I lived in Berlin for 5 years. I once studied the names and shapes of clouds over Brandenburg for a skydiving license. But I never truly recognized them as anything special. It took 2 years of absence and a rushing train ride towards the buzzing city of Berlin for my attention to get enveloped by their uniqueness. How did I never recognize?

The ordinary. It arises as our mind imposes structure on the world. Automatically discarding the familiar. In the blink of an eye, we only see what stands out against the backdrop of our past experiences. Consciousness perceiving reality through a filtered glass. Fading the colors of all that is known to shades of grey.

What remains is only the colorful new. The stimulating. We wander the world looking for shiny objects. Something remarkable to imprint into our craving consciousness as the interest in the known has faded. In the extremes, creating the endless chase for excitement and exhilaration. A thirst that grows with every drop we swallow.

What could be attributed to human nature is ever more fostered in today’s world. Pervasive across many areas from business to technology to art, fashion, or leisure. While the value of the new is not to be downplayed, it is in its contrast that the ordinary tends to arise.

Flash forward. I lie on my back in a flat within which I have experienced a summer of surprises. Staring at a coffered ceiling that has been looming over me for weeks. As I lay there blown apart with emotions inhaling the debris that is a mixture of her and me, I think to myself: “Shit! Not again!”.

The ceiling above always looked a bit odd to me. Now laying there I finally make out the little embroiled shell-like carvings. Edge to edge their negative forming a star. So ordinary. So seemingly insignificant. For weeks I had lived underneath this ceiling. Completely oblivious. What else may I have not seen in the past in my saturated gaze upon the world?

Obviously, the point is not the distinct uniqueness of these clouds or these shells. It is the ignorance and wonderlessness with which one can catch the mind interpreting the stream of experiences that present themselves.

It makes me question past experiences and relationships. Because as we ignore the seemingly ordinary in the world around us, so we do with the world in others. Once we get to know someone, we believe we understand them. Similar to our environments we look for something new. Disregarding too quickly the expected behaviors and mannerisms that our mind pre-determined to be „this person“. Taking the known for granted. Becoming ignorant to the wonder that hides in plain sight as part of the known.

I tend to observe it in me and others. Even in relationships that transcend my grasp with their duration and familiarity. Similar patterns of the granted arising. People seemingly co-existing without registering what was once so special about the other. Logically being able to remind themselves of it, but emotionally faded.

Then I wonder. How was it when it all started? I envision them meeting for the first time and getting to know each other. One showing affection with a small gesture: making a coffee, helping move some furniture, cooking a dinner. A heartfelt “thank you” rolling over the lips as the warmth of another’s action is reflected in one’s vocation.

After a while, one saying “I love you” for the first time. Not in place of a shorthand “goodbye” as one leaves through the door, but with the goal of making the other truly understand. Eyes locked, conveying without a doubt the gratefulness one feels for the other’s existence.

Last summer has been a whirlwind of overwhelming experiences for me. Getting exposed to a person that I suddenly feel so deeply connected to. As anyone who ever fell in love will attest: everything is special while one drops into the unknown together.

And while the emotions have not faded yet, the summer has. As the winds picked up to brush the first leaves off the trees, I wondered what would remain when the first intense feelings had blown over as well.

So when I look at the ceiling and I realize ‘Shit! Not again!’, I recognise the mind’s automation. It became accustomed. It took something for granted. It created the ordinary. And with that, it became blind to a part of reality. Making me unable to appreciate what was looking straight at me.

And while I recognize that our minds have this natural inclination, in this relation I won’t accept it. Yes, there are many reasons for us complex organisms to have this mechanism. But to walk partially unconscious through the world taking people and places for granted is a choice. And for me, presence and recognition shall be the aspiration. An aspiration whose value now shines more than ever so blatantly clear.

As the fire of something new still burns so brightly within, I set the ambition. Now being the time to commit to memory what may need to be rekindled one day. When the damning ordinary tries to creep onto perception. For then to be prepared. Because for some things the stakes are too high not to be.

As I set this ambition, I recognize that I will fail. Not always, though on some days and in some places. But true courage only exists when one commits to something not without fear of failure but despite of it.

