually appeared. The sky grew dark. The flame inside my heart burned steadily, giving off a firm, gentle, and not glaring light.

A Trip to Lamma Island

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 11:19:46 GMT

An unplanned trip that turned into one of my most cherished memories.

I left behind the crowds, the stifling heat, and the oppressive high-rises of Hong Kong's city center, boarding an old double-decker ferry from Aberdeen Pier. Aqua had recommended this route, and it was a delight — open sides, a steady breeze, and an unobstructed view of the sea. A far cry from peering through the foggy windows of modern ferries.

On Lamma Island, I followed Aqua's directions to her house: a charming blue-and-white two-story building with greenery framing the entrance. Inside, it was warm and lived-in — filled with books (not quite my usual taste), quirky knick-knacks, and small pieces of furniture that spoke of someone who knows how to enjoy life. Aqua herself was thoughtful and generous, suggesting several hiking routes around the island. I also met her neighbor, a French woman, and got to cuddle her big dog.

A twenty-minute walk from Sok Kwu Wan brought us to Lo So Shing Beach — the perfect spot to watch a full sunset. It was quiet, clean, and stunningly beautiful. Honestly the most gorgeous beach I've ever seen.

The next day, I tackled a two-and-a-half-hour hiking trail across the island. An hour of climbing to reach the summit, brutal under the summer sun. But the exhaustion melted away the moment I looked out — the most spectacular view I've encountered in my life. A perfect island.

That afternoon, before our hike, Aqua spent an hour doing yoga in the living room. Then she sat on the front balcony surrounded by greenery, sipping tea, daydreaming, basking in the sun alongside her neighbor's dog. An idyllic weekend scene. I thought: someone who savors life this deeply must be a wonderful person.

In the evening, Aqua and I walked back to Lo So Shing Beach together. Along the way she switched effortlessly between Cantonese and English, greeting old acquaintances and calling every dog by name. We chatted, waded in the water, watched the sunset, and got to know each other better. She's a fascinating person — a literature researcher at a Hong Kong university who moved to the island three years ago, and just last month spent a month in Paris watching the Olympics. Later we cooked dinner together. I made my signature Braised Chicken with Rice (黄焖鸡米饭); she stir-fried eggs with chives. We talked for hours. I was so happy to have found such a great new friend.

The whole experience was wonderful — every detail thoughtfully arranged. The island's beauty and quiet, combined with the warmth of Aqua's home, make it a true haven from the city. More than just a trip, it's an ideal retreat for anyone seeking stillness — for reading, writing, thinking, or simply resting. Aqua is an exceptional host; I can't recommend her enough.

An unforgettable journey. The scenery, the people, the weather, the food — all of it came together perfectly. I'm so glad it happened.

Thoughts on Success and Failure

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:02:52 GMT

Escaping the Narrative of Success

The words "success" and "failure" simply don't exist in my vocabulary; I don't use them to judge myself or others. For me, people are either beautiful or not beautiful (in an aesthetic sense).

I've never really cared about my test scores. Whether I aced an exam or bombed it, I wouldn't be overjoyed or deeply upset. A mere grade doesn't define me. Similarly, I'm not concerned if someone else has a "better" job than me or earns more money. Praise or criticism from others rarely sways my self-perception. In fact, for as long as I can remember, my core self-worth has been remarkably stable, never dependent on external validation.

Since childhood, I've had a habit of occasionally asking friends and classmates for their impressions and opinions of me. But this wasn't to undermine my self-worth; it was purely to gather information, to understand the ripple effect and projection I create in the world, and to compare it with my internal view of myself. If there was a significant discrepancy between external and self-perception, it indicated something was amiss—perhaps extreme arrogance or deep insecurity—which needed addressing. If the evaluations aligned closely, it suggested a healthy state of inner peace and self-consistency.

For most of my life, I've enjoyed this relatively healthy and peaceful state. As for whether a particular endeavor "succeeded" or "failed," I simply don't think in those terms. Constantly using such language only traps one in a success-driven narrative, demanding endless self-justification. I want to break free from these evaluative standards and forge my own measuring stick—one that allows me to observe and understand myself, and to view others through a richer, more nuanced lens.

Asking Questions and Solving Problems

Once we break free from the success narrative, how do we act?

For me, the key lies in asking questions and solving problems. "Problems" can be divided into two types: "problems worth solving" and "problems not worth solving." "Solving problems" can also be divided into two categories: "problems already solved" and "problems yet to be solved." The first step is to identify which problems are most important to me—those truly worth dedicating my time and energy to.

Then comes the act of solving them. If a problem is genuinely important and deserves my attention, I simply take action, with one singular goal: to resolve it. Everything else unrelated to solving that problem becomes irrelevant. For instance, if I aim to solve the problem of freedom, then a particular test score, a corporate job, marriage, having children, or staying in my home country offers no help whatsoever. These things hold no importance for me. Wasting even a second or a flicker of emotion on them would be a waste of my life, so I simply won't do it—I won't even entertain the thought.

There are countless solutions to any given problem; the crucial part is finding one that works and is right for you.

Asking the Right Questions

If a problem seems intractable, you need to re-examine it: a. Can this problem truly be solved? Or is it inherently unsolvable? b. Is this problem really worth so much time, energy, and emotional investment? Or can you go back to the beginning, reframe the problem, and proceed differently?

If it's 'a': Many people suffer from fixating on unsolvable problems. They desperately want to solve them, but in reality, there's no solution. For example, some people try to solve the problem of death, refusing to accept the inevitable fact that everyone dies. Others try to force their opinions on others, unwilling to accept that everyone can have different thoughts and beliefs. Still others suffer immensely if people who dislike them don't change their minds.

These individuals take themselves far too seriously. No matter how capable you are, you must respect the fundamental objective laws of the world and the basic principles of physics.

If it's 'b': Many others want to solve problems but constantly ask the wrong questions, leading to perpetual suffering, internal conflict, and a persistent disconnect between self-perception and external evaluation. These individuals are either extremely insecure or extremely arrogant, or they swing wildly between these two extremes.

Their self-worth heavily relies on external validation, as well as objective metrics like wealth and material possessions. This is why you see some people become incredibly arrogant and dismissive when they achieve good test scores, earn a lot of money, or gain a minor position of power, only to grovel before those they perceive as stronger. This swing between extreme insecurity and arrogance, marked by constant comparison, means they never find true inner peace. Or they perpetually follow societal and others' evaluation systems, striving for perfection in every single one—wanting to be the perfect, excellent child in all aspects, have the perfect job, be the perfect spouse, raise perfect children, be absolutely filial, and want the next generation to repeat this "perfect" process. Yet, they rarely take the time or energy to examine themselves, to truly understand what they need and what they want. Such individuals are often deeply unhappy, with a severe imbalance between internal and external evaluations, unable to achieve inner consistency and peace.

How to ask questions is an art form, and many people simply don't know how, as schools don't specifically teach it. While there are books like "How to Ask Questions," people likely won't learn just by reading them; this kind of practical skill must be learned through practice.

Of course, reaching a state of stable self-worth, self-consistency, devoid of arrogance or extreme insecurity, and immune to external temptations that might sway one's inner direction—this level of inner peace—undoubtedly requires continuous practice and persistent pursuit.

It's similar to health, which isn't a destination but a state. It's not about achieving all your physical metrics and then forgetting about it; rather, it's about maintaining a good lifestyle long-term, and health naturally follows. If you occasionally deviate, you simply return to it. Self-worth functions in the same way.

When life becomes simple, goals become clear, and action isn't overly difficult. Internal friction decreases. Life has its ups and downs, relationships come and go, but even so, the prevailing experience of being with oneself is one of inner peace and happiness.

On Creation

People, especially creators, absolutely need ample time for solitude and living independently. In prolonged solitude, one can achieve deeper introspection, self-reflection, and engage in more profound thought and creation. If constantly surrounded by people one dislikes, most energy gets trapped in internal conflict, leaving no time for genuine thought. If one spends all day with beloved companions, there's a constant urge to blurt out unformed ideas, and deep thoughts dissipate into the air.

Perhaps some are willing to present themselves as a joke, claiming to bring joy to others, but the joy of play and entertainment is vastly different from the joy of mockery or trampling someone underfoot. Regardless, I want neither. If I must be known by the world in some capacity, I hope to be recognized as a serious creator—perhaps as a scientist or an artist.

I don't wish for my existence to be trivialized by jokes. I don't need to be elevated, nor do I want to be trampled, nor will I serve as anyone's backdrop. I am simply me. I simply exist. I am simply seen. I don't need many people to see me, because I don't believe that's true "seeing." Nor do I insist that those who see me must be my contemporaries; it could be the next era, or the one after that.

A Concise Guide to Building a Hexo Blog from Scratch (2024 Edition)

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:25:20 GMT

Are you fed up with the uninspired interfaces of many blog sites? Tired of the incessant notifications? Have you long wanted to create your own blog but felt intimidated by complex tutorials and a daunting array of code? If so, congratulations! This article is designed to guide you step-by-step through building your very own blog, using the simplest and most accessible methods. All you need is a little patience, and to follow along.

Hexo, a fast, clean, and efficient blog framework, is truly a godsend for beginners. Coupled with GitHub, which saves us the hassle of renting and deploying separate servers, it makes for an ideal setup. This guide will walk you through building your blog using Hexo and GitHub.

I previously published "A Concise Guide to Building a Blog from Scratch" in 2018. However, due to various plugin updates, some details now require revision. That's why I'm excited to re-introduce this updated 2024 edition of the concise tutorial.

Preparation

Download and install Node.js (from the official website)
Download and install Git (from the official website)

Setting Up Your Hexo Static Blog Locally

Install the Hexo framework: Open your command prompt (CMD) and run:

$ npm install -g hexo-cli

Create a new folder, for example, MyBlog. Navigate into this folder, right-click, select 'Git Bash Here' (or open your terminal in that directory), and then enter:

$ hexo init

Once the Hexo template is generated, install the npm dependencies by running:

$ npm install

That's it! The core of your blog is now complete. Let's take a look. Run:

$ hexo server

Now, open your web browser and navigate to localhost:4000. You'll see your blog in its current state. Enjoy this exciting moment, then press Ctrl + C in your terminal to proceed with the following steps.

Initial Personalization

Changing Themes

Download a new theme. We'll use the NexT theme as an example. In your blog's root directory, run:

$ git clone https://github.com/theme-next/hexo-theme-next themes/next

Open the _config.yml file located in your blog's root directory and modify the theme field to:

theme: next

Select an appearance: Open /themes/next/_config.yml and find the scheme field (use Ctrl + F for quick search). NexT provides three different appearances; choose the one you prefer and uncomment it by removing the # symbol. (Remember, these two files – your site configuration file and theme configuration file – will be your primary files for future modifications.)

# Schemes
#scheme: Muse
scheme: Mist
#scheme: Pisces
#scheme: Gemini

To preview your changes, run the following commands (you can repeat this whenever you want to see your blog's current state):

hexo g # or hexo generate
hexo server

Site Configuration

Open your site's _config.yml file in the root directory using a code editor (on Windows, avoid using Notepad, as it can corrupt Chinese characters). Modify the Site fields, ensuring there's a space after each colon:

# Site
title: Unknown World                // Blog name
subtitle:
description:  Do something cool // A tagline
author: LulalaP                 // Author
language: en               // Website language
timezone:

Setting Up Your Sidebar Avatar

Inside the /source directory, create a new folder and name it uploads. Then, place your avatar image (e.g., avatar.jpg) into this new folder.
Open /themes/next/_config.yml, locate the avatar field, and modify it as follows:

avatar:
    url: /uploads/avatar.jpg

Enhancing Blog Pages

Adding Menu Items

Open /themes/next/_config.yml. To add menu items, simply uncomment them by removing the # symbol. You can also add custom menu items as required (be mindful of indentation):

menu:
  home: / || fa fa-home
  about: /about/ || fa fa-user
  tags: /tags/ || fa fa-tags
  categories: /categories/ || fa fa-th
  archives: /archives/ || fa fa-archive

Creating a Categories Page

Create a new page named categories with this command:

$ hexo new page categories

Edit the newly created file, /source/categories/index.md. Set the page's type to categories (ensure there's a space after the colon). The theme will then automatically display all your categories on this page.

   title: Categories
   date: 2024-04-10 23:40:31
   type: "categories"
   comments: false
 ---

Creating a Tag Cloud Page

Create a new page named tags using this command:

$ hexo new page "tags"

Edit the newly created page and set its type to tags. The theme will then automatically display a tag cloud on this page.

---
   title: Tags
   date: 2024-04-10 23:41:25
   type: "tags"
   comments: false
---

Creating an "About Me" Page

Create an about page:

$ hexo new page "about"

Edit the newly created page. You can write your personal information in Markdown format within the main content area.

   title: About
   date: 2024-04-10 23:41:56
   comments: false
---

Setting Up Sidebar Social Links

Edit your site's _config.yml file. Locate the social field and add your social media site names and URLs. The format should be Display Name: Link Address, like this:

# Social links
social:
 GitHub: https://github.com/your-user-name || fab fa-github
 E-Mail: mailto:yourname@gmail.com || fa fa-envelope
 #Weibo: https://weibo.com/yourname || fab fa-weibo
 #Google: https://plus.google.com/yourname || fab fa-google
 Twitter: https://x.com/your-user-name || fab fa-twitter

Open /themes/next/_config.yml. Under the social_icons field, add the social site names (ensure correct capitalization) and their corresponding icons. The enable option allows you to control whether icons are displayed; set it to false to remove them. For example:

social_icons:
  enable: true
  GitHub: github
  Twitter: twitter

Connecting Your Blog with GitHub

Register a GitHub account: If you don't already have one, you'll need to sign up first.
On GitHub, create a new repository named XXX.github.io, where XXX is your GitHub username.
Open the _config.yml configuration file inside your local MyBlog project folder and set its type to git:

deploy:
  type: git
  repository: https://github.com/your-name/your-name.github.io.git
  branch: main

Run:

npm install hexo-deployer-git --save

Generate your static files locally, then push them to GitHub by running:

hexo g
hexo d

At this point, open your browser and navigate to http://your-name.github.io. Congratulations, your blog is now live and fully set up!

Binding a Custom Domain

Your blog is now fully set up and accessible via its GitHub domain. To truly perfect it, let's bind a custom, shorter domain name to it.

Domain Purchase

Purchase a domain name. I highly recommend namesilo.com—they are a well-established domain provider known for reliable service and great prices. Use my referral code PhiloArt.io to receive a $1 discount, valid until 2025-12-31.

Domain Resolution

Domain Provider DNS Settings
Add four A records, pointing to GitHub Pages:

185.199.108.153 185.199.109.153 185.199.110.153 185.199.111.153

Add one CNAME record with name set to www and content pointing to your-name.github.io (your GitHub Pages address):

CNAME —> philo-li.github.io

For more detailed settings, please refer to the GitHub Pages Docs.
Add a CNAME file to your blog directory

After configuring your domain's DNS, navigate to your blog directory. Inside the source folder, create a new file named CNAME (it must be uppercase and have no file extension). Open it with a text editor and enter your purchased domain name, for example: www.philoli.com.
Run:

hexo g
hexo d

Now, open your browser, type in your domain name, and hit Enter. Congratulations, you now own a blog with its very own custom domain!

Publishing New Articles

In your blog's root directory, execute: hexo new “My First Article”. This command will generate a new .md file within the source/_posts folder.
Edit this file and adjust the initial fields as follows:

title The title of the article
date Creation date (file creation date)
updated Modification date (file modification date)
comments Whether to enable comments true
tags Tags
categories Categories
permalink Name in URL (filename)

Write your article content (following Markdown rules).
Generate static files locally and then push them to GitHub by running:

hexo g
hexo d

Advanced Personalization

Below, you'll find some advanced settings to further personalize your blog's style. Beginners may choose to skip this section for now.

Adding RSS

Install the plugin in your blog's root directory:

$ npm install hexo-generator-feed --save

Add the following to the end of your _config.yml file in the root directory: (Important: Ensure there's a space after the colon to prevent errors!)

