Themelis

I don't want to attach any out of space, foreign help! Neither do I want to take any credit for any of my deeds. There can be a thousand and one reasons or there doesn't have to be a reason for everything that's around or everything I did!

I'm very glad that I came across and got associated with someone driven by passion, so early in my life! I can hear someone saying "it was just the right time, before you began your professional life"

Not just moments and feelings,
sometimes, humans happen too,
and they can happen to be the best things around.

I sometimes think,
He doesn't have to do it.
He could have settled down
in a leisurely town,
and go to sea every clear dawn.

He could spend his entire time
with his children and lovely wife.

And every dime
on his grandchild's life

But, He works,
He fights,
He initiates,
He propagates, and
He inspires,
Souls like myself.
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Finally published this post, which was a draft since Dec, 2010!

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General question: Are you called "lucky" even when you get something which your friends or peers or anyone else can get?

Fear is a privilege

Fear is a privilege. It means you have something.

Malnourished kids in Cambodia hunt for Tarantulas for a meal. It is one of the few sources of protein they can find there. When asked if they were aware of how dangerous Tarantulas are, they said, yes, it's very painful if you get stung by them, and it has no cure.

When asked if they were not scared of them. They said that only the rich are scared of them, the poor are not.

More about eating Tarantulas and insects (60 minutes) - http://youtu.be/Acxbx-DUkL4

Defining Happiness

In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle wrote, “the happy man lives well and does well; for we have practically defined happiness as a sort of good life and good action.”  Happiness is not, he argued, equivalent to wealth, honor, or pleasure. ~ Carol V. Hamilton

Question: Do you think happiness is a) the end of all means or b) the end of all other ends?

Post

Aristotle defined a happy man, but left the definition of happiness unclear. This post is an ongoing effort to define happiness. If you can help with your comments and suggestions, we can get there quicker.

I hit a wall thinking what makes a human live well and do well. I imagined a human and tried answering what makes him/her do and live well. After a few minutes, I thought I should read more to be able to define happiness based on its contributing elements. I then stopped thinking about an imaginary human being and started thinking what would make me happy, and suddenly the wall vanished!

I would stay happy on the long run if everything in my life went according to my plans. I have desires, the achievement of which and may be in some cases, the pursuit of which will keep me happy. For example, I'll do well as long as I am able to create a positive impact in other people's lives, which will enable them to achieve their goals.

It goes without saying that I'll not be happy when I'm unable to reach my goals or when I work towards my plans, but they fail.

Therefore, in trying to define happiness, we can certainly say that happiness is the emotional state when we are able to achieve our goals or thinking that we are on our way to achieving our goals. There goals could be personal, familial or societal.

... in the 1690 essay Concerning Human Understanding. There, in a long and thorny passage, Locke wrote:

The necessity of pursuing happiness is the foundation of liberty. Therefore the highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of TRUE and SOLID happiness... ~ Carol V. Hamilton (emphasis mine)

What is true and solid happiness might be based on the types of our goals, the effort we put into them, and what we consciously or unconsciously lost in their pursuit.

When defining happiness, it helps to define what it is not. We can take Aristotle's help here.
Happiness is NOT
- Wealth/property
- Honor
- Pleasure
- a combination of just these 3
- suggestions?

Happiness is NOT POSSIBLE WHEN you are
- in danger
- under stress
- suggestions?

Here, I have to mention that on the 21st of June, during a lengthy discussion on "what's the most important thing in life?', within two iterations, three of us friends arrived at the conclusion that the answer is happiness. The three of us - because of the kind of people we are - showed a specific bias towards not falling into the "rut of life", but knowing where our lives are going at all times and actively making changes to MAXIMIZE happiness.

If we can extrapolate this to human development/well-being/welfare (I don't know the difference), people should be able to actively make changes to their lives to do what they WANT(?) to, or end up doing things which make them happy.

It is very likely that I'll explore the following next
- Happiness is the end of all means/ends
- Human development vs. human well being vs. pursuit of happiness
- Why do people opt happiness over other emotions like sorrow or surprise?

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This is an ongoing exploration. Help with your thoughts, links, anger and opinions. Be generous :)

I am an environmental consultant trying to understand decision making. Exploring why one should or should not do anything, and extending it to leaders who decide for others.

Via Bhupinder Sawhney

via Facebook http://ift.tt/1mBSyqY

There is no bad, only less good

Bad : Good : : Cold : Heat

There is no bad, only less good.

Environmental journalism

Image: Google Doodle (May 27th, 2014) celebrating Rachel Carson's birthday 

"As mankind, we are challenged to prove our maturity and our mastery, not of nature, but of ourselves" ~ Rachel Carson

RACHEL CARSON changed human conscience by showing that short-sighted human activities affect all of earth's life, which is connected back to us. Her book Silent Spring helped us understand our limited planet does not have a place called "away" to pollute.

She is an inspiration and deserves respect from environmental journalists. Today's environmental journalists can learn from her to report science-based facts and not self-serving cries of crisis.

More..

Summary of Silent Spring - http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/hcarson.asp
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Carson

Research

As much as I am a fan of fundamental research, which is defined as "gathering knowledge for knowledge's sake", I would like to spend my time on applied research. I think those who get to do fundamental research are lucky and gifted.

For others, who are not so lucky, and have decided to spend time on applied research because of their own choice or chance, here's a suggestion:

"Please always think about how your research will help the bigger picture. Always have that in mind.

At some point in your research, if possible at the beginning, define whose problems and what kind of problems you want to solve using your research."

All the best,
We have a lot of work to do!
Future depends upon your success...