Dealing with the “Manipulation” Element of Maya Manipulation can be done by a single person or it can be done by a whole system or society. But again, no matter who the perpetrator is, the power of manipulation to completely screw up your thought process and life is well documented. In fact, you may be the most “evolved” person …
Shih Huang Ti was a ruler with a big dream. He wasn’t content to just be a king or even a good leader. He wanted to be the First Emperor of China, the one who started a dynasty that would last forever. In his mind, he would be the beginning of something so powerful and unshakable that people would talk …
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not. It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what you can and can’t control that inner tranquillity and outer effectiveness become possible.” – Epictetus (Ancient Greek Philosopher) Most …
PSYCHOLOGICAL BIASES Confirmation Bias: Confirmation bias is a psychological phenomenon where individuals favor information that confirms their existing beliefs and reject the information that does not. We tend to seek out, interpret, remember, and share information in ways that affirm our preconceptions. This can lead to skewed perspectives and, often, poor decision-making. The classic case of confirmation bias …
I am going to share with you a story of a Mathematician named John Nash. Perhaps some of you may have heard of him, but if you haven’t, by the time you finish reading this unusual story, you will have tremendous respect for the man for what he achieved despite his severe problems. John Nash was always intelligent as …
Everyone loves to talk about the importance of delayed gratification and how one must learn to tolerate what even what they hate and postpone the hopes of happiness for years into the future. That is taught to be the secret of success. I read recently about a guy who was 46 years old and was looking to cash out …
How do you differentiate between the good and bad pleasures of life? Yes, pleasure is not unanimously good or bad! Unlike people who glorify pleasure or absolutely show a disdain for it, the truth is humans do need some pleasure to lead a good life, but there has to be a sweet spot, which contributes more to your life than …
“I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it’s not the answer.” – Jim Carrey I agree with Carrey, first hand. While I have obviously never seen fame or wealth to the degree that he did – I have seen them both to a tiny but significant enough degree to realize that beyond a point, they are both dead ends …
Quote 3 – “Don’t long for others to see you as sophisticated, unique, or wise. In fact, be suspicious if you appear to others as someone special. Be on your guard against a false sense of self-importance” Here Epictetus makes a really crucial point. He says, don’t long for others to see you as someone special, in fact, be …
For newcomers to philosophy, let me introduce you to a man named Epictetus. Epictetus was literally born as a slave in ancient Greece and spent all his life in slavery until he was eventually freed. If there is anyone from whom we can actually learn how to maintain our happiness even when literally surrounded by misery, it is him. …