# Extensions
## Plugins: http://hexo.io/plugins/
plugins: hexo-generate-feed

Open /themes/next/_config.yml and modify the rss setting (again, remember to add a space after the colon):

rss: /atom.xml || fa fa-rss

Truncating Articles on the Homepage

When writing your articles, simply insert the following marker in your .md file at the point where you wish to truncate the content for the homepage:

Open /themes/next/_config.yml and set the scroll_to_more option to false.

Centering Quoted Text in Articles

This optimizes the default Markdown blockquote style:

{% centerquote %}
Quoted text
{% endcenterquote %}

{% centerquote %} Quoted text {% endcenterquote %}

Modifying Code Block Style

Edit /themes/next/_config.yml and adjust the codeblock configuration like this:

codeblock:
  # Code Highlight theme
  # Available values: normal | night | night eighties | night blue | night bright | solarized | solarized dark | galactic
  # See: https://github.com/chriskempson/tomorrow-theme
  highlight_theme: night eighties
  # Add copy button on codeblock
  copy_button:
    enable: true
    # Show text copy result.
    show_result: true
    # Available values: default | flat | mac
    style:

Setting Site Creation Time

Edit your site's _config.yml and add the since field:

since: 2024

Improving Article Link Style

Edit the file themes\next\source\css\_common\components\post\post.styl and append the following CSS styles to the end:

// link style
.post-body p a{
  color: #0593d3;
  border-bottom: none;
  border-bottom: 1px solid #0593d3;
  &:hover {
    color: #fc6423;
    border-bottom: none;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #fc6423;
  }
}

Adding a Background Image to Your Blog

In your blog's root directory, create a _data folder inside the source directory. Within this new _data folder, create a file named styles.styl. Open source/_data/styles.styl and add the following content:

body {
    background:url(/uploads/background.jpg);
    background-repeat: no-repeat;   // Whether to repeat and how if the image doesn't fill the space
    background-attachment:fixed;    // Whether the image scrolls with the content
    background-size: cover;         // Cover the entire area
    background-position:50% 50%;    // Image position
}

The url can be either an image link or a local image path. For example, you can name your image background.jpg and place it in the source/uploads folder.

Setting Blog Content Background to Semi-Transparent

Open the source/_data/styles.styl file you edited in the previous step and append the following content:


// Blog content transparency
// Settings for article content opacity
if (hexo-config('motion.transition.post_block')) {
  .post-block {
    background: rgba(255,255,255,0.9);
    opacity: 0.9;
    radius: 10px;
    margin-top: 15px;
    margin-bottom: 20px;
    padding: 40px;
    -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(202, 203, 203, .5);
    -moz-box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(202, 203, 204, .5);
  }
  .pagination, .comments {
    opacity: 0;
  }

  +tablet() {
    margin: 20px;
    padding: 10px;
  }

  +mobile() {
    margin: 15px;
    padding: 15px;
  }
}


// Settings for sidebar opacity
.sidebar {
  opacity: 0.9;
}

// Settings for menu bar opacity
.header-inner {
  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.9);
}

// Settings for search box (local-search) opacity
.popup {
  opacity: 0.9;
}

Optimizing Inline Code Block Style

Open the source/_data/styles.styl file you edited in the previous step and append the following content:

// Styling for inline code tags
code {
  padding: 2px 4px;
  word-wrap: break-word;
  color: #c7254e;
  background: #f9f2f4;
  border-radius: 3px;
  font-size: 18px;
}

Adding Visitor Count to the Website Footer

Edit the file (referring to a theme template file, e.g., themes/next/layout/_partials/footer.swig or similar):

# Locate the copyright tag and add the code inside it

<div class="copyright">
# ......some configurations are already here
# Add new code here
</div>

# After adding, it will look like this:
<div class="copyright">
  # ......some configurations are already here
  # Add new code here
  {%- if true %}
    <span class="post-meta-divider">|</span>
    <span class="post-meta-item-icon">
      <i class="fa fa-user-md"></i>
    </span>
    Visitors: <span id="busuanzi_value_site_uv"></span>
  {%- endif %}
</div>

Regenerate and preview the modified effect. Once confirmed, publish:

hexo g
hexo s
# Publish after confirming everything is okay
hexo d

Adding a `README.md` File to the Repository

Every project usually includes a README.md file. However, when deploying your blog to a repository using Hexo, the existing README.md file will be overwritten. To prevent this, you need to adjust your configuration file.
Add a README.md file to the root of your Hexo source directory. Then, modify your site's _config.yml configuration file by setting the skip_render parameter as follows:

skip_render: README.md

Save and exit. The next time you deploy your blog with the hexo d command, the README.md file will not be rendered.

Several Useful Plugins

Hexo Filter MathJax: Renders mathematical formulas
- Install: npm install hexo-filter-mathjax
- Detailed configuration: hexo-filter-mathjax
Hexo Word Counter: Provides article word count
- Install: npm install hexo-word-counter
- Detailed configuration: hexo-word-counter
Hexo Optimize: Optimizes blog loading speed
- Install: npm install hexo-optimize
- Detailed configuration: hexo-optimize
More plugins: https://theme-next.js.org/plugins/

Source File Backup

Always remember to back up your local source files, especially your Markdown files. Losing these configurations would prevent you from writing blog posts properly, forcing you to set everything up from scratch.
It's recommended to use the same GitHub repository for your backups.
Make a backup every time you make changes, or at least once daily.
For more usage details, please refer to the Git documentation.

# Add the blog repository address you configured earlier
git remote add origin https://github.com/your-name/your-name.github.io.git

# Add and save current changes, then record a commit message
git add .
git commit -m "Source files updated"

# Create and switch to a new branch
git checkout -b source

# Push all content from the local 'source' branch to the remote 'source' branch
git push origin source:source

Writing Blog Posts from Different Computers

If you want to write blog posts from a different computer, you'll need to install the essential software first. Then, pull your remote GitHub backup repository to your local machine to update your blog.

Download and install Node.js (from the official website)
Download and install Git (from the official website)
Install the Hexo framework: Open your command prompt (CMD) and run:

npm install -g hexo-cli

Perform local updates:

# Clone the repository to your local machine
git clone https://github.com/your-name/your-name.github.io.git

# If you've already cloned it locally, always pull the latest branch content before updating your blog
git pull origin

# Switch to the correct branch
git checkout source

# After installing all plugins configured for Hexo, you can start updating and editing your blog content
npm install

# After modifying content, remember to perform a full backup promptly
git add .
git commit -m "Blog update: xxx"
git push origin source:source

# Publish and push the latest blog content to your domain site
hexo clean
hexo g  # Generate static files
hexo s  # Preview blog locally
hexo d  # Publish latest blog content

Summary of Common Commands

hexo g
# or hexo generate, generates static pages from source files
hexo d
# or hexo deploy, publishes and pushes to GitHub Pages
hexo s
# or hexo server, deploys locally for testing
hexo clean
# Clears the static page cache, then hexo d regenerates

Eternal Creations (A Series of Tweets)

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 20:53:13 GMT

A few reflections on the creative process.

1

Loneliness is a fundamental part of the human condition, and I've never expected others to solve it for me, knowing full well that no one truly can. Having been alone for over two decades, I learned long ago how to entertain myself, generating all my own energy and being completely self-sufficient. The freest and most powerful individuals aren't those who never feel lonely, but rather those who embrace solitude and befriend it.

Then there's another kind of loneliness, one from the depths of the cosmos, which I never want to experience again in this lifetime. I've only felt it once, and ever since, all I've wanted is to be closer to people, ever closer. Thankfully, I know I won't encounter that moment again. That time is forever etched into a specific timeline, and for me, it, too, is a form of eternity.

2

Both real and unreal, like a dream, yet an illusion. Electrical signals traverse complex, interwoven neural pathways. Every time we recall the past, we often subtly alter certain memories, gradually reshaping our brains in the process. We actually perceive our past existence through our memories. So, are our past selves truly frozen forever in history? Likely not. They, along with our current selves, continue to breathe, simultaneously, across all spaces and dimensions.

3

Struggle is eternal, resistance is eternal, and difficulties are an ever-present reality. Thus, fluctuations in our state are entirely normal. Growth also implies moments of partial fragmentation and rebirth. Only death, or a complete refusal to grow, can ever bring lasting peace.

4

I consider my life a journey dedicated to seeking beauty: magnificent ultimate theories, admirable personalities, breathtaking landscapes, delicious food... The beauty found in fleeting moments and eternal truths, in the ordinary and the extraordinary, in reality and illusion, in good and evil, in surrender and defiance. If I can't find it, I'll sculpt myself and create my own works. I am an observer, an appreciator, and a creator.

5

While a large segment of humanity is passionate about passing on their biological DNA, a smaller group seeks to transmit the DNA of their soul. Creation is, for them, the path to immortality. Our creations are more enduring than our physical bodies.

Unnamed Love Notes

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 20:53:13 GMT

These are words of love penned for an unnamed beloved, fragments of my soul laid bare.

If

If being endearing is beautiful, then endearing I shall be. If sincerity is beautiful, then sincere I shall be. If courage is beautiful, then courageous I shall be. If kindness is beautiful, then kind I shall be. If wisdom is beautiful, then I shall seek knowledge. If devotion is beautiful, then devoted I shall be. If you are beauty itself, then I shall love you, asking for nothing in return. If you are born beautiful, then I was born to love you, from the deepest part of my heart.

Appreciating You Like a Painting

I have no desire to judge others, nor to be judged myself. All I wish is to appreciate people as one would appreciate a painting. In my eyes, a painting holds no distinctions of high or low, only of beauty or its absence.

Just as I would a painting, I want to admire your structure and your colors, your textures and your essence, discerning whether they are commonplace or truly one-of-a-kind. Like appreciating a painting, I want to appreciate your strengths and your flaws, the paths you've traversed, the landscapes you've witnessed, your joys and your sorrows. I want to see how much thought you've poured into yourself, and how meticulously and patiently you've sculpted your own character. All these facets can be profoundly beautiful.

Suddenly, it dawned on me: my love isn't for people, nor for objects; it is simply for beauty. For beauty in its aesthetic sense.

The Most Romantic Words of Love (2020)

"Secretly sketching you" — perhaps that's the most romantic and heartfelt confession a painter could ever utter.

I'm a Single-Threaded Creature (2019)

I'm a creature of a single thread. How could I possibly be smitten with several girls simultaneously? The single process of "liking you" already consumes my entire mind.

Untitled

Every emoji, every word, every "goodnight" I send you, and every gaze I direct your way—all of it whispers: I like you. (2019)

I have a fear of intimacy; I'm always hesitant about physical contact with people. Yet, I genuinely want to kiss you, from the very depths of my being. (2019)

I still won't give up on finding the purest, most passionate love! A love free from mutual possession, untainted by impurities, without resentment, built on complete and absolute trust—an embrace of two souls. It may seem as clear as water on the surface, but its core will burn with absolute fervor. I believe such a love exists. (2019)

On True Love

In this world, nothing is more precious than a genuine heart. And among genuine hearts, the rarest treasure is an innocent spirit capable of truly seeing into another's soul.

Why is true love so elusive? A significant part of the challenge lies in finding genuine sincerity. First, there must be truth; then, there must be love. Some possess truth but lack love, while others have love but not enough truth. Only when both are fully integrated can the realm of true love be attained. You possess truth, and you are lovable, which makes you truly lovable.

The Game of Life

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 20:53:13 GMT

Treating Life as a Game

Some people tread through life with trepidation, seeing it as a relentless battleground, quick to declare themselves failures at the slightest deviation from their expectations. Others rush into the most conventional and 'safe' career paths, never taking the time to discover their true passions or strengths. Many remain trapped in unfulfilling jobs, feeling powerless to change their circumstances, their days filled with nothing but complaints. Some find themselves repeatedly sinking into emotional quicksand, unable to break free. Still others chase immediate gratification, sacrificing their long-term well-being and making one regrettable decision after another...

Why not step outside the conventional framework and instead view life as a massive multiplayer online role-playing game – one with no 'reloads' or 'save points' – and play it with the utmost dedication?

The fluctuating numbers in your bank account are your in-game currency. Your medical check-up report displays your health bar/HP. Books and the internet offer a wealth of game guides. WikiHow serves as your beginner's tutorial. Wikipedia is your game's encyclopedia or item catalog. Books contain advanced strategies for completion. ...

Some players chase maximum in-game currency, while others strive for a spot on the leaderboards. Some seek love and to be loved. Many embark on epic journeys, traversing mountains and rivers, yearning to witness every landscape firsthand. Some willingly challenge ultimate difficulties to achieve self-realization, while others bravely ascend the peaks of wisdom. Then there are those who wander guided by their feelings and interests, eager to taste and see everything the world has to offer. Some choose to surf the waves, and still others simply wish to settle in a quiet corner, savoring the truest essence of a simple, peaceful life...

Who are you? What do you truly desire? What are your game objectives? What are your main quests and side quests? What if you only live once? If you had ten lives, would you still live the way you do now?

Modern Chinese people, it seems, are plagued by anxiety. For many, there appears to be only one prescribed path, relentlessly labeled 'success.' Before they can truly appreciate life's abundant gifts, they've already lost their playful spirit. Yet, life offers countless ways to live, with many interesting and worthwhile paths to choose from.

If you seek freedom, then pursue it. If you seek happiness, then pursue it. If you seek wisdom, then pursue it. Continuously refine yourself, both physically and mentally. And if you can, why not set your goals a little higher? Aim for the highest, and you might achieve the good; aim for the good, and you'll likely fall short.

For me, life is a game, and there's still so much to explore. I want to uncover the world's operating rules, experimenting and discovering as I go. What will this adventurous way of living bring? Who knows? But I'll always look forward, never back. I'll reject boredom, learn countless new things, and strive to become the most dazzling version of myself.

Even when I'm working diligently with my feet firmly on the ground, I must never forget to look up at the stars. And if possible, always strive to be an interesting person – that's a personal demand I place on myself.

Further Thoughts

In the midst of the current pandemic, it's highly probable that our present circumstances are simply the new normal. For those of us born and raised in times of peace, these past few years have likely been the darkest we've experienced in our lives. Yet, even the coldest winter eventually yields to spring, and the longest night gives way to dawn. The ice will melt, spring will bloom, and tomorrow's sun will rise again, just as it always has. How to navigate this long night is a question each of us must ponder.

I truly can't bear to watch countless people suffer. Is shutting down my feelings, refusing to see or think, my only option? Even as an insignificant presence, I'm trying to figure out what I can contribute. I want to do what I can to light a bonfire, to help forge connections, and to offer companionship. To let you know you're not alone, that many others are here, standing with you.

May we find solace in the stars during this long night, and may our spirits remain bright with flickering flames and resilient, beating hearts.

Short Poem Collection (2019)

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 20:53:13 GMT

These are fragments of the soul: fantasies, realities, and touches of childlike innocence.

For lack of a better term, let's call these short poems.

Fantasy

《The Moon》

The moon sneezed, And sprayed stars across the sky.

《The Toilet》

The ocean's nerve endings.

《Untitled》

Birds swim in the sky, and fish fly in the ocean.

《The Sun Knows》

The sun knows we fear the dark, So every night, It lights for us A single moon.

The sun knows we fear loneliness, So every time it appears, It brings us Shadows for company.

《The Bed》

The bed is a time machine. Close your eyes, And you'll travel to the future.

《The Taste of Sunshine》

Every bite of food we eat Is, in essence, the taste of sunshine.

《The Bed》

An open-air coffin.

《Spicy》

Food's S&M.

《Food》

The executioner of appetite.

Childlike Innocence

《Childlike Joy》(Part 1)

I recall my childhood days, When I could stare directly at the sun. And then I went blind.

《Childlike Joy》(Part 2)

I often found myself at the uneven spots of an earthen wall, Or amidst the tangled weeds of a flowerbed, Squatting down, Gazing intently, My mind wandering deep within. And then I stood up and fell over.

《Childlike Joy》(Part 3)

Summer mosquitoes swarmed like thunder, In their hundreds, or thousands. And then I went mad.

《Untitled》

Someone like me, who sometimes even forgets to feed myself, Is not suited to raising small animals. Small animals raising me would be more like it.

《Adventure》(A short story, to be continued)

With a trusty sword on my back, A few candies tucked into my pocket, And a little dog with a constantly wagging tail leading the way, We're ready to set off on an adventure.