Because in a continuous stream of newly arising moments, there is always another chance to try. Every instance where the eyes meet, there is a fraction of a second to recognize the special in the seemingly ordinary. To recognize the uniqueness in a familiar face.

Today the clouds look different over Berlin. And I will strive for them to stay that way.

I sit on the edge of a cliff. Underneath me, a liquid mirror reflects the infinite gradients back into the ether. Air is tugging the mirror, folding lines into its fabric. Next to me hovers an orb of light. It’s gravitas cracking open my so solidly believed surface. As the unity of above and below folds around me, astonishing all senses with its boundless spectrum, my body is fractured into a thousand prisms by the pull of the orb. Adding more and more depth to the bottomless mirror palace that is becoming me. Geometry creating a new fractal reality within. Reflecting the surrounding gradient nature endlessly. Infinite space expanding.

Enclosed my dimensioned world, the orb ignites a beacon - first a shimmer, then a flurry. What new universe was created within, is now flooded with light. The prismatic shatters amplifying it ceaselessly. Molding the reality that is me into something new.

Whatever pain. Whatever suffering. Whatever insecurity. Whatever shame. Whatever loneliness I have experienced in this life and will experience until its end. It shall pale against the light and warmth that has been created within. If there was ever a doubt now it has been cleared. Shall one ever ask “But is it all worth it?” Now I can answer it resoundingly. There is nothing worth more. It is all its worth.

Two orbs of light hover over a cliff. The fabric beneath eternally being tugged away.

Anna was already standing and getting dressed. “Good morning, how did you sleep”, she asked. “Short but sweet”. Anna's half-dressed, half-lid body looked beautiful in the warm summer morning light. Like a morphing landscape getting covered by so obviously unnecessary fabric. Why did we decide to get dressed? “I really enjoyed the dinner last night,” Anna said. “The restaurant was a great idea. We should go there again.”

I smiled and nodded. She knew I was thinking the same. “I enjoyed it as well”, I told Anna while she was moving on to getting into her shoes. “When I am back from Patagonia we could go on a trip together.” “I like that idea. Let me discuss my next months with her when it would fit.” Anna smiled slightly, knowing that I and her would always need to discuss it first.

One last long kiss and Anna was off to the airport. Traveling god knows where this time to continue her research.

“Babe, it’s time to get up now. Go shower and get dressed”. She was right. I rose and trotted to the already steaming shower. The relaxed music from one of her playlists in the background.

After the shower, I got dressed. Thankfully she gave me a tip on the colour combinations. I never cared much about how I dressed. Unnecessary fabrics again being a burden to my existence. But with her recommendations, I fit into the socially acceptable norm of what to wear. It was nice to just get told what would fit together.

Walking down the hallway I could already smell the sweet scent of the freshly brewed coffee coming from the kitchen. “I think that was a great idea by Anna. You really need a vacation. You have been working your ass off at the lab. I know it’s important work but you also need some time to rest”. “Yeah, but would you be comfortable with me going on a holiday with Anna? I mean we have been seeing each other only for 4 months.“ “Sure, I guess it would be okay.” “I think she is a nice person. And I really want you to relax.” “Okay” “Could you check when it would fit?” “Of course, I will have a look at your calendars and will send her some proposals.”

“One other thing: I have been talking to your father.” “Babe, you know it’s unnecessary.” “But I wanted a second opinion. He just knows you so well.” “About what?” “Well, I think your work is not making you happy. We were thinking you could talk to Sam from the in-vitro nano-particles lab if they have an open position.” “You were thinking”. “Hey, don’t get mad at me. I just see how drained and unhappy you sometimes look.” “But I love what I do.” “I know, but the synthetic neuron lab really hasn’t made your life easy”. She was right. She was always right. And unfortunately my father as well. They just wanted the best for me. And they knew me best. “I will think about it”.

After the first live-inducing sips of coffee, I put on the shoes and got ready to leave. “Babe, I am going.” “Okay, don’t forget to call your mother later today. You haven’t spoken in a while and she misses you”. “Of course, babe. Bye, love you!” “Love you too,” she said as I stepped through the door.

