There’s something grounding about gratitude that comes from constraints actually working. A rare moment of semantic fidelity between explanation and awe.
n+1. That preferences are not single-dimensional, allowing an interesting preference landscape and woe to anyone trying to arbitrage using a projection onto a single-dimensional utility function.
I'm thankful that plant-based butter substitutes, which used to be made of partially hydrogenated oils that have been banned in 48 countries, are now made of healthy unsaturated fats.
Love the list! I had a dream about number 22 and wonder if we might actually be using that mode.
When we try to predict an outcome we care about, we might end up combing 10 different variables in some graph, leading to that one outcome.
When you visualize the outcome you want, and think about it a lot, is it possible what's happening is you're now running the graph in reverse mode, computing the gradient sensitivities to the different variables, which makes it easier for you to make some effort towards that outcome?
In other words, made we can operate our brains either in 'prediction mode' (where we effectively feel powerless) or 'pursuit mode', where agency comes from trying to navigate the gradient towards the thing we want.
Of course this came up in a dream so... who knows.
Thank you for this list. I have some very annoying tasks ahead of me today but this improved my mood — partly because I have cardamom in my coffee every morning: an amazingly cheap treat. I'm gonna ponder 22 & 27.
"A person in good health in a Western liberal democracy is, in terms of his objective circumstances, one of the most fortunate human beings ever to have walked the surface of the earth."
-- John Lanchester, "Pursuing happiness," The New Yorker, February 27, 2006
Nice, but (3) is misguided. There at least 20 different viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections (“the common cold”). Even if you could eliminate rhinoviruses, you probably wouldn’t notice. Also, I imagine there are several different strains circulating at any one time. And there are probably animal vectors. And anti-vaxxers. So, no.
Yes yes yes this is SUCH a good list
There’s something grounding about gratitude that comes from constraints actually working. A rare moment of semantic fidelity between explanation and awe.
Hey you made it into The Sunday Long Read newsletter I subscribe to! I hope you get a lot of new readers from it :)
n+1. That preferences are not single-dimensional, allowing an interesting preference landscape and woe to anyone trying to arbitrage using a projection onto a single-dimensional utility function.
I'm thankful that plant-based butter substitutes, which used to be made of partially hydrogenated oils that have been banned in 48 countries, are now made of healthy unsaturated fats.
Love the list! I had a dream about number 22 and wonder if we might actually be using that mode.
When we try to predict an outcome we care about, we might end up combing 10 different variables in some graph, leading to that one outcome.
When you visualize the outcome you want, and think about it a lot, is it possible what's happening is you're now running the graph in reverse mode, computing the gradient sensitivities to the different variables, which makes it easier for you to make some effort towards that outcome?
In other words, made we can operate our brains either in 'prediction mode' (where we effectively feel powerless) or 'pursuit mode', where agency comes from trying to navigate the gradient towards the thing we want.
Of course this came up in a dream so... who knows.
Love this, thank you!
Thank you for this list. I have some very annoying tasks ahead of me today but this improved my mood — partly because I have cardamom in my coffee every morning: an amazingly cheap treat. I'm gonna ponder 22 & 27.
Please Recommend some writings of Gregory of Nysa
I’m thankful I can read all these reflections while pooping
#29 reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
"A person in good health in a Western liberal democracy is, in terms of his objective circumstances, one of the most fortunate human beings ever to have walked the surface of the earth."
-- John Lanchester, "Pursuing happiness," The New Yorker, February 27, 2006
Nice, but (3) is misguided. There at least 20 different viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections (“the common cold”). Even if you could eliminate rhinoviruses, you probably wouldn’t notice. Also, I imagine there are several different strains circulating at any one time. And there are probably animal vectors. And anti-vaxxers. So, no.
>That disposable plastic, when disposed of correctly, is literally carbon sequestration
Thank you. A point that is not popular!
And can you repeat #29 every year? Please and thank you.
Great stuff - thankful for this list!
Very thankful for those things.
Much to be thankful for, indeed!