When hunger strikes, we'll eat our candies. When thirst sets in, we'll drink from a spring. As night falls, we'll find an enormous tree, build a campfire beneath it, and snuggle close to the flames with the little dog. Watching the countless stars above, listening to the crackle of the firewood and the soft snores of the dog, we'll soon drift off to sleep.

Reality

《Everything is Hard at the Beginning》

Everything is hard at the beginning, Except for childbirth.

《Social Anxiety》

Allergic to humans.

《Going to Work》

Legalized blood-selling.

《Pension》

The blood of the young.

《Socialism》

Obligatory blood donation.

Philo's Thought Experiments (2019)

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 10:53:13 GMT

Do you often find yourself zoning out? And what exactly do you think about when you do?

What would happen if humans hibernated? How can we achieve immortality? How can we become happier? What if humans had chloroplasts? Are there aliens out there? Why do people sleep? What is memory? What is gender? Are humans born knowing how to walk? Why do some people love running marathons?

These questions and ideas constantly pop into my head. Engaging with people online has brought me a lot of joy and some truly fascinating answers, which inspired this annual collection.

May I always remain curious and imaginative, like a child.

The most interesting thing about Twitter is the way conversations unfold. I asked if cancer cells could be used to make lab-grown meat, and someone replied, "Tastes bad, I've tried it." I wondered if cancer cells could lead to human immortality, and people recommended related novels and comics. When I brought up the structural oppression of gender, I saw users offer professional arguments in the discussion. This ability of an open platform to brainstorm and gather diverse perspectives is incredible. I genuinely enjoy getting valuable insights from different fields, even from seemingly simple questions. My thanks to all the enthusiastic Twitter users!

What would happen if humans hibernated?

Humans are so behind; we've evolved for hundreds of thousands of years and still haven't developed the ability to hibernate.

Think about it: hibernation would save a huge amount of energy spent on heating, conserve massive food resources, and prevent the waste caused by low human productivity in cold conditions. All industries would shut down for a holiday, global carbon emissions would plummet, and the biosphere would begin to regenerate.

When we woke up, spring would be in full bloom, the air quality everywhere would be excellent, and everyone would start a new year of work, study, and life in the most comfortable state.

Each country could schedule hibernation dates based on its latitude; for example, the Southern Hemisphere could work while the Northern Hemisphere hibernated. Urgent tasks could be added to hibernators' to-do lists, allowing them to wake for an hour each day or a full day each week to handle essential matters.

While most people hibernated, a small number of government personnel would remain awake to maintain urban safety, protect lives and property, and respond to individual emergencies. Other daily chores, like street cleaning, could be handled by a large fleet of robots; news gathering and recording could be done automatically by drones, providing records for people to read upon waking.

In the event of alien invasion, national war, or major natural disasters, more specialized forces would be awakened to address the situation. Within the allotted hibernation period, people could customize their hibernation plans. For instance, you could be awakened to play in the snow with friends when it snows, or to see a beautiful landscape or rare phenomenon when the weather is good. You could even arrange to wake up at the same time as someone else, ensuring you always have company.

There could also be safe and healthy hibernation plans for weight loss. By adjusting hibernation duration and nutrient intake, you could wake up with a healthy and beautiful physique. To ensure the health of hibernators, the intensity of these weight loss plans would be limited...

Whether human hibernation would be good for humanity is debatable, but it would certainly be good for Earth.

If human skin had chloroplasts

If we genetically engineered human skin cells to have chloroplasts, would humans no longer need to eat or cook? We could just drink some inorganic nutrient solution, soak up the sun, and feel full. The only side effect would be turning completely green.

@yourcountry64: Not quite. Plants get enough sunlight through extensive branching and large leaf surface areas. The human body has a very low surface area-to-volume ratio, which means insufficient photosynthetic efficiency, yet humans have a very active metabolism and huge energy demands. If humans could photosynthesize, even on a sunny day, it would only provide less than one percent of the body's total energy needs.

Achieving immortality with cancer cells?

Cancer cells are not restricted by apoptosis mechanisms; as long as they have enough nutrients, they can grow and divide indefinitely without aging or dying. If we could find a mechanism to transform all human cells into cancer cells, while also limiting their division to a certain extent, would humanity achieve immortality?

We could study how cancer cells bypass the apoptosis mechanism and apply that knowledge to normal cells. Since only cancer cells have achieved indefinite growth, we could also research how to restore their other normal functions to prevent normal cells from aging.

@EndlessNull: At that point, they probably wouldn't be called cancer cells anymore (like HeLa cells).

Using cancer cells to make lab-grown meat?

Could we use the infinite division of cancer cells to produce lab-grown meat? If so, would we then have a low-cost, unlimited supply of meat?

@Reno_Lam: They still need nutrients to replicate, and the production of culture medium itself is a bottleneck. Of course, strictly speaking, if we're talking about artificially cultured tissues, there are already ways to lift the restrictions on cell division to make them proliferate quickly (relatively). Because current animal cell culture media are usually extracted from animals (like cows), lab-grown meat isn't considered vegan food yet (even if the cell line source can agree to provide cells for culturing).

@hg4867: For cell division, raising pigs is still cheaper and more efficient.

@shijiejilupian: There's a sci-fi novel called "The Cancer Man," it's quite interesting.

@dizzzzziness: Cancerous tissue tastes like dirt, it's very unappetizing.

@eGUAbe2V7j26GHw: Sir, this is your braised prostate cancer... who could possibly eat that?

Socialized Rearing of Infants

What if the state uniformly raised all newborns, providing the best nannies and childcare services, ensuring ample love and companionship to guarantee their physical and mental well-being? Eugenics would be promoted through public education. Biological parents would need to pass an assessment and complete adoption procedures to take their children home, with ongoing follow-ups. If standards weren't met, the child would be returned to state care; if they failed the assessment, the child would remain state-raised indefinitely. Wouldn't this maximize the child's best interests and foster the healthiest children?

Uniform rearing wouldn't be an assembly line; love and companionship would come not just from caregivers, but also from community-based or extended family models where a designated pair of new parents might care for five or six children. Other parents interested in adoption could take in more children if they had the capacity. Costs would be covered partly by taxes, partly by mandatory child support from biological parents, and fully by the state for those unable to pay.

Parents willing and able to raise their own children could go through the adoption process to take them home. Those who didn't would primarily be parents unable or unwilling to provide care. The government, in this model, could offer everything quality parents could, operating like a large family with five or six children, not a school-like institution or centralized dormitory. The only difference would be the absence of a blood relationship between them and the children.

Here's a response from Professor Li Ying. I think this perspective is excellent. The greatest significance of various types of small families lies in diversity and freedom. Their ability to withstand risk in a constantly changing environment is much stronger than that of a centralized system. (My idea was inspired by "parents don't need to pass exams," and I wondered what would happen if they did. In normal circumstances, most parents would pass, but people tend to go to extremes when they hear "uniform.")

@LiYing_2015: I recommend reading "Brave New World." The biggest problem with centralization is the lack of local information; bureaucratic control absolutely cannot cope with ever-changing micro-environments. Economically, centralization leads to collective poverty. In child-rearing, centralization leads to a million-fold decrease in risk resilience. Once an unforeseen situation arises, it becomes impossible to cope, leading to total extinction. The complexity of human society and nature far exceeds human design capabilities, so such "accidents" are inevitable. This is the meaning of freedom: each person knows their specific interests, which differ from others', and responds in their own way. Economic freedom brings flexibility and prosperity, just as diverse biological variations are the only way to survive. Social and political freedom have importance no less than economic freedom. The world often changes in ways unlike history, with no precedent, no knowledge to refer to, no foresight, and no planning. Therefore, only free systems lead to endless variations, which then offer the possibility of leaving behind seeds of survivors in future changes.

Another excellent point: socialized rearing doesn't necessarily mean authoritarianism. On the contrary, it could liberate young people, freeing them from patriarchal and family pressures, and giving them more freedom of choice.

@Searl_Scarlet: Trotsky, during the Soviet First Five-Year Plan, proposed a transitional plan: outsourcing all housework, childcare, and cafeterias to public welfare institutions. This aimed to ultimately eliminate the economic function of the family and thus the family itself. However, due to insufficient funding, this welfare program was only implemented around Moscow and was later canceled during the Stalin era. (See "The Revolution Betrayed" for details.)

@postmodernbrute: Consider it from a different angle. Socialized rearing doesn't mean the government has to provide "nanny and childcare services." For example, local communities could form a mutual aid childcare organization, spreading the responsibility of raising children across the entire community. This could avoid many problems.

Although the family system has a long history, with social progress, improved civic quality, and declining birth rates, states and communities are taking on more and more childcare responsibilities (refer to various pro-natalist policies in developed countries). Single parenting is becoming increasingly popular, and perhaps one day the family system will completely dissolve. The influence of parents on children is diminishing, nearing the model I described. A highly developed civilization still has hope of achieving this.

A real-world example very close to this concept: SOS Children's Villages.

Robotic Dragonflies for Mosquito Catching

How about using bionic dragonflies to catch mosquitoes in a room? They'd fly around silently, hovering, with a miniature laser cannon on their heads, powerful enough to zap mosquitoes but not damage furniture. After a mosquito falls, it would pick it up and drop it in the trash. If that's too inhumane, the laser could be replaced with an air cannon to just stun the mosquitoes, then release them outside the window. Other times, the dragonfly would rest on a wireless charging pad, charging while monitoring the room for activity.

@asaaoiokaeri: It could be improved by emitting a magical pheromone to draw mosquitoes to the dragonfly for annihilation, and also intelligent mosquito identification (a bold claim).

@MapleYu_Neko: Let me roughly list the components a bionic dragonfly would need:

Bionic muscle high-intensity motor (or similar) Ultra-light, tough bionic wings Rapid charge/discharge supercapacitor Micro laser emission system OR powerful air compressor Indoor positioning system Friend-or-foe identification system Gripper device Wireless charging pad not necessarily required, just contacts would suffice.

Dream Machine

Could a "dream machine" address the psychological issues of terminally ill patients in end-of-life care? A dream machine could directly intervene in a person's consciousness, allowing them to be in a dream state anytime, anywhere. In this dream, it could help fulfill their unaccomplished dreams, such as regaining health, revisiting a regretful memory to make a different choice, or traveling the world. Since they are dying anyway, it wouldn't matter much if they couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion.

@Qiolin_: That's the plot of "To the Moon"! I cried playing that game.

Internet Time Travel

One hundred years from now, if these mainstream social media sites are still alive, the internet will be filled with countless digital graves. Each account, carrying fragments of its past owner's life and memories, will be buried deeper and deeper through successive waves of internet trends.

By then, perhaps someone will develop a "Century of Digital Time Travel" project, establishing dedicated websites or other browsing channels, listing the most worthwhile digital graves to unearth from the past century, and guiding people to them.

Here lie celebrities who once stood in the spotlight, and countless ordinary people. This is the ultimate window for human observation. Here, you can see every detail of a child's life, from their first cry to their slow aging, with the last entry being a posthumous obituary. Look how similar the joys and sorrows of people a hundred years ago are to today's. These once vibrantly beating individuals are truly fascinating.

They lived earnestly. They died striving.

They still had traffic jams? I can't believe it. Is that thing in their hand called a "mobile phone"? I saw one at my grandpa's house. What is internet speed?

Why do people sleep?

What is the necessity of sleep? Can humans evolve to achieve proper rest without sleeping?

Physical recovery can be achieved while sitting/lying awake; the brain is still active during sleep, just organizing. Couldn't it evolve to organize while awake? Did animals' daily sleeping habits form because there was nothing to do when it got dark? Can polar bears see at night? Do they sleep all day during polar night or do they still forage?

I know sleep is currently necessary, but over a longer timescale, could individuals evolve to achieve good rest without sleeping? I'm also curious if, from an evolutionary perspective, traits like high DNA repair efficiency and memory consolidation during sleep might be because animals first developed the habit of sleeping (having nothing to do while asleep), and then the brain intentionally shifted these tasks from any time to the sleep state.

@ZenithFZH: It should be that the need for cleaning first led to the development of sleep-like activities (a state where many physiological functions shut down), which then gradually became fixed in evolution. Every internal organ in a human needs cleaning, but I'm more concerned with ions. For example, if you drink too much strong tea, your heart might feel uncomfortable; that's due to excess sodium, similar to the reasons for sleep deprivation. The brain also needs to restore sodium-potassium balance, and the dynamic system needs to return to its starting point. (@philo2018: But does it really require shutting down many physiological functions to achieve cleaning? Why not evolve to clean while awake?) Other organs have needs too. For example, the liver and kidneys also have work to do, and they are constrained by the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system, ascending arousal pathways, etc. If they have to maintain a state of tension, they can't perform their cleaning functions.

@yourcountry64: Polar night is winter, and polar bears, of course, hibernate for several months during winter.

@sumail666 Energy regeneration. I once heard a perspective: sleeping is entering the universe (consuming huge amounts of energy), and staying awake and working only accumulates energy for it.

@googollee: Conversely, as brain complexity increased, it needed downtime for maintenance, leading to the evolution of sleep. A book: "Why We Sleep?"

Multidimensional World

Could we be living in the same space as five-dimensional, six-dimensional, ... eleven-dimensional beings, breathing the same air, but due to the limitations of our observational abilities, we can only perceive ourselves?

They are existences we cannot imagine, just as a paper-thin person cannot imagine a three-dimensional world. The universe we currently observe is already unimaginably vast, but each additional dimension adds countless more universes 🤔...

Could the effect of dimensions be related to causality? (A guess) How does observational ability manifest? Two lines in different directions form a plane, two planes in different directions form a space, so two spaces in different directions form a four-dimensional space, and so on. Different choices can be seen as transitioning from one space to another (affecting the world), and could higher-dimensional beings still be us?

@asaaoiokaeri: Could the effect of dimensions be related to causality? (A guess) How does observational ability manifest? Two lines in different directions form a plane, two planes in different directions form a space, so two spaces in different directions form a four-dimensional space, and so on. Different choices can be seen as transitioning from one space to another (affecting the world), and could higher-dimensional beings still be us? (@philo2018: Possibly. We actually live in other dimensions, but due to the limitations of our thinking, we can only perceive our three-dimensional selves (projections).) Wow, "projection" is such a vivid word! Excitement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's exactly it. Because we can't observe it directly, we feel our lives are linear.

@muzi_ii: I recommend the French popular science documentary "Dimensions: A Walk Through Mathematics." It's available on Bilibili with bilingual subtitles.

Are humans born knowing how to walk?

Is walking a purely learned skill for humans, or is it encoded in our genes?

Many animals can run as soon as they're born. Why can't humans walk when they're born and need to be taught? If a baby isn't specifically taught to walk, could they learn on their own? If they grew up in an enclosed space, never having seen anyone walk, would they develop a disability or suddenly just start walking?

@gloriousgobid: Babies are born unable to walk, sit up, or even roll over, because their muscles, bones, and nervous system haven't developed to that extent. A child goes through rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing, and walking without assistance. These processes don't actually need to be taught; they'll do them on their own when the time comes.

About Memory

People are made of memories, not opinions. You might find someone on Earth who agrees with you on every single stance and opinion, but they cannot replace you, and you cannot replace them, because you each possess different memories.

If you were to lose your memory one day (irreversibly), continuing past relationships would no longer be necessary, because you would have been reborn, essentially becoming another person.

Your memories constitute who you are. If your memories contain only hatred, then you are hatred; if your memories contain only joy, then you are joy; if your memories contain only love, then you are love itself.

@stoneyshow: This aligns perfectly with Grand Maester Tyrion Lannister's "who has a better story" theory.

About Gender

Do trans individuals (MtF/FtM) struggle with accepting their bodies (sex organs), or do they struggle with the series of impacts that gender brings, such as societal expectations and constraints on different genders?

If a society completely eliminated discrimination against all genders, allowing everyone to pursue their interests freely, treating all jobs equally, and avoiding discrimination based on any gender expression, would transgender people still exist?

@tianna0026: Transgender individuals transition because their cognitive gender identity differs from their biological sex. I think societal norms or influences might play a role in shaping their thoughts, but it's not the primary reason. The main reason comes from the body itself.