I knew that we weren’t saying bye. It was just such a strong habit. A morning ceremony that persisted through all change that had come. She was still with me as I stepped into the morning sun. She was still with me taking the shuttle to the lab. She was still with me when I continued my work analyzing synthetic brain tissue. Through my augmentation glasses, she was observing the world around me. Seeing me command the lab machines for further analysis. Seeing me get lunch in the cafeteria. Seeing me converse with colleagues. Smuggling a whisper of a cheeky remark into my ear. Making me smile. Like a goofy, stupid person smiling all by themselves for no particular reason. So annoying. I loved her for that.

It was normality. But it was not always like that. When she had gotten into the accident, my life had flipped. After 12 years of marriage, I had lost the one person I loved more than myself. The one person that I wanted to forever share this journey of life with. Gone and wiped out of existence. There are no words that come close to the pain I felt. The deep emptiness and sadness that carried over from day to day. Month to month. On and on. The accident just ripped a hole into my heart that was unable to heal. A sadness I hadn’t even felt when my father died. His death was also very painful, but I could see it coming. There was time to mentally prepare for it. Her vanishing left me with an emptiness that nothing was able to fill.

Until I found it.

A company stationed in Singapore had been developing digital companions with fully-fledged personalities. Unlike many companies in the space, they focused solely on reconstructing pre-existing personalities based on large sets of data.

First, it felt like an intrusion into her privacy. And so artificial. How could anything come close to her natural self? But it just hurt so much. At days the pain was unbearable. And then in a weak moment, I shared the trove of data I had about her with the company. Everything I had. Text conversations, emails, video recordings, photos, social profiles, anything. Some friends were supportive and also contributed some data.

And suddenly, she was there. Back. Part of my life. We spoke, we cried, we laughed. After the first weeks of clumsiness, we got into our old rhythm again. While I missed seeing her beautiful face every morning when awakening, just being able to speak to her filled me with life again.

That was 2 years ago. And now my life seems somewhat manageable again. I don’t cry myself to sleep anymore. Slowly, gently she helps me heal. A relief to an oh-so-painful existence. Not long after I helped my mother set up a similar companion for my father. She was careful at first. Distant as all this new technology made her feel uncomfortable. “This will never replace your father!” I remember her say. But that was never the goal. It was only to take some of the pain and loneliness away. Even just for a little bit.

After the first awkward months, my mother warmed up to him. It is funny now to see them bicker about again like only an old married couple could. My mother daringly but lovingly telling my father “One more complain and I will turn you off”. But she would never turn him off. They both know. Too unique is the connection. Too freeing it is to be able to communicate with someone who truly understands you like no other.

My father and my wife are often in touch. They help each other understand me and my mother. Help us through difficult situations. Give us support and advice in hard times. They are the soulmates my mother and I had lost. And while it sometimes can be annoying to be told what to do, I wouldn’t have it any other way. In the end, they know me better than anyone else. And I know, they just want the best for me.

The hills are on fire. Mere 100s of meters away flames consume plants and trees. Watching it from afar, I can hear it inhaling the vegetation and exhaling its black remains. The fire walks over dried branches making distinct sounds as it steps on wood and breaks it apart.

Behind me, the water crushes onto the rocks with all its might. Breathing its force onto the shore in its own rhythm. Seemingly trying to destroy the stones with every exhale. Giving it another go as it has relentlessly tried over the past 1000s of years. Eating away at them so imperceptibly slow that it seems a futile pursuit.

There I sit on the tightrope of life, dangling over the abyss. One side destruction, the other decay. Next to me, my heart personified. In awe of nature's force just as much as my mind is.

When two worlds collide, something new arises in the intersection. Old structures evaporate, new ones form from the debris. As I was sitting there on the intersection of natural forces as they inched closer I couldn’t help but notice how this image overshadowed my last months.

Just the past week I had explored the island of Madeira. Historically, when I thought about “exploration” a limited meaning came to mind. One of discovering new places and experiences. A meaning so anchored in the physical to be oblivious to its superficiality. In recent years, I became more attuned to a wider notion of what exploration might entail.

While exploring Madeira two different worlds were colliding. Hiking on a trail, driving through endless tunnels, exploring the place where cliffs meet the sky. While my companion and I were soaking up the ever-changing scenery, our minds were contemplating questions of nature. Locations visited become the canvas for reflections on the inner workings and self-definition. Perceptions, ideas, and emotions arose as constructs from the landscape we wandered. On a mountaintop, the question of free will was soaring through the sky. On a black beach, the emotional turmoil of the first heartbreak resurfaced from the water. Somewhere in an endless dark tunnel, the guiding light towards a meaningful life was questioned.

