Notes from the Wired
This is a website where I write articles on various topics that interest me, carving out a bit of cyberspace for myself.
You shouldn't believe anything I talk about — I use words entirely recreationally.
Most Recent
Oct. 01
I hate my Phone
I hate my phone. And I don’t mean this in a polemical sense either. If I were asked to describe a device designed by the devil himself, I could not come up with a better device than a smartphone.
I hate the constant notifications. I hate how it is a constant source of distraction. I hate how owning a smartphone comes with the expectation of being available at all times. I hate how it has shifted many direct conversations we used to have into conversations mediated through text, or even worse, video calls. I hate how it normalized freeware and software riddled with ads. I hate how the idea of an open-source version of Android, available to everyone and modifiable by everyone, became a collection of locked-down, vendor-specific versions. I hate how much time I spend on it. I hate how much it has become necessary for everyday life, from two-factor authentication needed for everything to banking apps and navigation.
Sep. 30
Philosophical Ramblings #18: Return to Monke
There is an idea that I do not completely dislike: that human consciousness was a mistake. When I talk about consciousness here, I specifically refer to our ability to self-reflect, to think recursively, and to introspect.
The idea is that a large part of our thinking has little to do with what is happening in the present moment, and that this kind of thinking is not necessarily conducive to happiness. We could call this stimulus-independent thinking: thoughts that arise independently of whatever we are currently doing or experiencing. This includes thinking about future plans, replaying past events such as conversations we had with other people, reliving insults or embarrassing moments, wondering what we will eat for our next meal, thinking about what we are going to do tomorrow, and so on.
Sep. 24
13 Assassins (2010)
Straightforward action spectacle that feels way shorter than it actually is. Great massacres, great sword fights, one mission, one goal. I love the set design. The camera was maybe a bit too hectic at times.
Shinzaemon Shimada: He who values his life dies a dog’s death.