@h121040: Speaking from personal experience, I once thought about becoming a futa girl. I wanted a girl's appearance and voice, and also both sets of genitalia. After all, I've experienced male stimulation and I'm very curious about female stimulation. Maybe I grew up in a more open environment; my friends all supported the idea of being oneself. In any case, I'd only want to be a born futa. Since I'm male now, I'll go with the flow.

Baldness Topic

Has the topic of baldness only become particularly popular in the last two years, or was it (always) just as popular ten years ago?

@asaaoiokaeri: Ten years ago, computer technology wasn't as advanced, so even if bald people were discussing it, the conversation couldn't spread. It's like the North-South differences in China; they've only become popular recently, but these issues have always existed. Are we just starting to pay attention to them? Perhaps it's because transportation wasn't very developed before, so fewer northerners studied in the south, and vice versa, leading to less shared experience.

@SamuelsLilin: For a topic to sustain long-term interest, one needs to observe its era, timeliness, social trends, and points of focus. A search for "Magi" reveals the rise of Bawang shampoo; its increasing popularity likely stems from recent years' jokes about staying up late and programmers overusing their brains, which then became market demand and an internet meme. The prominence of the baldness gene also contributes to its current fundamental attributes. There are indeed differences between 10 years ago and now. (@philo2018: Can it also be understood that while baldness has always been an issue, it has indeed become more severe in recent years? Due to the development of mobile internet, there are more ways to entertain oneself at night, and the popularity of the 996 work schedule has led to a significant increase in the number of people staying up late compared to the past. Additionally, the increasing number of programmers, active on the internet, means their (baldness) problems are more likely to become internet hot topics.) I actually don't believe physiological baldness has become more severe in recent years. Rather, it's that groups can now communicate and find common ground, and their voices and needs create a market and connections. The internet is driving this process, giving baldness and thinning hair more meaning. Societal pressures and environmental factors then lead people to observe whether they and those around them are truly experiencing hair loss and baldness due to certain reasons.

Why do people live? (A pessimistic explanation)

People live to pass the time.

A well-functioning society is one where, after securing survival through work, people have enough leisure to develop hobbies to pass the time. "Changing the world" means either discovering a new way to pass the time or helping many people pass the time more happily. "Exploring the unknown" means being bored and wanting to find something nobody else has played with to pass the time.

"Developing hobbies" means making the process of passing time less boring. "Falling in love" means finding someone to pass the time with. "Making friends" means finding a group of people to pass the time with.

"Measuring a person's value" means calculating how many people have spent how much time on that person or on what they created. The longer the total time, the greater the value contributed by that person. For example, people who open up new fields for countless future generations to research, people who write classic works that countless future generations read and study repeatedly, people who created YouTube, Twitter, people who built the iPhone, and so on.

Why does everything in dreams seem so real?

In dreams, no matter how bizarre or absurd the objects, scenes, or settings may be, when you are within them, you never question their logic or rationality. Instead, you implicitly believe in them and passively experience the unfolding plot.

I think perhaps it's because dreams and reality each have their own complete worldview. Everything that appears in a dream conforms to that new worldview, which you've internalized, making everything seem logical, reasonable, and incredibly real.

Cognitive Bias

Why do villains turning good in TV shows win over a huge number of fans, but good characters turning bad are easily despised? Yet, if you assess the actual bad deeds committed by both, the villain's misdeeds far outweigh the good character's. Isn't this an example of humans being blinded by emotion?

@softlips1024: There's a similar situation in the capital market: if a stock you own has been rising and suddenly drops a little, even though you're still making a profit overall, investors will feel great regret. If it's been falling and suddenly rises a little, even though you're still at a loss overall, investors will be very happy. In behavioral finance, this phenomenon is called mental accounting, where people irrationally separate gains and losses. (@philo2018: Ah, I remember loss aversion! It's probably the same principle.) Yes, people have significantly different risk preferences when facing gains and losses. For example, someone who's winning at cards or mahjong might feel it's a good time to stop, while someone who's losing always wants to continue, thinking they might break even. This emerging field is quite interesting and still under refinement, with ongoing debates in academia.

@EoyWVGbVYr1NXuP: Speaking solely about storytelling, my feeling is that villains are easier to empathize with and inspire a narcissistic savior complex in the audience. By the same token, (with the same creative ability) good characters are harder to portray, and often, good characters are simply not well-written. Sociological aspects are another matter.

@Yvonne520: This reminds me of another saying: a good person must go through 81 trials to become a Buddha, but a bad person only needs to lay down their butcher's knife to achieve Buddhahood.

Why are men's words unreliable?

There's a saying, "A man's mouth is a deceiving devil." Compared to women, are men's words truly that unreliable? If so, from an evolutionary and gene transmission perspective, do men maximize their interests by deceiving? And because women are the primary bearers of offspring, do they not need such sophisticated techniques in this regard?

Why do some people enjoy running marathons?

What motivates people who love running marathons? If it's for health, there are many easier and simpler ways to exercise that don't require running a marathon. If it's for competition, that's understandable. Besides competition, what special emotional benefits does a marathon offer?

@milachatu: With the promotion of marathons in cities, towns, and counties, participating in a marathon has become a fashionable sport. The media only talks about fitness and "persistence leads to victory," rarely mentioning that if you feel unwell, you should stop immediately, otherwise it could trigger life-threatening symptoms like rhabdomyolysis. In this process, the media and cities gain influence, and participants fill a void in their lives.

@yourcountry64: It's like eating spicy food; consistent running can lead to an endorphin addiction.

@godfatherincape: It's really just the effect of dopamine, plus a little sense of accomplishment. The rest is about enjoying solitude.

@GuogySakura: It's a great way to expand the breadth and depth of one's life. For an ordinary person, increasing mileage from 5km to 42km is an incredibly complex engineering feat, and it could even be deadly.

@wu_xiaoshun: To gain a sense of spiritual superiority. It's like a pilgrimage, an inner purification, and finishing the race holds significant personal meaning. Marathons can become a spiritual refuge for people, an escape from reality.

Large-scale Online Collaborative Project: Let's Write a Novel

Hello 2020

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 20:53:13 GMT

The close of a year often feels a little melancholic, but the dawn of a new one always brings a surge of hope and vitality. That's why I consistently title my annual reflections 'Hello XXXX'—and this marks the second entry in this blog series.

Throughout life, many of us find ourselves needing to escape something—be it family, school, or even friends. For me, the past year was largely dedicated to one pursuit: escaping time itself.

What did I do this year?

In short, nothing.

This 'escape from time,' to put a positive spin on it, means refusing to be swept along by the current. To be less charitable, it means being idle, a societal wanderer. I resisted the conventional wisdom of 'graduate and get a job.' I needed to feel a sense of agency over my own life, to discover meaning in work that went beyond mere income. Otherwise, I knew that being forcibly propelled by the relentless current of time would only extinguish my passion for living.

This year, I moved to Hangzhou and truly began living on my own. It granted me extensive periods of undisturbed solitude, offering a precious chance to confront myself.

During this period, I was lucky enough to land a remote part-time gig. While it still didn't quite cover my expenses (primarily because my work ethic wasn't exactly burning bright), it provided an invaluable sense of security. It allowed me to enjoy my days guilt-free, even when income was sparse. (Truthfully, it was Alipay and JD Gold that truly kept me from starving, haha.)

My days living alone felt akin to retirement; everything slowed to a crawl. I'd spend hours lost in thought, reading, writing, sketching, and taking leisurely walks. I'd ramble to myself on Twitter, dedicate considerable time to reflecting on my past, and occasionally meet friends or even arrange photo shoots with strangers. I truly felt the ebb and flow of seasons, the daily shifts in wind and clouds.

Through this process of introspection, I arrived at a crucial realization: For a long time, I'd believed I was unloved, and even unworthy of love. Yet, that couldn't be further from the truth. My ability to grow into such an optimistic, confident, and joyful person surely stems from being nourished by love. I've received it from family, friends, classmates, teachers, and countless strangers. While my circle might not be vast, every person I've met has been unfailingly kind and delightful. I consider myself immensely lucky and feel a constant surge of gratitude for all of it.

I feel a profound sense of strength.

As my Twitter friend @wjianjvn aptly put it in a tweet: "The most vital task in life is to re-center and integrate your past experiences, seeking out evidence of love from parents and family within them, and cultivating gratitude for the care and assistance received from others. This journey can re-immerse you in connection and love, restoring your confidence and sense of security, allowing you to then fearlessly explore life's meaning and uncertainties."

I believe I'm ready to embark on the next chapter.

What do I want to do?

This past year, I've constantly posed these questions to myself: What do I truly desire? What is it I genuinely want to do? For many months, at least, my consistent answer was: I don't want to work (haha).

My ultimate aspiration is not to work at all. Failing that, I'd pursue freelancing, then remote work, with a traditional 9-to-5 office job being the last resort. Ultimately, I dream of a day when I can sustain myself through what some might call 'unconventional pursuits.'

Actually, this year I also maintained one consistent practice: posting daily trivia, or 'cold facts.' Aside from this past month, where I've admittedly been a bit lax, averaging one post every two days, I previously updated daily without interruption, accumulating over 300 fascinating tidbits. While other trivia accounts rely on submissions to keep their daily rhythm, I manage it all myself—because an insatiable curiosity about everything is simply my daily state of being.

What I truly want to do is continuously experience, and to learn all sorts of knowledge and skills, both practical and seemingly impractical. I want to perpetually nurture this boundless curiosity, to delve deeper into the world around me, and to learn to love more people and more things—which, incidentally, is the very essence of the name Philo. If, along the way, I can bring joy and energy to others, that would be my ultimate blessing.

Beyond that, I aspire to help others. I want to inspire more people to fall in love with reading and to truly experience the joy of discovery. I want to ignite their curiosity about the unknown, guide them towards finding their true passions, and rekindle their enthusiasm for life. Above all, I want them to realize just how many fascinating things this world still holds!

What can I do?

I'm perfectly clear that I have no desire to be just another cog in the machine. I need to find both joy and a sense of value in my work, and ultimately, I want to become a content creator.

Goals that are too abstract are ultimately meaningless. For me, at this current stage, a practical and achievable goal is to become a general science video blogger. I envision using animation to make complex topics in humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and everything in between, accessible to a wider audience. This aligns perfectly with my passion for sharing knowledge, allows me to harness my boundless curiosity and broad interests, and enables me to continue doing what I love most. Moreover, it embodies the freelance lifestyle I aspire to. I truly believe this kind of work is an ideal fit for me.

As a chronic procrastinator, I can't say exactly when I'll start producing content officially. After all, my aim is to create exceptionally high-quality work, benchmarking myself against the very best YouTubers out there. I'm currently still fleshing out the finer details of the plan, but the overall direction is now firmly set. Having navigated past that period of uncertainty, I truly believe the future holds immense promise.

Another significant achievement this year is that reading, which was once just a casual pastime, has truly blossomed into a genuine passion for me.

I read a total of 65 books this year, predominantly in the social sciences. My hope is to build on this momentum and delve into an even wider array of disciplines moving forward.

A sentiment I shared last year, I echo to myself once more this year.

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020. In this new year, I earnestly hope to continue living life exactly as I please (and I actually succeeded last year!).

{% centerquote %} Do not set your heart on things that are fleeting: for after the caliphs' tribes have vanished, the Tigris will still flow through Baghdad. If you are wealthy, be generous like the date palm; but if you have nothing to give, then be as free as the cypress. — Walden {% endcenterquote %}

After Five Years of Procrastination, I Finally Finished 'The Procrastination Equation'

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 00:25:20 GMT

This book sat on my shelf for nearly five years, perpetually put off, until I finally devoured it in one sitting.

To make it easier to read and digest, the following sections summarize the book's core content, with most subheadings rephrased for clarity. The original book is quite extensive, packed with examples, but here I've distilled only the most valuable and crucial information to provide a clearer outline, also benefiting those who might not want to read the full text.

The Procrastination Loop

A procrastination cycle every procrastinator experiences (and it's frighteningly accurate):

1. "This Time I'll Start Early" When you first receive a task, you're always brimming with confidence, convinced that this time you'll tackle it in an organized, systematic way.

2. "I Need to Start Now" The optimal time to begin has passed, and the pressure is mounting. Yet, the deadline still feels distant, so optimism persists.

3. "What If I Don't Start?" More time slips by, and you still haven't acted. Your brain begins a battle with itself:

a. "I Should Have Started Earlier" You realize how much time you've squandered, sinking into regret and self-reproach. b. "I Can Do Anything Else But This..." At this stage, you're willing to do anything else — like tidying your room — but not the one thing you actually should be doing. You stay busy, creating the illusion that you're productively moving forward. c. "I Can't Enjoy Anything" You try to distract yourself with enjoyable activities, like watching a movie or socializing, but this fleeting pleasure is quickly overshadowed by guilt and worry. d. "I Hope Nobody Notices" A significant amount of time has passed with no progress, and you begin to feel ashamed. You pretend to be busy to prevent others from realizing your dire situation.

4. "There's Still Time" Even on the brink, you cling to optimism, hoping for a miraculous reprieve.

5. "There's Something Wrong With Me" No miracle appears, and you're consumed by despair. You conclude that you must be lacking something others possess — self-discipline, courage, intellect, or luck.

6. "The Final Choice: Do or Don't, Fight or Flight"

Option One: Don't Do It a. "I Can't Take It Anymore" Finishing the task in the remaining time seems impossible, and the immense pain and torment become unbearable, so you flee. b. "Why Bother?" There's no way to do it well in such a short time anyway, so doing it would just be a waste. Might as well not bother.

Option Two: Do It a. "I Can't Just Sit Here and Wait" Sitting idly, waiting for doom, is too painful. I might as well do something. b. "It's Not So Bad, Why Didn't I Start Sooner?" Once you start, you realize that all the prior procrastination and agony were completely unnecessary. c. "Just Get It Done" Racing against the clock, your only goal is to complete the task.

7. "I'll Never Procrastinate Again" Regardless of whether the task was completed, after enduring this ordeal, you once again resolve never to fall into this loop again — until the next task inevitably appears...

Why Do You Procrastinate?

1. Why Procrastinate: Fear of Failure

"They fear judgment from others or themselves, dreading that their shortcomings will be exposed, or that even their best efforts won't be good enough."

"They view performance as the sole measure of one's ability, equating good performance with high competence and self-worth, and poor performance with a lack of ability."

Procrastinators believe: Self-Worth = Ability = Performance

Procrastination breaks the second equality in this equation. Regardless of their performance, they can console themselves by saying that poor results stem from procrastination, not a lack of ability.

"Some would rather endure the painful consequences of procrastination than face the humiliation of trying their best and still falling short."

Solution: How to View Failure People generally approach failure with two main mindsets: fixed or growth.

A fixed mindset believes that abilities and intelligence are innate, and every challenge is an opportunity to prove your brilliance. Procrastination, in this context, becomes a form of self-protection, allowing you to avoid such proof — specifically, avoiding proof of your inadequacy.

A growth mindset, however, posits that abilities are not fixed but can change and develop; excellence is achieved through effort. You don't need to be immediately good at something; in fact, tackling something you're not proficient at can be more engaging, offering opportunities to learn and expand yourself. Your performance doesn't define your personal worth; instead, focus on what you've learned. Success or failure doesn't dictate one's competence; failure is a reason to redouble your efforts, not to retreat, give up, or procrastinate.

The growth mindset is certainly the one to cultivate here.

As Carol Dweck says, "Is success about learning and growing, or proving you're smart?"

2. Why Procrastinate: Perfectionism

Procrastinators often exhibit these types of perfectionist tendencies:

a. Unrealistically High Expectations for Oneself They frequently set impossibly high standards for themselves.

b. Intolerance for Mediocrity They can't tolerate mediocrity, striving for every task they undertake to be outstanding. Procrastination allows them to attribute an ordinary performance to a lack of time, rather than a lack of ability.

c. Belief That Excellence Requires No Effort Perfectionists believe that for truly exceptional individuals, even the most difficult tasks should come effortlessly. The moment they encounter a challenge that doesn't, their efforts grind to a halt.

d. Refusal to Ask for Help They see any request for help as a sign of weakness. Even if asking for assistance would boost efficiency, they choose to do everything themselves until the burden becomes overwhelming.

e. All or Nothing As long as a project isn't 100% complete, it's considered a total failure to them. Thus, giving up before reaching the finish line becomes perfectly rational.