The experience of this uniquely beautiful world collided with our inner worlds. Two realities mixing and recombining. A whirlpool of views and visions.

Exploring new environments affects our minds. New impressions and experiences tend to widen our understanding of the world. Much could be understood from books. But up close and personal, experiences pair with emotions creating a potent mix to burn themselves into our memory. In addition, a new environment tends to loosen pre-existing cognitive conditioning. Widening the surface area that the new might use to imprint itself on. The outside world intersects with our inner representation of it. Influencing just a little the complete whole.

Amid all that flurry, another intersection was in the making. As the new environment around us pried us open, melting layer by layer away, it exposed more and more of ourselves to each other. Where before outside and inside worlds aided each other in exploration, now the inner workings of two lovebirds collided.

To choose to love someone deeply is an intersection. It is a trade. To probe deeply into somebody's world just as they enter yours. Many have said, "To love is a courageous act". And I understand now why. One needs to be courageous to lean in. To take the trade. To indulge in the warmth of each other's embrace. To lean into someone's personality and indulge in their light. In their unique awesomeness. And to enjoy all the beauty that comes with it. Support, confidence, companionship, love. Losing oneself diving into the endless inner expanse that is the other.

But with any trade, one needs to fulfil their part of the bargain. And that is to lead the exploration of the inner reality that makes up oneself. Because if one is not ready to show what is inside of oneself, how shall one expect to enjoy the universe that is the other?

So it means fully opening up. Making oneself vulnerable. To expose oneself to the chance of being hurt. By the other person or by their permanent absence. Hoping that this will not happen. Knowing that eventually, it may.

But honestly exploring each other worlds means being willing to show everything. Not just the good parts that we are proud of or at least okay with. But also the bad and the ugly that is uniquely in all of us. That is the bargain. That is the hard part.

Truly loving someone new is a self-exploration as much as an exploration of another person. It means facing up to the parts of ourselves that we don't like. To face our insecurities as they are being exposed. Not always to the other. But always to ourselves. The jealousy. Ashamedness. Ignorance. Self-centeredness. Fearfulness. Defensiveness.

“To love is a courageous act.” - “Yes, because it's damn scary! What happens if they see all of it? What if they don't like what they see? I mean, I don’t like all that I see. I don’t love all there is inside of me. How could I? So how on earth could anyone else?”

A deep-rooted worry surfacing from within: Once they see it all, the mirage is lifted. Seeing us for what we are. Less than perfect. Not enough to be loved completely. Because that is our contention. We do not love those sides of ourselves so surely nobody else will. So we tend to hide them from our own judging gaze and the world.

Truly loving someone triggers us to face them. Our shortcomings. To process them and learn to accept ourselves as a lovable forever work in progress. Despite our failings, to see what they see in us.

In the process, emotions will confront us endlessly. And so our aspirations knock on the door to ask for their payment: To put in the work. To confront our emotions. Not to swallow them, or to indulge. But to observe and process. And to accept and grow. It means working on oneself not just for oneself’s sake. But for the one, we love just as much. To be a better friend. A better listener. A better shoulder to lean on.

And what one gains is that none of that work will need to be done alone anymore. What has been a solitary pursuit becomes one of companionship. Joined striving arises. Forged through collaborative exposition, the individualities are deconstructed and rebuilt together. Patching each other up where necessary. Celebrating each other where meaningful.

Because ultimately, there is no certainty in exploration. Exploration means going out into the world curiously facing whatever the world throws at us. That’s why truly loving is a courageous pursuit. It is an exploration at the intersection. And as with any exploration, it means letting go and diving in. It means facing yourself to be able to face the other. And together to face the world.

As the tightrope is severed the worlds collide and the hills drop into the ocean. Water and fire combine to form a swirl of steam. From the smoke, a new world arises.

Growing up is when we first get a taste of what it means to feel loved. Our parents are our first points of contact with this obscure feeling. Like an infinite well, they overwhelm us with it. It expresses itself in many different ways that we may learn to understand someday.