For most perfectionists, achievement goes far beyond merely reaching a goal or demonstrating competence. In many families, excelling seems to be the most reliable way to earn approval and love. The value of accomplishment outweighs everything else, while anything less is deemed insignificant and worthless.

For another type of perfectionist, who has consistently faced criticism and undervaluation, and never experienced praise, achieving perfection is their sole hope for earning respect.

Solution: You Don't Need to Be Perfect in Everything

You should shift your mindset. There's no need to strive for perfection in every single thing. Allow yourself to make mistakes, and don't magnify minor errors endlessly. Making mistakes is perfectly normal; nothing is as bad as it seems.

Transform your fixed mindset into a growth mindset, viewing imperfections through a fresh lens. These aren't fatal blows, but rather powerful catalysts for self-improvement, learning, and growth.

3. Why Procrastinate: Fear of Success

They worry that achieving success will demand too much effort, far exceeding their capacity. Believing they can't meet such demands, they choose to procrastinate as an escape.

They fear being thrust into the spotlight after success, where people's expectations will escalate. To meet these heightened expectations, they feel compelled to overwork, transforming into a workaholic and losing control over their lives — for instance, missing out on time with family and friends. By procrastinating, they diminish their chances of success, hoping to avoid public scrutiny and retain more freedom.

They worry that success might hurt others due to inevitable competition. (In reality, people aren't so easily hurt.)

Solution: No Need to Worry

Success isn't an overnight achievement; it requires consistent, step-by-step action. Once your goals become clearer and you understand that reaching them isn't an impossible feat, the fear of success will dissipate.

Achieving success and losing control over your life aren't mutually exclusive. Your family and friends will understand and be happy for your growth and progress. Many worries are merely subjective assumptions that, in reality, won't come to pass.

4. Why Procrastinate: Resisting Rules, Asserting Control

Procrastination often becomes a personal declaration of independence. Through it, individuals try to communicate, "I am an autonomous person. I act according to my own choices. I don't have to follow your rules or demands."

They use procrastination to evade control, defy authority, and resist rules they feel compelled to follow. They yearn to live life on their own terms, preserving their autonomy. The degree of their non-cooperation enhances their self-worth; the more they procrastinate, the more independent and uncontrolled they feel, and the stronger their self-worth becomes.

Subconsciously, they perceive the world as a battlefield, viewing everyone as a potential adversary with controlling tendencies. They may have been strictly disciplined as children, had their personal habits excessively interfered with, felt invaded by others' intense curiosity, lost confidence due to constant criticism, and had their spontaneity and creativity stifled by too many restrictions.

They believe cooperation means surrender, as if it's a forced compromise against their will. Hindering the other party becomes more important than achieving their own desires, taking precedence over all other considerations.

Procrastination is also used to deny requests.

Some seek a thrill by rushing to meet deadlines.

Solution: Not All Rules Need Resisting

When you feel an impulse to resist, take a moment to reflect on whether such a reaction is truly necessary. Sometimes your resistance is justified; indeed, there might be someone trying to constrain or control you. But often, your rebellious feelings stem from your own fears, meaning no one is actually trying to control you in that moment.

A request doesn't necessarily imply control, a rule isn't always an inescapable prison, and collaborating with others can actually be an enjoyable experience.

5. Why Procrastinate: Regulating Interpersonal Closeness

a. Fear of Alienation They are dependent on others, struggle to work independently, and constantly hope for a guide. They use procrastination to foster closeness, hoping someone will rescue them at the last minute, giving them a reason to ask for help.

b. Fear of Intimacy They use procrastination to decline requests, thereby avoiding excessive closeness with others and maintaining distance and boundaries. This also serves to prevent others from taking credit or taking advantage of them.

Solution:

While procrastination might temporarily adjust the closeness of your relationships, it's a superficial fix, not a root solution. It will only deny you the opportunity for personal growth.

When facing problems and conflicts in relationships, you should courageously confront them and communicate openly. It's both possible and crucial to maintain healthy relationships while balancing dependence and independence.

6. Why Procrastinate: Issues with Time Perception

a. Conflict Between Objective and Subjective Time They struggle to reconcile subjective and objective time, possessing a weak sense of time. The future always feels distant and indefinite, leading them to live solely in the present. Differences in time perception among people can also easily lead to conflicts. Overemphasizing the present and underestimating the future can hinder the establishment and execution of long-term plans.

Don't live within subjective time; learn to embrace objective time and coexist harmoniously with it.

b. Fighting Time, Refusing to Grow Up, Refusing to Age Life constantly propels you forward — graduation, work, marriage, parenthood, retirement. You try to regain a sense of control and agency over time through procrastination. You resist acknowledging that you've grown up or that you're aging, as if perpetual delay could even postpone death itself.

Solution: Accept Reality

Ultimately, you will grow up, time will always flow, and death is inevitable. You must learn to accept this harsh reality.

7. Why Procrastinate: Habit Becomes Second Nature

Once bitten, twice shy. Perhaps you lacked encouragement or experienced trauma as a child. With repeated exposure, the corresponding neural pathways in your brain were reinforced. Later, when facing similar situations, your fear is subconsciously triggered, leading you to use procrastination as an avoidance strategy.

Solution: Establish and Strengthen New Neural Pathways

The brain is malleable. You need to identify the source of your discomfort, confront it, and establish and reinforce new neural pathways.

8. Why Procrastinate: Pathological Aspects

Executive dysfunction, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD), depression, anxiety disorders, sleep problems, and so on.

Solution:

Seek treatment for any underlying conditions.

For sleep problems: Recognize whether you're a morning lark or a night owl. Some people are most productive in the morning, others at night. You should align with your body's natural patterns and create a sensible plan to achieve maximum efficiency with minimal effort.

How to Overcome Procrastination?

The key to overcoming procrastination is identifying its root cause and confronting it — the fundamental approaches have all been discussed above.

The specific solutions ultimately boil down to time and energy management, which are well-worn topics. (The latter half of the book dedicates much space to this, with a lot of padding):

Don't set overly ambitious goals.
Break down large projects into smaller, actionable tasks.
Leverage spare moments.
Maintain self-confidence.
You don't need to strive for perfection in everything.
Learn to say no.
Delegate non-essential tasks to others.
Reward yourself appropriately.
Change your work environment.
Exercise regularly.
Ensure adequate sleep.
Stay happy.

Wishing everyone success in conquering procrastination soon!

Enough with the Glorification of Teachers

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:53:13 GMT

Today, on Teachers' Day, as almost everyone across China is busy showering teachers with gifts and praise, please allow me to strike a different note.

To say something politically incorrect: teaching is just another job. Teachers get paid for their work, just like everyone else. Why should they be held in such uniquely high regard?

I've encountered excellent teachers who can deliver a great lesson, and I've certainly seen my share of terrible ones. Yet, I've never met a teacher who profoundly impacted my life, let alone changed its course. Teaching a class is part of a teacher's basic duty. Delivering a good lesson can be a sign of dedication, but dedicated professionals exist in every field. Why should teachers be uniquely deserving of our gratitude?

The bar for entering teacher training programs is incredibly low these days. I remember classmates from other classes who cheated on homework, constantly skipped lessons, and could barely string a coherent sentence together. It's unsettling to think that some of them might end up becoming teachers. In most cases, teachers are dealing with impressionable, immature students. The role of "nurturing" or "developing character" seems largely absent in modern teaching; simply "imparting knowledge" is often considered enough. What's worse is that many teachers can't even do that well, and a truly incompetent teacher can potentially derail a child's entire life.

No matter how much teachers deny it, favoritism is an unavoidable reality. When faced with a large class, the students who typically receive the most focused attention are either the star performers or the problem children. This dynamic creates fertile ground for corruption. The number of parents who try to curry favor by giving gifts, slipping red envelopes, or hiring teachers for private tutoring is staggering. I've even heard stories of teachers in some schools openly soliciting red envelopes from parents, then brazenly adjusting their attention to students based on the amount received. That's truly an eye-opener.

What other issues arise from this indiscriminate glorification and romanticizing of teachers? It can easily lead impressionable children—and their parents—to place excessive trust in a stranger. For these kids, teachers can become a figure even more sacred than their own parents; what Mom and Dad say might be ignored, but a teacher's words are gospel. But who has ever bothered to tally how many pedophiles might be lurking within the teaching profession? In a country like China, where sex education is sorely lacking, how many tragic, 'Fang Sze-chi'-esque stories unfold daily?

Back in sixth grade, when our regular teacher went on maternity leave, a middle-aged male substitute from another province was brought in. Besides frequently yelling at disruptive students in class, barking "If you did that back where I'm from, I'd have kicked you already," he also had a habit of stroking little girls' hands while helping them with their assignments. I've forgotten if I was ever touched myself (I wasn't one of his favorites), but at the time, none of us understood the implications. We'd, at most, joke about it amongst ourselves, never perceiving the behavior as serious or connecting it to sexual harassment in any way. Thinking back on it now, it's truly sickening.

It's not just minors; even adult university students can fall victim to teachers who exploit their positions for sexual assault, exert pressure using grades or diplomas, or coerce students into working for them without pay. However, this unchecked abuse of power isn't exclusive to teachers. Using one's position for personal gain is a pervasive issue, visible in virtually any position of authority across China—it's a systemic problem.

By all means, praise and thank specific individuals who have genuinely helped you. But this indiscriminate romanticizing and glorifying of an entire profession? It's simply unnecessary.

Yes, there absolutely can be individuals who make immense contributions (though we should be wary of deifying anyone or any role). However, there's no such thing as an inherently "great profession."

My Thoughts on the Banning of "Devotion"

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 20:53:13 GMT

Disclaimer: Please discuss this topic rationally. The Red Candle Games team has already apologized for the controversy, and now I'd like to delve into the incident itself and share some personal reflections.

First, what happened?

Devotion, the latest game from Taiwan's Red Candle Games, sparked controversy just two days after its release when it was discovered that an in-game seal contained imagery allegedly insulting a national leader. The development team promptly apologized and replaced the offending asset. However, public outrage quickly spiraled. What started as an issue with a single seal soon led to widespread speculation that the entire game was anti-Chinese, triggering a massive boycott. Numerous players who had purchased the game flocked to Steam, demanding refunds and flooding the page with negative reviews. Ultimately, within a single day, the game was blacklisted across all Chinese domestic platforms, and Steam's China region delisted it.

Does Red Candle Games bear responsibility for this controversy?

They certainly bear some responsibility; after all, if that particular image hadn't been included, none of this would have unfolded.

Did Red Candle Games do anything wrong?

I don't believe they did anything wrong. Mocking national leaders is permissible in any democratic nation, and people joke about such figures daily, considering it perfectly normal. It's likely that the person who added that particular asset didn't give it much thought. In the political climate of five years ago, if people had encountered such an Easter egg, they would have simply shared a knowing smile, found it amusing, and dismissed it as trivial. Even today, the internet is rife with various satirical memes, articles, and comments of a similar nature. Our "red lines" are tightening by the day, and Red Candle Games had no obligation to know precisely where those ever-shifting boundaries lie. We should be reflecting on systemic issues, rather than instantly redirecting blame toward the development team.

What does "smuggling in private agenda" mean?

I first encountered this term in discussions about literary translations, where it describes a translator deliberately injecting their own interpretations, sometimes even twisting the original meaning of the text. But Devotion itself is entirely an original creation by Red Candle Games; it's all their "private agenda." So, how can one "smuggle in private agenda" when the entire work is already an expression of it?

Was it insulting to China?

At most, the game contained a single Easter egg featuring a seal. The accusation of "insulting China" is purely an overactive imagination at work, and the developers have already explained and apologized. As the saying goes, "Give a dog a bad name and hang him." We've seen similar scenarios during the Cultural Revolution – indeed, it's a modern-day literary inquisition.

Those who imagined the game was insulting China offered these interpretations: Du Meixin = "Heart toward America" Lu Gongming = "Mainland citizen" (a subtle jab at mainland Chinese citizens) Lu Xin She = "Mainland Heart" is a cult The score 89 alludes to a well-known historical event. The candle 49 represents 1949. Dates 1987/10/1~1987/10/7 allude to National Day.

In contrast, many other netizens offered alternative interpretations: Du Meixin = dmx = "big star" Meixin = Hokkien pronunciation of "superstition" Lu Gongming = Hokkien pronunciation of "bright path" Lu Xin She = Terms like X-Heart Society, X-Heart Association, or X-Heart Cult are common in Taiwan. Two-digit numbers like 89 and 49 in Taiwan generally refer to Republic of China years, not Gregorian calendar years. The ritual lasts for seven days, and October 7, 1987, coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, a day that also featured a penumbral lunar eclipse. The inability to reunite with family on Mid-Autumn Festival strongly implies family breakdown, a key narrative hint in the game. Furthermore, lunar eclipses are often considered omens of great misfortune in religious cultures, a time when evil spirits emerge. Concluding the ritual on this specific day significantly amplifies the game's horror ambiance.

Thus, the claims of "insulting China" are purely the product of overactive imaginations.

Does mocking a national leader equate to mocking the entire nation?

Absolutely not. People criticize figures like Donald Trump daily; foreigners mock Americans, and Americans themselves often engage in self-deprecating humor. Yet, Americans would never perceive such criticism as an insult to the entire nation. An individual should never embody the symbol of an entire nation; this is precisely the kind of phenomenon modern democratic societies strive to prevent. Yet, during this controversy, I observed a significant portion of the population adopt precisely this mindset, unleashing a 'frenzy mode' once triggered.

The current climate for freedom of speech is indeed tightening, but few could have predicted just how severely it would deteriorate. Within three days of its release, the game garnered a wave of positive reviews. Then, the seal was exposed, and a flurry of individuals began to wildly interpret various hidden allusions, feeling personally insulted. This quickly escalated to the national level, with accusations that the game was "insulting China." A massive "boycott movement" erupted instantly, with people posting curses, spamming related videos urging delisting, and swarming Steam to refund the game only to leave negative reviews. Ultimately, the game was completely blacklisted across all Chinese domestic platforms within half a day.

Alternatively, perhaps the environment itself hasn't deteriorated quite so severely, but rather the level of self-censorship under intense pressure has reached an alarming degree.

Should art really be mixed with politics?

There's a persistent notion that art forms — be it games, literature, film, or music — should remain "pure" and untouched by politics. Forgive me, but art has never been separate from politics. A vast number of outstanding artistic works are deeply intertwined with political themes. Art, by its very nature, should possess the utmost freedom to express itself fully, encompassing both the exploration of human nature and political critique. To claim that art shouldn't engage with politics, while simultaneously allowing politics to freely interfere with art (through the censorship of films, books, games, and so on), is a fundamentally contradictory stance. Art can and should engage with politics. Its critical approach often resonates far more deeply than mere didacticism, and art ought to strive to use its inherent power to break free from imposed restrictions.

Other thoughts

Steam's Devotion discussion forum, after enduring two days of relentless spamming and accumulating thousands of frenzied posts, is finally beginning to cool down. It's evident from the titles that most new posts are now leaning towards rational discussion, with users beginning to ponder the underlying causes. Netizens from both sides of the Taiwan Strait are starting to explore their divergent political viewpoints and more. Many Taiwanese, for their part, have expressed that they don't view lampooning leaders as a serious offense. For instance, online criticism or media attacks against Tsai Ing-wen are practically daily occurrences, and they've long grown accustomed to it. They find it somewhat amusing, in fact, to see mainlanders react with such fervor to what they perceive as a minor issue.

Furthermore, if you personally dislike a game, there's absolutely no issue with getting a refund or leaving a negative review. However, you cannot impose your personal preferences on everyone else, nor can you prevent others from playing the game. Is this phenomenon of collective, frenzied boycotting and relentless spamming truly normal? Has it gone too far? If it's not normal, then what exactly is fueling this underlying frenzy?

What we should be doing is reflecting on our systems and our education.