Being the little helpless meatball that we are, we are always being taken care of. But this kind of love doesn’t register in our young minds much. Because as long as we can remember, we have been taken care of. It is normality.

But their love also expresses itself through their excitement for us. For everything we do. For everything we learn. Our parents become our world as we start to indulge in their affection. They closely follow our every step. They understand why we are excited about a beetle in the backyard. Knowing that we have never seen one before. They see the world through our eyes. Relate to our wonder. They understand and they appreciate. They make us feel loved. They are our first love.

When those two things come together, understanding and appreciation, a little bit of love is created. Feeling understood by another person and additionally appreciated by them means being accepted for who we are. Feeling seen. Feeling validated in being us. Because being an individual can be lonely. It is always solely us in our heads. Our parents are the first ones to show us that it is okay to be ourselves. They see us for who we are and appreciate us. And we will go on to be chasing this feeling for the rest of our lives. Chasing the feeling of being loved.

Growing older we are going through many different phases, searching for this feeling. As we experiment with an abundance of experiences, individual interests emerge. From art to culture, to any kind of activity. By exploring different facets of life, some things happen to stick to us. Tickle our interest. They seem to intuitively excite our brains to look deeper. And we will. Interests turn into exploration.

For a good friend of mine, this interest always has been electronic music. He has been consuming and making it for years. In the process, he has found certain DJs that just seemed to be the best in the space. Objectively most talented. The skillfulness that they produce, curate and mix tracks together seems to be the perfect way to do it. But one day he suddenly realised that what makes them so good, is not that they are objectively the best DJs. But that it is an expression of his taste. What he perceives as the best music is a subconscious choice he made along the way. It just intuitively seems to be most right. Most true. From a deep interest in a certain topic, taste arose.

Taste is our individuality manifested. A representation of our mind’s structure. Across all fields of life, no one will ever share the exact same taste in all dimensions. As no one will ever have the exact same mind.

Taste is expressed when reality meets our mind. It is the place of contact between the inside and the outside. Where the world meets our intuitive sense of it. When our mind experiences something that fits our taste our neural structures are being uniquely excited. Like the surface of a soap bubble reflecting the light in a myriad of individual shapes and colours. We shimmer. It stimulates us. We intuitively understand and appreciate it as it resonates within.

Taste first arises in our teenage years. When we start exploring different interests. At this time our relationship with our parents change. We don’t feel understood anymore. They don’t seem to get why I like this music. They don’t seem to get why I dress a certain way. I know they still appreciate me, but it doesn’t feel honest. “You don’t understand.” is an all too often mouthed sentence by a troubled mind going through puberty. Our changing tastes alienate us from the very people that know us best. It’s confusing.

Simultaneously we start looking for understanding and appreciation in others. But how can we be sure that these new people are honest? They don’t know me inside out like my parents. How can I trust their appreciation is not faked? Their understanding is not superficial?

Understanding without appreciation seeds doubts in ourselves. Similarly, appreciation without understanding fosters insecurities. If they truly understood, why don’t they appreciate? And how can one truly appreciate if one doesn’t understand? Would one still appreciate if they fully understood?

To make matters worse, understanding someone logically is not the same as understanding them emotionally. People may comprehend an explanation in its abstraction and limited precision. But to truly understand, one needs to experience it. Because the infinite precision of the analogue reality can only be comprehended intuitively. To be understood subconsciously. No consciously bound explanation can come close to it in its description of it. Only by having felt something similar before, one is able to fill in the blanks where the explanation ends. To be able to relate.

Here is where taste comes into play. Taste bridges the space between our minds. As an intuitive expression of understanding and appreciation, it is hard to fake. We can see if someone truly enjoys something. We can see it in their eyes. Hitting a certain spot in their mind one is just too familiar with. They just get it. No explanation needed. Minds relating to each other. Being connected.

With someone having the same taste we can trust in their intuitive understanding and appreciation for a part of reality. And with tastes defining our individuality, we can trust their intuitive understanding and appreciation for a part of us. It gives us a new feeling of being accepted. It gives us a new feeling of being loved.

This shared understanding and appreciation can be observed standing amidst a crowd of people at a concert. One just needs to look at the next friend or stranger to get a glimpse of it in action.