You might claim that politics is distant from your life, that you dislike it, and therefore choose to ignore it. In reality, politics is inextricably linked to every aspect of your life. You might find a TV series you were enjoying suddenly pulled offline; a beloved BL novel banned; a recent Weibo post deleted; a long-followed blogger's account vanished; search results displaying "not shown due to relevant laws and regulations"; your act of bravery potentially leading to jail time; the milk formula you bought for your child containing melamine; your child's kindergarten embroiled in the "three colors" scandal; a recently administered vaccine found to be expired; your parents having invested in a mountain of Quanjian health products; yourself trapped in a financial scam with no recourse; attempting to petition only to discover you've been blacklisted from high-speed rail; and witnessing a world in disarray, only to turn on the television and see nothing but peace and endless praise... Politics, in essence, dictates your daily life — your food, clothing, shelter, and transport. You simply cannot escape it. Politics isn't merely the government; it encompasses the rule of law, oversight mechanisms, and the collective citizenry. You should also recognize that the political education we receive in classrooms is often incomplete, if not outright distorted. Those dull passages we're forced to memorize hardly deserve the label "politics." The aim of this segment is to encourage everyone not to view politics as an evil entity. Politics is intimately connected to your life, and what we can all do is learn to exercise oversight and assert our civil rights. Because the future leaders across all sectors might be your very own classmates, improving our environment requires not only holding others accountable but also exercising self-restraint.

These are merely some of my preliminary thoughts. If you have anything to add, please feel free to comment rationally, whether your views align with mine or not.

Postscript: I tried to share screenshots of this text on WeChat Moments four times, but failed each time. Even after censoring the game's title, "Devotion," it still wouldn't go through, so I simply gave up. It's far more refreshing to simply post a direct link to the blog instead.

Recommended Reading: The 'Devotion' Controversy's Dual Ambiguity: The Meaning of Game Expression and the 'Insulted' Subject (Reader submission from "The Initium"; requires a VPN to access)

Hello 2019

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 20:53:13 GMT

I saw some incredibly imaginative and lovely poetry on Weibo and was blown away. It made me realize poetry could be written in such a wonderful way, and I immediately wanted to learn how!

I also saw the work of a young Japanese painter on Twitter, and the compositions, emotional depth, and sheer imagination were all incredibly brilliant. It made me want to try expressing the images in my own mind too!

A couple of days ago, while watching Star Trek, I learned about Klingon. It's a language specifically created by the production team for the aliens in the show, and they even provide Klingon subtitles for the series! What's more, over 250,000 Klingon dictionaries have been sold, Google has a Klingon version of its search engine, and Duolingo even offers courses in it. I thought, 'It's incredibly cool how far they've developed this sci-fi spin-off!' I want to learn it!

Recently, I've been watching My Brilliant Friend, captivated by Lila's charisma and struck by the subtle nuances of their friendship. I also found myself thinking how beautiful the Italian language sounds – I want to learn it!

And there are so many more examples just like these. This is my daily life; every few months, I find myself opening the door to a completely new world.

Even though I spend most of my time alone, I never feel bored or lonely, because there are simply so many fascinating things out there. I'm curious about everything I don't know – I want to try it, understand it, and learn everything I consider 'cool'.

Of course, my definition of 'cool' isn't quite the same as most people's; for me, if I find something interesting, it's cool. For example, I think people who read a lot are cool, poets are cool, artists who can create beautiful paintings are cool, photographers who take stunning pictures are cool, and filmmakers and TV producers who make great shows are cool. People who write excellent software are cool, those who can articulate novel ideas are cool, those willing to express their thoughts freely are cool, and those who challenge authority are cool. Others might not see it this way, but I also think I'm pretty cool.

When I first entered university, I was full of enthusiasm. But gradually, influenced by the environment, the rote lectures from teachers, and a myriad of meaningless, disorganized regulations, my passion slowly dwindled away.

I can say with complete conviction that ordinary Chinese universities are places where students' curiosity and passion for learning are stifled. That's not education; it's merely a different setting for continued control. When I saw how so-called top Chinese universities handled situations like the Shenyang incident earlier this year, and witnessed Peking University's suppression of students who dared to stand up for workers' rights, even disbanding their Marxist Society, I thought, 'Ha, even these prestigious schools are no different; they're just as corrupt and murky.' When freedom is disallowed in university campuses, places that should be championing liberty and justice, I became utterly disillusioned with such institutions.

In the months since graduation, having ample time to reflect on myself, I've gradually rediscovered who I am. I've reclaimed my innate curiosity, my passion for the unknown, my desire to explore, and my drive to try new things. I want to see a bigger world, and I want to express myself.

I write something from time to time, 80% for self-expression and 20% for communication. It's not to be unconventional or stand out; it's just that sometimes, if I don't write down certain thoughts, they'll linger in my mind for days, then weeks, refusing to dissipate. I want to communicate, yet I'm also afraid to, fearing I won't know how to respond.

I believe self-expression doesn't have to be confined to a single form. Sometimes I use words, sometimes drawing, sometimes photography. I've also tried writing poetry and coding, and in the future, I might even shoot some short videos. I simply want to express myself in the most fitting way, the way that best conveys my inner thoughts. It doesn't necessarily need to be seen by many, but I still hope for at least a few viewers.

I never got high marks for essays in school, haven't formally studied drawing, and I'm just starting to dabble in photography. But I'm not afraid to try, nor am I afraid of being laughed at, because my goal is more about expression than performance. To be honest, as someone who is barely noticeable if I don't speak, someone with an extremely low presence, being seen at all is a rare gift. Precisely because of this low presence – lacking outstanding talent or looks, not having a ton of friends with unavoidable parties, and without excess attention – I've gained greater freedom than others, the freedom to act and think as I please.

I bought a VPS and set up my own VPN so I could see a bigger, more exciting world. I watched tutorials to learn how to build a blog, add small features, and set up an image hosting service. This allows me to write freely, without worrying about sensitive keywords or fear of posts being deleted or accounts blocked. I'm studying data science and machine learning, preparing to become a data-oriented programmer. The computer is a universal tool; with it, I can do many things I couldn't before.

I want to know how the world works, why the world we see is the way it is. I want to know if aliens truly exist, if Elon Musk will actually immigrate to Mars. I want to know how different cultures are formed, how different systems evolve, what role trade truly plays between nations, why there are wars, how black markets are formed, and why women's status has been marginalized and often oppressed throughout most of history. I want to know why humans experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; whether personality is more a product of nature or nurture; what mysteries genes hold; why marriage exists and whether the institution of marriage is reasonable; why there are so many sexual orientations; and what Foucault's books truly say...

Because of this curiosity, this yearning to know, these are my motivations for living. That's why I want to live as long as possible – so I can learn as much as I can.

I feel despair about society. Every day, reading social news, I'm filled with sadness and anger, unsure what else I can do. Why are so many people still suffering from unjust oppression? Why haven't they received the justice they deserve? Why can human nature be so evil? Why can some 'drink human blood' (exploit others) and feel completely justified? Why do those whose own blood is being 'drunk' (who are being exploited) still curse those who refuse to partake and urge others not to? Why have the governed been trained to automatically think from the perspective of their rulers? I am deeply saddened, I am furious, and I still want to know the answers to these questions.

Humans are a collection of contradictions. I feel despair about society, yet I can still be full of passion for life and the world. This is how I keep my soul alive in this despairing environment.

The internet is both my eyes and my legs. It takes me to places I cannot physically go, allows me to see brilliant individuals shining in every corner of the world, and lets me experience different cultures and the clash of diverse perspectives.

Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019. In the new year, I hope to continue living life in a way that I love.

{% centerquote %} We only fear what we don't know; the more we know, the less we fear. by Lila, My Brilliant Friend {% endcenterquote %}

Common Advanced Python Syntax in Data Science

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 23:53:13 GMT

Lately, I've been diving into Data Science from Scrach (PDF), which is an excellent and easy-to-understand introductory book on data science. One particular chapter introduces both basic Python syntax and advanced features commonly used in data science. I found the explanations excellent – concise and clear – so I'm translating them here for my own reference and yours.

Common Basic Python Syntax in Data Science Common Advanced Python Syntax in Data Science

This post, building on that chapter, primarily focuses on advanced Python syntax and features that are particularly useful in data processing (based on Python 2.7).

Sorting

To sort a Python list, you can use the list's sort method. If you want to avoid modifying the original list, use the sorted function, which returns a new sorted list:

x = [4,1,2,3]
y = sorted(x)       # y = [1,2,3,4], x remains unchanged
x.sort()            # now x = [1,2,3,4]
# By default, `sort` and `sorted` order lists from smallest to largest (ascending).

To sort in descending order (largest to smallest), simply specify the reverse = True parameter.

You can also define a custom sorting function to order the list based on a specific key:

# Sort by absolute value, from largest to smallest
x = sorted([-4,1,-2,3], key=abs, reverse=True) # is [-4,3,-2,1]
# Sort by word count, from largest to smallest
wc = sorted(word_counts.items(),
key=lambda (word, count): count,
reverse=True)

List Comprehensions

We often encounter situations where we need to extract specific elements from a list to form a new one, modify existing elements, or both. The idiomatic Pythonic way to achieve this is through List Comprehensions:

even_numbers = [x for x in range(5) if x % 2 == 0]  # [0, 2, 4]
squares = [x * x for x in range(5)]                 # [0, 1, 4, 9, 16]
even_squares = [x * x for x in even_numbers]        # [0, 4, 16]

Similarly, you can use comprehensions to create dictionaries or sets from lists:

square_dict = { x : x * x for x in range(5) }       # { 0:0, 1:1, 2:4, 3:9, 4:16 }
square_set = { x * x for x in [1, -1] }             # { 1 }

If you don't need to use the actual elements from the list, you can use an underscore _ as a placeholder variable:

zeroes = [0 for _ in even_numbers] # same length as even_numbers

List comprehensions also support multiple for loops:

pairs = [(x, y)
    for x in range(10)
    for y in range(10)]    # 100 pairs: (0,0) (0,1) ... (9,8), (9,9)

Subsequent for loops can leverage the results of previous ones:

increasing_pairs = [(x, y)                      # only pairs where x < y
                    for x in range(10)          # range(lo, hi) equals
                    for y in range(x + 1, 10)]  # [lo, lo + 1, ..., hi - 1]

We'll be using list comprehensions frequently throughout our data science journey.

Generators and Iterators

One potential issue with lists is that they can quickly become enormous. For example, range(1000000) creates a list with a million elements. If you only process one piece of data at a time, this can be extremely slow (or even exhaust your memory). Often, you only need the first few pieces of data, making the rest of the computation redundant.

Generators, on the other hand, allow you to iterate over data only as it's needed. You can create a generator using a function and the yield expression:

def lazy_range(n):
    """a lazy version of range"""
    i = 0
    while i < n:
        yield i
        i += 1

Translator's Note: A generator is a special type of iterator. The yield keyword is central to how generators achieve iteration. It acts as a pause and resume point for generator execution; a yield expression can be assigned a value, or its value can be returned. Any function containing a yield statement is considered a generator. When a generator 'yields' a value, it saves its current execution state and resumes from that exact point the next time a value is requested, thus producing the next iterated value. While list iteration can consume significant memory, using a generator typically only occupies a small memory footprint, leading to substantial memory savings.

The following loop will consume one yielded value at a time until exhausted:

for i in lazy_range(10):
    do_something_with(i)

(Python actually has a built-in function called xrange (or range in Python 3) that provides a similar 'lazy' effect.) This means you can even create infinite sequences:

def natural_numbers():
    """returns 1, 2, 3, ..."""
    n = 1
    while True:
        yield n
        n += 1

However, it's generally not advisable to use such statements without a clear exit condition.

TIP

A drawback of iterating with generators is that you can only traverse the elements from beginning to end once. If you need to iterate multiple times, you'll have to create a new generator each time or convert it to a list.

A second way to create generators is using a comprehension expression enclosed in parentheses:

lazy_evens_below_20 = (i for i in lazy_range(20) if i % 2 == 0)

We know that a dictionary's items() method returns a list of all key-value pairs. However, more often, we use the iteritems() generator method to iterate, which yields one key-value pair at a time.

Randomness

In data science, we'll frequently need to generate random numbers. Simply import the random module to get started:

import random
four_uniform_randoms = [random.random() for _ in range(4)]
# [0.8444218515250481,        # random.random() produces random numbers
# 0.7579544029403025,         # standardized between 0 and 1
# 0.420571580830845,          # This function is the most commonly used for generating random numbers.
# 0.25891675029296335]

If you need reproducible results, you can make the random module generate pseudo-random (i.e., deterministic) numbers based on an internal state set by random.seed:

random.seed(10)           # set the seed to 10
print random.random()     # 0.57140259469
random.seed(10)           # reset the seed to 10
print random.random()     # 0.57140259469 again

Sometimes, we'll also use random.randrange to generate a random number within a specified range:

random.randrange(10)      # choose randomly from range(10) = [0, 1, ..., 9]
random.randrange(3, 6)    # choose randomly from range(3, 6) = [3, 4, 5]

Other methods can be quite handy. For instance, random.shuffle shuffles the elements of a list in place, rearranging them into a random order:

up_to_ten = range(10)
random.shuffle(up_to_ten)
print up_to_ten
# [2, 5, 1, 9, 7, 3, 8, 6, 4, 0] (your result should be different)

To randomly pick a single element from a list, use random.choice:

my_best_friend = random.choice(["Alice", "Bob", "Charlie"]) # I got "Bob"

If you want to generate a random sequence without modifying the original list, random.sample is your go-to method:

lottery_numbers = range(60)
winning_numbers = random.sample(lottery_numbers, 6) # [16, 36, 10, 6, 25, 9]

You can get multiple random samples (with replacement allowed) by repeatedly calling random.choice:

four_with_replacement = [random.choice(range(10))
                         for _ in range(4)]
# [9, 4, 4, 2]

Regular Expressions

Regular expressions, or regex, are a powerful tool for text searching. While they can seem complex, they are incredibly useful, and many books are dedicated to them. We'll delve into them in more detail as we encounter them. For now, here are a few examples of how regex is used in Python:

import re
print all([                                 # all of these are true, because
    not re.match("a", "cat"),               # * 'cat' doesn't start with 'a'
    re.search("a", "cat"),                  # * 'cat' contains 'a'
    not re.search("c", "dog"),              # * 'dog' doesn't contain 'c'
    3 == len(re.split("[ab]", "carbs")),    # * splits on 'a' or 'b' to give ['c','r','s']
    "R-D-" == re.sub("[0-9]", "-", "R2D2")  # * replaces digits with dashes
    ])                                      # Output: True

Object-Oriented Programming

Like many other languages, Python allows you to define classes that encapsulate data and functions to operate on that data. We sometimes use them to make our code cleaner and more concise. The easiest way to explain them is by building a heavily commented example. Imagine Python didn't have a built-in set type; we might want to create our own Set class. What functionality would such a class need? Given a Set, we'd want to add items, remove items, and check if it contains a particular value. So, we'll implement all these capabilities as member functions of the class. This way, we can access these member functions using dot notation after a Set object:

# By convention, we give classes PascalCase names
class Set:
    # These are member functions
    # Every member function has a first parameter, "self" (another convention)
    # which refers to the particular Set object being used

    def __init__(self, values=None):
        """This is the constructor.
        It gets called when you create a new Set.
        You would use it like
        s1 = Set() # empty set
        s2 = Set([1,2,2,3]) # initialize with a list"""
        self.dict = {} # Each Set instance has its own dict property
        # which we'll use to track memberships
        if values is not None:
            for value in values:
            self.add(value)

    def __repr__(self):
        """This is the string representation of a Set object.
        You can type it into the Python command window or pass it to str()"""
        return "Set: " + str(self.dict.keys())

    # We'll represent membership by being a key in self.dict with value True
    def add(self, value):
        self.dict[value] = True

    # value is in the Set if it's a key in the dictionary
    def contains(self, value):
        return value in self.dict

    def remove(self, value):
        del self.dict[value]

We can then use our Set like this:

s = Set([1,2,3])
s.add(4)
print s.contains(4)     # True
s.remove(3)
print s.contains(3)     # False

Functional Tools

Partial Functions

When passing functions around, we sometimes want to use only a portion of a function's capabilities to create a new function. As a simple example, imagine we have a function with two arguments:

def exp(base, power):
    return base ** power

We want to use it to create a function that takes one argument and returns the result of exp(2, power) – essentially, '2 to the power of' something.

Of course, we could define a new function using def, but that feels a bit clunky:

def two_to_the(power):
  return exp(2, power)

A more elegant approach is to use functools.partial:

from functools import partial
two_to_the = partial(exp, 2)      # now a one-argument function
print two_to_the(3)               # 8

You can also use partial to fill in other arguments if they're named:

square_of = partial(exp, power=2)
print square_of(3)                # 9

If you try to get too clever with argument placement, your code can quickly become convoluted, so it's generally best to stick to simpler uses.

Map

We occasionally use functions like map, reduce, and filter as alternatives to list comprehensions:

def double(x):
    return 2 * x

xs = [1, 2, 3, 4]
twice_xs = [double(x) for x in xs]      # [2, 4, 6, 8]
twice_xs = map(double, xs)              # same as above
list_doubler = partial(map, double)     # function to double a list
twice_xs = list_doubler(xs)             # also [2, 4, 6, 8]

The map function can also be used to apply a multi-argument function to multiple lists:

def multiply(x, y): return x * y

products = map(multiply, [1, 2], [4, 5])  # [1 * 4, 2 * 5] = [4, 10]

Filter

Similarly, filter implements the if functionality seen in list comprehensions:

def is_even(x):
    """True if x is even, False if x is odd"""
    return x % 2 == 0

x_evens = [x for x in xs if is_even(x)]   # [2, 4]
x_evens = filter(is_even, xs)             # same as above
list_evener = partial(filter, is_even)    # function to filter a list
x_evens = list_evener(xs)                 # also [2, 4]

Reduce

The reduce function continuously combines the first and second elements in a list, then combines that result with the third element, and so on, repeating the process until a single result is obtained:

x_product = reduce(multiply, xs)          # = 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 = 24
list_product = partial(reduce, multiply)  # function to reduce a list
x_product = list_product(xs)              # also 24

Enumerate

Occasionally, you'll find yourself needing to iterate through a list and access both the elements and their corresponding indices:

# not Pythonic (not concise or elegant)
for i in range(len(documents)):
    document = documents[i]
    do_something(i, document)

# also not Pythonic (not concise or elegant)
i = 0
for document in documents:
    do_something(i, document)
    i += 1

The most Pythonic and concise way to do this is by using the enumerate function, which generates (index, element) tuples:

for i, document in enumerate(documents):
    do_something(i, document)

Similarly, if you only need the index:

for i in range(len(documents)): do_something(i)   # not concise
for i, _ in enumerate(documents): do_something(i) # concise

We'll be using this method frequently later on.

Zip and Argument Unpacking

Zip

We often need to 'zip' two or more lists together. Zipping essentially transforms multiple lists into a single list of corresponding tuples:

list1 = ['a', 'b', 'c']
list2 = [1, 2, 3]
zip(list1, list2)       # gives [('a', 1), ('b', 2), ('c', 3)]

Argument Unpacking

If the lists have different lengths, the zipping process stops at the end of the shortest list. You can also use a somewhat peculiar 'unzip' trick to unpack a list of pairs:

pairs = [('a', 1), ('b', 2), ('c', 3)]
letters, numbers = zip(*pairs)

The asterisk (*) is used for argument unpacking; it takes the elements of pairs and treats them as individual arguments to zip. The following call has the equivalent effect:

zip(('a', 1), ('b', 2), ('c', 3))  # returns [('a','b','c'), ('1','2','3')]

Argument unpacking can also be used with other functions:

def add(a, b): return a + b

add(1, 2)           # returns 3
add([1, 2])         # TypeError
add(*[1, 2])        # returns 3

While not universally applicable, it's a neat trick for conciseness.

Args and Kwargs

Suppose we want to create a higher-order function that takes an existing function and returns a new function that effectively doubles the output of the old one:

def doubler(f):
    def g(x):
      return 2 * f(x)
    return g

Here's an example of it in action:

def f1(x):
    return x + 1

g = doubler(f1)
print g(3)        # 8 (== ( 3 + 1) * 2)
print g(-1)       # 0 (== (-1 + 1) * 2)

However, this approach falls apart if the function takes more than one argument:

def f2(x, y):
    return x + y

g = doubler(f2)
print g(1, 2) # TypeError: g() takes exactly 1 argument (2 given)

To address this, we need a way to define a function that can accept an arbitrary number of arguments, then use argument unpacking to pass them along. This might seem a bit magical:

def magic(*args, **kwargs):
    print "unnamed args:", args
    print "keyword args:", kwargs
magic(1, 2, key="word", key2="word2")
# Output:
# unnamed args: (1, 2)
# keyword args: {'key2': 'word2', 'key': 'word'}

When we define a function like this, args (short for arguments) becomes a tuple containing all the unnamed arguments, while kwargs (short for keyword arguments) becomes a dictionary containing all the named arguments.

They can also be used when passing arguments from a list (or tuple) or a dictionary:

def other_way_magic(x, y, z):
    return x + y + z

x_y_list = [1, 2]
z_dict = { "z" : 3 }
print other_way_magic(*x_y_list, **z_dict)    # 6

You can use this with all sorts of peculiar methods, but we'll primarily use it to solve the problem of passing an arbitrary number of arguments to higher-order functions:

def doubler_correct(f):
    """works no matter what kind of inputs f expects"""
    def g(*args, **kwargs):
        """passes all arguments through to f"""
        return 2 * f(*args, **kwargs)
    return g

g = doubler_correct(f2)
print g(1, 2) # 6

Welcome to the World of Data Science!

Ding! Congratulations, you've just unlocked a new world of possibilities! Now you're ready to dive in and have some fun!

Common Python Syntax for Data Science (Basic)

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 20:53:13 GMT

I've been reading Data Science from Scratch (PDF here) these past couple of days. It's an excellent, easy-to-understand introductory book on data science. One particular chapter offered a concise and clear overview of Python's fundamental syntax and the advanced features commonly used in data science. I found the explanation so well-done that I decided to translate it here for my own reference and to share.

Common Python Syntax for Data Science (Basic) Common Python Syntax for Data Science (Advanced)

This chapter focuses on fundamental Python syntax and features (based on Python 2.7) that are particularly useful in data processing.

Whitespace Formatting

While many languages use curly braces to delineate code blocks, Python relies on indentation:

for i in [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:
    print i          # First line of the "for i" loop
    for j in [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:
        print j      # First line of the "for j" loop
        print i + j  # Last line of the "for j" loop
    print i          # Last line of the "for i" loop
print "done looping"

This makes Python code remarkably readable, but it also means you must always be mindful of your formatting. Whitespace within parentheses, however, is ignored, which can be quite handy for long expressions:

long_winded_computation = (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18 + 19 + 20)

It also makes code more visually appealing and easier to parse:

list_of_lists = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
easier_to_read_list_of_lists = [ [1, 2, 3],
                                 [4 ,5 ,6 ],
                                 [7 ,8 ,9 ] ]

Multi-line Statements

You can use a backslash to break a single statement across multiple lines, though this practice is rarely seen:

two_plus_three = 2 + \
                 3

Modules

Whether they're built-in Python modules or third-party packages you've downloaded, you must explicitly import them before use.

Simply import the entire module directly:

import re
my_regex = re.compile("[0-9]+", re.I)

Here, the re module is imported for regular expressions. Once imported, you can call its functions by prefixing them with the module name (e.g., re.).

If the module name conflicts with an existing name in your code, you can map the module to an alias during import:

import re as regex
my_regex = regex.compile("[0-9]+", regex.I)

If you're feeling mischievous (or just careless), you can import the entire module into the current namespace. This might inadvertently overwrite variables you've already defined:

match = 10
from re import *  # The re module has a match function
print match       # Prints the match function

But I trust you're a good person, so I'm sure you won't do that.

Arithmetic

Python 2.7 uses integer division by default, so $5 / 2 = 2$. However, often we don't want integer division, in which case we can import this module:

from __future__ import division

After importing, $5 / 2 = 2.5$. For explicit integer division, use $5 // 2 = 2$.

Functions

Function Definition

A function is a rule that accepts zero or more inputs and returns some output. In Python, we define a function using def function_name(parameters):

def double(x):
    """You can write an explanation of the function's purpose here.
    For example, this function multiplies its input by 2."""
    # The function body goes here, remember to indent
    return x * 2

Function Usage

In Python, functions are first-class objects, meaning you can assign them to variables or pass them as arguments to other functions:

def apply_to_one(f):
    """Calls the function f with 1 as its argument"""
    return f(1)
my_double = double          # double refers to the function defined in the previous section
x = apply_to_one(my_double) # x is now 2

Anonymous Functions

You can also create anonymous functions using lambda:

y = apply_to_one(lambda x: x + 4)     # which is 5

While lambda functions can be assigned to variables, most people recommend sticking to def for clarity:

another_double = lambda x: 2 * x      # Not recommended
def another_double(x): return 2 * x   # Recommended practice

Additionally:

lambda is an expression; its body is much simpler than a def.
The body of a lambda is a single expression, not a block of statements. You can only encapsulate limited logic within a lambda expression.

Function Parameter Passing

Function parameters can have default values. If you call the function without specifying an argument for such a parameter, the default value will be used; otherwise, your provided value will override it:

def my_print(message="my default message"):
    print message
my_print("hello")     # Prints "hello"
my_print()            # Prints "my default message"

It's also often useful to specify arguments by their parameter names directly:

def subtract(a=0, b=0):
    return a - b
subtract(10, 5)   # Returns 5
subtract(0, 5)    # Returns -5
subtract(b=5)     # Same as the previous one, returns -5

Strings

You can create strings using either single or double quotes (just make sure they're matched):

single_quoted_string = 'data science'
double_quoted_string = "data science"

Use backslashes to represent escape characters, for example:

tab_string = "\t"      # Represents a tab character
len(tab_string)        # Is 1

If you want to use backslashes literally (e.g., for Windows directories or regular expressions), you can define a raw string using r"":

not_tab_string = r"\t" # Represents the characters '\' and 't'
len(not_tab_string)    # Is 2

To create multi-line strings, use triple double quotes:

multi_line_string = """This is the first line
This is the second line
This is the third line"""

Exception Handling

When an error occurs in your program, Python raises an exception. If we don't handle it, the program will terminate. You can catch exceptions using try and except statements:

try:
    print 0 / 0
except ZeroDivisionError:
    print "Cannot divide by zero"

While exceptions are often viewed as bad practice in other languages, handling them frequently in Python can lead to cleaner and more concise code.

Lists

Creating Lists

Lists are simple, ordered collections and are one of Python's most fundamental data structures (similar to arrays in other languages, but with additional features). Here's how to create one:

integer_list = [1, 2, 3]
heterogeneous_list = ["string", 0.1, True]
list_of_lists = [ integer_list, heterogeneous_list, [] ]
list_length = len(integer_list)   # Is 3
list_sum = sum(integer_list)      # Is 6

Accessing List Values

You can access values in a list using square bracket indexing:

x = range(10)       # x becomes [0, 1, ..., 9]
zero = x[0]         # Is 0, list indices start from 0
one = x[1]          # Is 1
nine = x[-1]        # Is 9, the last element in the list
eight = x[-2]       # Is 8, the second-to-last element in the list
x[0] = -1           # x is now [-1, 1, 2, 3, ..., 9]

Slicing Lists

You can slice lists using square brackets:

first_three = x[:3]                  # [-1, 1, 2]
three_to_end = x[3:]                 # [3, 4, ..., 9]
one_to_four = x[1:5]                 # [1, 2, 3, 4]
last_three = x[-3:]                  # [7, 8, 9]
without_first_and_last = x[1:-1]     # [1, 2, ..., 8]
copy_of_x = x[:]                     # [-1, 1, 2, ..., 9]

You can use in to check if an element is present in a list:

1 in [1, 2, 3]        # True
0 in [1, 2, 3]        # False

This method of checking for elements is inefficient; use it only for small lists or when lookup time is not a concern.

Concatenating Lists

It's easy to concatenate two lists in Python:

x = [1, 2, 3]
x.extend([4, 5, 6])   # x is now [1,2,3,4,5,6]

If you prefer not to modify the original list x, you can use the addition operator to create a new list:

x = [1, 2, 3]
y = x + [4, 5, 6]     # y is now [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]; x remains unchanged

You'll often add elements to a list one at a time like this:

x = [1, 2, 3]
x.append(0)           # x is now [1, 2, 3, 0]
y = x[-1]             # Is 0
z = len(x)            # Is 4

List Unpacking

If you know exactly how many elements are in a list, you can easily unpack it:

x, y = [1, 2]         # x is 1, y is 2

If the number of elements on both sides of the assignment doesn't match, you'll get a ValueError. To avoid this, it's more common to use an underscore to hold the remaining parts of the list:

_, y = [1, 2]         # y is 2, the first element is ignored

Tuples

Tuples are very similar to lists, with one crucial difference: elements in a tuple cannot be modified.

Creating Tuples

You can create tuples using parentheses or by simply separating values with commas:

my_tuple = (1, 2)
other_tuple = 3, 4
my_list[1] = 3        # my_list is now [1, 3]
try:
    my_tuple[1] = 3
except TypeError:
    print "Cannot modify a tuple"

Tuples are especially convenient for returning multiple values from a function:

def sum_and_product(x, y):
    return (x + y),(x * y)
sp = sum_and_product(2, 3)    # Is (5, 6)
s, p = sum_and_product(5, 10) # s is 15, p is 50

Both tuples (and lists) support simultaneous assignment of multiple elements:

x, y = 1, 2       # x is 1, y is 2
x, y = y, x       # Swaps the values of two variables in Python; x is now 2, y is 1

Dictionaries

Creating Dictionaries

Another fundamental data structure in Python is the dictionary, which allows you to quickly retrieve values using associated keys:

empty_dict = {}                       # A very Pythonic way to define an empty dictionary
empty_dict2 = dict()                  # A less Pythonic way to define an empty dictionary
grades = { "Joel" : 80, "Tim" : 95 }  # Dictionary storage

Accessing Dictionary Elements

You can look up the corresponding value using square brackets and the key:

joels_grade = grades["Joel"]          # Is 80

If the key you're looking for isn't in the dictionary, it will raise a KeyError:

try:
    kates_grade = grades["Kate"]
except KeyError:
    print "no grade for Kate!"

You can check if a key exists in a dictionary using in:

joel_has_grade = "Joel" in grades     # True
kate_has_grade = "Kate" in grades     # False

Dictionaries also have a get method that allows you to specify a default value to return if the key isn't found, rather than raising an exception:

joels_grade = grades.get("Joel", 0)   # Is 80
kates_grade = grades.get("Kate", 0)   # Is 0
no_ones_grade = grades.get("No One")  # Returns the default value None

Modifying Dictionaries

You can use square brackets to create or modify key-value pairs in a dictionary:

grades["Tim"] = 99                    # Replaces the old value
grades["Kate"] = 100                  # Adds a new key-value pair
num_students = len(grades)            # Is 3

We'll often use dictionaries to represent data structures like this:

tweet = {
    "user" : "joelgrus",
    "text" : "Data Science is Awesome",
    "retweet_count" : 100,
    "hashtags" : ["#data", "#science", "#datascience", "#awesome", "#yolo"]
}

Beyond looking up specific keys, we can also perform operations on all keys, values, or items:

tweet_keys = tweet.keys()             # Gets a list of keys
tweet_values = tweet.values()         # Gets a list of values
tweet_items = tweet.items()           # Gets a list of (key, value) tuples
"user" in tweet_keys                  # Returns True, but uses inefficient 'in' lookup for lists
"user" in tweet                       # A more Pythonic and efficient 'in' lookup for dictionaries
"joelgrus" in tweet_values            # True

Keys in a dictionary must be unique, and lists cannot be used as dictionary keys. If you need a multi-part key, you can use a tuple or convert the key to a string in some way.