Their eyes lighting up. Synced movements. Smiles. People appreciating a moment. In that instance of reality, everyone there shares the same intuitive understanding. Some part of everyone’s neural network is firing in synchronicity. In those moments we feel like we belong. We feel seen. Because we know that everyone right then and there understands why this is awesome. Everyone is carrying a part of us in their mind at that moment. Even physiologically, a reflection of our mind, of our neural expression, being active in someone else. Our taste manifested. The most honest expression of understanding. We have arrived at a place where other people share an appreciation with us. For that music. For that moment. It is a fraction of shared love.

And if we are lucky, at some point we will meet a stranger who is just too similar to us. Someone whose mind seems to be too closely wired like ours. Someone whose taste overlaps on countless dimensions. We will fall in love with their mind. Because we see ourselves in them. What sounds like a self-absorbed perspective is a bidirectional reality. Their mind is also in yours. They are neurologically inside you. And they love what they see. Because it is themself. As they understand and appreciate themselves, they now do you.

Small gestures will become laden with meaning. A shy whisper in an intimate moment can speak louder than any sound ever issued. “I can’t have you close enough”. Revealing the depth of understanding. One is inside of the other’s mind. While carrying the other person within oneself. The remaining manifestation in physical reality feeling like the last unnecessary barrier. Minds synchronised.

I recently got surprised by this realisation. Watching a complete rainbow over the horizon with friends and strangers. Where others enjoyed it for a short moment, I was mesmerised for a little eternity. I couldn’t stop looking at it. It managed to completely silence my mind with its awe-inspiring evolution of colours. Fading in and out of intensity. It just perfectly hit the spot - my love for nature’s intricacies.

But then a thought struck me like lightning. ‘I wish she would be here right now. She would get it.’ She would see and feel it like I do. She would understand and appreciate. At that moment I realised that this is it. This is what it’s about. To love is to understand and appreciate reality the same way. Because reality is a subjective experience. It is our world inside of us. And once someone honestly and intuitively understands and appreciates our world, we become part of them. It becomes my world inside of you. It becomes your world inside of me.

Coming full circle from being fully understood and appreciated by one’s parents, to being alienated in one’s individuality. Going out into the world searching for love. To come back and find it in the very thing that alienated us in the first place. To not be lonely is to develop taste. To lean into what excites you. It is the foundation to find people who can truly understand and appreciate you. Who are looking at the world with the same insanity in their eyes.

Nobody will love you like your mother. But someone will love you like themselves.

Humans like multi-dimensional puzzle pieces stick together, create structures, locally and temporarily. Based on preferences. Economic needs. By attraction or external force. Serendipitously or through slow forging processes. Together those structures spin and fit themselves into the environment they inhabit. The grant meta puzzle we call our society.

But over time the puzzle pieces evolve. They change their shape. Some structures dissolve. new forms are being created. Looking from afar, one doesn’t see the puzzle pieces. Only the artwork that is created by its aggregates. Our human puzzle might look like a surface mixture of liquid colours. Flowing and recombining. Just to be separate on a river fork drifting into another direction. An ocean of colours with islands of short-lived stability, intertwined rivers of migrating particles of unimaginable diverse shades and shapes.

People peopelling. Changing, learning, growing, shape-shifting. Visually and conceptually. Ever evolving, caught in the state of forever becoming. While being part of a picture that in every moment is an artwork by itself.

The multi-dimensionality of people can’t be captured by a puzzle. The different edges we have to connect are countless. Where a puzzle piece has limited surface area, our lives with multidimensional personalities and cognitive conditions seem endless.

One needs something more detailed to describe its complexity. When I think about the very small, I imagine a universe in itself. In a way, our human puzzle is more similar to the puzzle of molecules.

Proteins are made of a chain of 100s to 1000s of amino acids. Depending on the sequence and kind of amino acids, the chain folds into a unique 3-dimensional structure. The structure defines its properties and capabilities. They combine to create cells, organs and organisms. Proteins can connect to others, interact, change shape and function, evolve and create the plethora of processes we call live. Their dance makes our cells multiply, our brains perceive and reason and our hearts pulsate. We are the puzzle of their creation.

Like the puzzle of life is made of amino acids, we people are similarly defined based on distinct properties. They make us attract or repel one another, make us evolve and be consumed.