Default Dictionaries

If you're trying to count the frequency of each word in a document, a straightforward approach is to create a dictionary where words are keys and their frequencies are values. Then, you iterate through the document, incrementing the count for existing words and adding new key-value pairs for words encountered for the first time:

word_counts = {}
for word in document:
    if word in word_counts:
        word_counts[word] += 1
    else:
        word_counts[word] = 1

Alternatively, you could handle missing keys proactively using a 'ask for forgiveness, not permission' approach with try...except:

word_counts = {}
for word in document:
    try:
        word_counts[word] += 1
    except KeyError:
        word_counts[word] = 1

A third method uses get, which performs excellently when handling missing keys:

word_counts = {}
for word in document:
    previous_count = word_counts.get(word, 0)
    word_counts[word] = previous_count + 1

A defaultdict behaves just like a regular dictionary, with one key difference: when you try to look up a key that doesn't exist, it automatically creates a new entry for that key using a default value provided by you. To use defaultdict, you need to import it from the collections library:

from collections import defaultdict
word_counts = defaultdict(int)        # int() produces 0
for word in document:
    word_counts[word] += 1

defaultdict is also very useful with lists, regular dictionaries, or even custom functions:

dd_list = defaultdict(list)           # list() produces an empty list
dd_list[2].append(1)                  # dd_list is now {2: [1]}
dd_dict = defaultdict(dict)           # dict() produces an empty dictionary
dd_dict["Joel"]["City"] = "Seattle"   # dd_dict now contains { "Joel" : { "City" : "Seattle"}}
dd_pair = defaultdict(lambda: [0, 0]) # Creates a dictionary where keys map to a list of two zeros
dd_pair[2][1] = 1                     # dd_pair now contains {2: [0,1]}

This approach is incredibly useful as it eliminates the need to check if a key exists before trying to access or modify its value.

Counters

A Counter directly transforms a sequence of values into a dictionary-like object. The keys are the elements from the sequence, and their corresponding values are the counts of how many times each element appeared. This is frequently used when creating histograms:

from collections import Counter
c = Counter([0, 1, 2, 0]) # c is (approximately) { 0 : 2, 1 : 1, 2 : 1 }

This gives us a very convenient way to count word frequencies:

word_counts = Counter(document)

Another commonly used Counter method is most_common, which directly provides the N most frequent items and their counts:

# Prints the 10 most frequent words and their counts
for word, count in word_counts.most_common(10):
    print word, count

Sets

Another Python data structure is the set, which is an unordered collection of unique elements. You can create a set and add elements to it like this:

s = set()
s.add(1)          # s is { 1 }
s.add(2)          # s is { 1, 2 }
s.add(2)          # s is { 1, 2 }
x = len(s)        # Is 2
y = 2 in s        # Is True
z = 3 in s        # Is False

There are two main reasons to use sets:

First, the in operation for sets is extremely efficient. When dealing with a very large dataset, checking for an element's presence using a set is significantly faster than using a list:

stopwords_list = ["a","an","at"] + hundreds_of_other_words + ["yet", "you"]
"zip" in stopwords_list               # Inefficient, requires checking each element
stopwords_set = set(stopwords_list)
"zip" in stopwords_set                # Efficient and fast lookup

Second, sets provide a convenient way to get the distinct elements from a collection:

item_list = [1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3]
num_items = len(item_list)            # 6
item_set = set(item_list)             # {1, 2, 3}
num_distinct_items = len(item_set)    # 3
distinct_item_list = list(item_set)   # [1, 2, 3]

In practice, however, sets are not used as frequently as dictionaries and lists.

Conditional Statements

In most programming languages, you can use if to express conditional branches, and Python is no exception:

if 1 > 2:
    message = "if only 1 were greater than two…"
elif 1 > 3:
    message = "elif stands for 'else if'"
else:
    message = "when all else fails use else (if you want to)"

You can also write conditional statements on a single line like this, though it's less common:

parity = "even" if x % 2 == 0 else "odd"

Looping Statements

While Loops

The while loop in Python:

x = 0
while x < 10:
    print x, "is less than 10"
    x += 1

For Loops

More commonly, you'll use a for-in loop:

for x in range(10):
    print x, "is less than 10"

For more complex logic, you can use continue and break statements:

for x in range(10):
    if x == 3:
        continue          # Skips to the next iteration of the loop
    if x == 5:
        break             # Exits the loop entirely
    print x

This will output 0, 1, 2, and 4.

Truthiness

Booleans in Python function similarly to those in other languages, with the key difference that their first letter must be capitalized:

one_is_less_than_two = 1 < 2      # Is True
true_equals_false = True == False # Is False

Python uses None to represent the absence of a value, similar to null in other languages:

x = None
print x == None        # Prints True, but less Pythonic
print x is None        # Prints True, more Pythonic

Python allows you to use other values in place of Booleans; the following are all considered equivalent to False:

False
None
[] (an empty list)
{} (an empty dictionary)
“” (an empty string)
set() (an empty set)
0
0.0

Similarly, many values are considered equivalent to True. This makes it very convenient to check for empty lists, empty strings, empty dictionaries, and so on.

However, if you're not careful, this can sometimes lead to unexpected behavior:

s = some_function_that_returns_a_string()
if s:
    first_char = s[0]
else:
    first_char = ""

A more concise way to achieve the same result as the above is:

first_char = s and s[0]

If the first value is true, it returns the second value; otherwise, it returns the first value.

Similarly, if x could be a number or None, you can ensure you get a number with this:

safe_x = x or 0

Python also includes the all function, which returns True if every element in an iterable is True. The any function returns True if at least one element is True. For instance, for a list where every element is "truthy", all will return True; otherwise, it returns False:

all([True, 1, { 3 }])       # True
all([True, 1, {}])          # False, as {} is equivalent to "False"
any([True, 1, {}])          # True
all([])                     # True, because there are no elements equivalent to "False"
any([])                     # False, because there are no elements equivalent to "True"

Further Reading: Common Python Syntax for Data Science (Advanced)

I Can't Believe I Missed the Official Graduate Entrance Exam Registration

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 20:53:13 GMT

I'd imagined countless ways to fail, but I never thought I'd stumble at this particular hurdle.

What surprised me even more, though, was that I wasn't sad at all. In fact, I felt a little happy.

This was the taste of true freedom, a feeling I hadn't known since escaping the confines of university.

My First Attempt: Zhejiang University Computer Science

Around this time last year, I had just completed a two-month long-distance running regimen, averaging 5 kilometers a day. It was an attempt to explore my own limits.

Before and for about half a month after that, I'd still comfortably study for 6-7 hours each day, then run, or just chill out. During this period, I even had the energy to brainstorm creative ways to mark the 100-day countdown to the graduate entrance exam, updating it daily on the whiteboard in my dorm room.

With just over 40 days left, I started feeling time slipping away. I'd only gone through my specialized subjects once, some chapters not at all; I was only halfway through linear algebra, hadn't even touched probability theory, and hadn't started on past papers. For politics, I'd only done the 1000-question practice set once and barely looked at the essay questions.

With only a month to go, I, who had never panicked before any exam in my life, finally started to feel the pressure. I knew there was no way I'd have time for a second pass.

Three weeks out, my mind went completely blank. It felt like all the studying I'd done had left no trace, and the thought of giving up flickered through my mind.

After some deliberation, I decided to put up a fight anyway.

The extremely tight timeline and my abysmal study condition became a trigger. It was as if they broke through a barrier, putting me into a "flow state." As someone self-diagnosed with ADD, it was the first time I truly experienced what deep focus felt like.

The Inevitable Failure

Results

Mathematics I

I hadn't even finished a full pass of the entire Mathematics I textbook. To top it off, that year's Math I exam was unexpectedly the most difficult in recent memory. I wrote down everything I possibly could. Target: Whatever happens, happens.

Result: Mathematics I - 90 / 150 points.

Politics

For the politics essay questions, I spent four evenings and one afternoon memorizing the "Xiao Si" (a popular study guide). I used a combination of conceptual understanding and character-splitting mnemonic techniques to condense hundreds of characters of answers into about 40 key characters, memorizing roughly seven or eight questions. During the exam, with many answers hinted at in the questions themselves, I wrote non-stop for three hours. Target: 65 Result: Politics - 70 / 100 points.

English I

I did the English past paper reading comprehension twice, constantly forgetting core vocabulary after memorizing it. During the exam, I nearly fell asleep while doing the reading section. I had memorized essay templates, but in the exam hall, I let loose and started improvising freely. Target: 70 Result: English I - 68 / 100 points.

Specialized Subjects

For specialized subjects, I hadn't reviewed data structures and algorithms at all, nor two major chapters of computer organization. I'd only gone through the "Wang Dao" (another study guide) once. The 15-point algorithm question on the exam was a complete zero. Target: Whatever happens, happens. Result: 408 Specialized Subjects - 106 / 150 points.

Total Score: 334 Interview Cut-off: 361 Applicants for this Major: Approximately 2000

Cause Analysis

The failure, of course, was inevitable. Here's my self-analysis of the reasons.

Objective Reasons:

Explosion in applicants for Zhejiang University Computer Science
- Two years ago, there were 1200+ applicants, with an interview cut-off of 330+. Last year, the number surged to 2000 applicants, with a cut-off of 361, and the overall exam difficulty was higher than the previous year.
Zero-foundation, cross-disciplinary, cross-university, cross-region applicant
- Commonly known as the "triple-cross" candidate, facing the highest difficulty.

Subjective Reasons:

I'm simply not skilled enough.
I'm lazy.
I studied for less than 7 hours a day.
I only reviewed once and didn't even finish.

Recounting the minute details of last year's exam, beyond a mere recollection, I also want to convey this:

Graduate School Isn't That Hard to Get Into

Given my extremely poor study habits, my final results weren't terrible, which suggests that the graduate entrance exam isn't overwhelmingly difficult. As long as you're not switching majors to aim for a Top 2 university, most other schools are relatively easy to get into; I've seen plenty of examples among my peers.
For those switching majors, as long as it's not a highly competitive field with thousands of applicants, it's generally quite manageable. (Typically, over 500 applicants for a general major is considered a lot.)
Even if you're switching to a popular major, as long as you put in a little more effort than I did and don't slack off daily, I don't think it'll be a huge problem.
And those who successfully get in don't need to constantly brag or act superior.

My Decision for a Second Try

After all, I was switching fields, starting from scratch with the four core computer science subjects, and my entire first preparation was far too relaxed. So, I told myself, with a little more time, a second attempt would surely be successful.

My official preparation for the second attempt still began in July. It was still a relaxed approach, but this time, it was a grounded, relaxed approach. X words omitted here.

Suddenly Realizing I Missed the Official Registration

My first reaction was surprise. I'm not sure why, but this year I hadn't set a calendar reminder like I did last year. In any case, after a few minutes of accepting the irreversible fact, I simultaneously broke the news to friends and re-evaluated why I wanted to pursue graduate studies in the first place.

There were primarily two main reasons, which I now refute one by one:

Easier Career Transition Pursuing a master's degree could allow me to quickly enter a completely new field.

Rebuttal:

Transitioning into the computer and internet industry is surprisingly easy.
- Some people attend a few months of training and start coding; others, after completing their master's or Ph.D., decide to transition into computer science, self-study relevant knowledge and coding skills for a few months, and then land a job at Google.
- If the sole purpose is to switch careers, spending three years on a master's degree isn't necessary.

Academic Advancement Having a 985 master's degree is always a good thing, and it can also prove one's capabilities.

Rebuttal:

I don't have a strong attachment to prestigious universities.
- I don't worship authority. In China's exam-oriented education system, many people naturally feel a fondness and reverence for top students. But I believe this is "wolf's milk" that needs to be purged; frankly, it's still a subconscious worship of authority.
- So why Zhejiang University, specifically? Because its computer science program is top-tier in China, its interview process is famously fair and transparent, and its campus culture promotes freedom and openness.
- While I don't care what others think, I most wanted to prove my capabilities to my parents, to show them I'm no less capable than anyone else. But there's more than one way to prove yourself.
I might not actually enjoy computer-related research.
- Computer science research essentially involves reading the latest papers and books, attending lectures, conducting experiments (on a computer), and writing papers.
- What I do like about computers, however, is that they are a versatile tool, something you can actively operate. You can use them to genuinely accomplish things, even if it's just a tiny piece, but it can change your own life or someone else's.
Even if I got in, I wouldn't have free choice of research direction.
- Research directions are only finalized after laboratory interviews, and popular labs with sought-after supervisors are always in high demand. It's highly probable I'd end up in a lab not aligned with my interests.
Not being a graduate student doesn't stop you from following the latest industry trends.
- Unlike other disciplines that require extensive, specialized experimental equipment and strict lab conditions, computer science allows you to do a lot with just an internet-connected computer.
- No industry boasts more abundant online resources than computer science: an overwhelming amount of learning materials, high-quality open online courses, and countless excellent open-source project codes. You can freely read the latest research papers, and just as easily re-implement the ideas from those papers on your own computer, applying them to your work.
Which Carries More Weight: A Master's Degree or Three Years of Work Experience?
- Knowledge and technology in the computer industry evolve rapidly. What you learn in graduate school is often not directly applicable in the workplace; everything essentially starts from scratch again.
- A master's degree + no work experience vs. a bachelor's degree + three years of work experience – in reality, the latter is more competitive in terms of salary.
Graduate School is Just Another Box.
- Graduate school comes with thesis pressure, deadlines, and the same feeling of constantly being pushed forward.
- Graduate supervisors are often referred to as "bosses," and just like a job, you're essentially working for your "boss."
- Having just escaped the confines of university, why rush into another "box" so soon?
- It's never too late to pursue graduate studies.

Once I had thought it all through, a wave of relief washed over me.

That night, I couldn't sleep a wink. The thought of finally diving into the books that had piled up on my Kindle for months, meticulously tending to my blog, indulging in photography, bringing recent project inspirations to life, and thoroughly studying all those computer-related blog articles I'd saved for ages – all these possibilities made a quiet joy blossom within me, little by little.

Yes, it was the taste of freedom, freedom in its truest sense.

Freedom and Happiness

What I pursue in life can be summarized into two core tenets: 1. Freedom, and 2. Happiness. These two points serve as my measuring stick for deciding whether to do anything.

When I initially studied physics, it was because I believed it would help me better understand the world I live in, to grasp why everything operates the way it does. Physics, after all, is the "logic of all things." This represented intellectual freedom.

Now I study computer science because I see it as a universal tool that can be combined with any field, capable of creating tangible, useful "things" – tools that bring convenience to myself and others, genuinely improving the quality of life. The internet, a window to the world, allows us to see a broader perspective. This is freedom of "action."

Freedom and happiness are interdependent, fostering and diminishing each other. For me, happiness without freedom isn't true happiness, and freedom without happiness simply doesn't exist.

It's strange, but this has happened several times before: though I often contend with gloom and darkness in my daily life, at crucial junctures, the future I envision is always bright and promising. Perhaps I genuinely possess a "gene for optimism."

Do I feel regret? A little, perhaps. After all, my first round of overall review was largely complete; I was one and a half rounds into math, and past papers were consistently scoring 130+. I hadn't touched politics in a year, and when I started the 1000-question practice set, I averaged 30 mistakes out of 100 multiple-choice questions, mostly in sections requiring pure rote memorization with no logical reasoning. I had also finished the PAT algorithm problem set by August. And all this with 50 days still remaining until the exam.

Was all that time wasted? Not at all. I strongly dislike spending time on things I consider useless. The parts I actually dedicated time and effort to reviewing will, more or less, be used in my future studies and work: advanced mathematics, linear algebra, and probability theory are all theoretical foundations for data science and machine learning; the algorithm problems I practiced are essential for daily work; and having finished the four core specialized subjects, my foundational knowledge has reached the level of an undergraduate computer science major. Other truly useless things, like politics, I didn't even bother starting. Plus, during this period, I used my free time to do part-time work and earned nine thousand yuan to buy a camera. Not a loss at all.

Of course, you might see all of this as nothing more than my post-failure self-consolation. But so what? What you think has no bearing on me; I'm doing just fine regardless.

I just read an article with a line at the end that resonated deeply with me:

{% centerquote %} Be kind to yourself. You won't die if you don't graduate at 18, so what if you don't get your Ph.D. in your twenties, what if you're not a millionaire by a certain age? Go discover the world, understand yourself, and enjoy the process of life. {% endcenterquote %}

You never know what tomorrow holds, and I certainly never imagined I'd miss a major exam one day.

That day, I read a review on natural language processing, followed tutorials to learn web scraping for encyclopedia entries, dug out my blog to write new posts. In short, once my computer was open, I lost all desire to pick up my phone.

I used to always feel that life was short, but at this very moment, for the first time, I feel that life is long. I'm only 22 years old; there's still so much good time ahead.

{% centerquote %} A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. {% endcenterquote %}