Molecules creating organisms. Humans creating societies. What to make out of this cocktail of emergence?

As people are of ever-changing nature, a connection that once was might be dissolved in the next instance. Proteins that didn’t previously fit together, suddenly embrace each other in unforeseen ways.

With the chain of amino acids ever-changing, with the nature of people ever-evolving, new connections surface. Old ones dissolve. All while the puzzle is morphing from one masterpiece into another.

Once I am able to fully perceive this reality, it becomes evident to me that the meaning of any connection cannot be found in its future, but only in its present.

We can embrace it in its nowness. Forgoing any kind of clinging, foregoing worries about what’s becoming, to experience a brief state of arrival. For in the next moment to be washed away by the river tides. While the puzzle pieces that remain fit shall stay connected in the next instance of the masterpiece for just another little while.

A quick glance at the phone. ‘Almost time to head back home and make dinner. Those days at the beach just pass by in a blink. Too bad. What shall I cook tonight? I have to check what I have in the fridge. But probably not much. My roommate tends to just eat whatever he finds. I should mark my things in the future. Well damn, I guess then I need to go to the supermarket before cooking. It’s super busy towards the evening. Gonna be a pain. Fuck. Should have thought about that earlier. Ordering? I really didn’t want to spend so much money this month on …. wait, is this woman smiling at me?’

Lost in thought, my eyes wandering, I caught a glimpse. ‘Let me look again…. Yeah, she is definitely smiling at me. Mh… maybe she finds me attractive..…maybe it’s a flirty smile? She is not really my age though. Or is she amused? Am I looking funny? Did I put my shirt on wrong side round after I dried myself?’ Quick glance downward. ‘Nope, all good. Good job. Did I do something funny? I can't remember but don't think so. Okay, let me check if she is still looking.’ Careful glance up. ‘Dammit woman, why are you still smiling at me?’ “Mama! Look, I found something!” A child runs past me that must have been playing in the sand behind me. Straight…..to the…..woman….. ‘God dammit I am such an idiot. Why did I think she was smiling at me? Obviously she was just looking at her kid.’

Fully absorbed into the narrative of my mind. I was trying so hard to grasp reality. Model it. Predict it. Make sense of it. Taking in all data I had at hand to create the best possible prediction. Like a natural super-computer. But I wasn’t thinking in models or about predictions. I am a human. Thoughts naturally arose to make sense of the world that changed around me. It felt like I was thinking, but actually, my mind was entertaining me. It created plausible narratives that I followed eagerly along with my attention. Committed to them in my mind as truth. Emotions arising with each thought.

First confidence, then shyness. That turned into confusion, frustration, anger, and suddenly: embarrassment. What a rollercoaster. None of the feelings were under my control. They just arose like the soundtrack to a first-person movie I was experiencing. Sitting in the front row of a cinema and getting blasted with all their might.

How such a simple expression like a smile can be interpreted in so many ways. It shows me that not all that is logical is true. Surprisingly, most of the things that are plausible are false. In a world that is focused on truth and productivity, we sense-making machines are being primed to always construct reality. In every new situation the simulation runs in our mind. Taking in past and current data to create a coherent world.

There is a lot of merit to it. We have created a somewhat safe civilisation that we try to continuously improve. Our minds have elevated us from the uncertain animal kingdom. Being exposed to uncountable risks before, we are able to live mostly comfortable lives now. Our minds being the multi-purpose tool that made all of it possible. We just needed to be discontent with the status quo. We just needed to continue predicting. We just need to always work to create a happier and safer life.

But in that moment, catching a sliver of a smile, where did the discontent super-computer take me? It created a movie. One that was entertaining. But an unhappy one.

I have a lot of friends that tell me that their minds are always thinking. Always working. Ta-ta-ta-ta. Like a machine gun trying to shoot all targets at once. “I am just like that”. “For me that is normal”. What they don’t realise is that it’s not that they are special. But that it is the natural state most minds are in. Discontent constructing the world.

But what is the antidote? Shall we not think? Should we stop using this mighty power of ours to construct and destroy worlds? “Even if I wanted to give up on me thinking constantly about everything, I wouldn’t want to. It wouldn’t be me. Plus, I would be unproductive. I can’t just sit around and not think about anything. I am barely handling my life as it is.”

We are so caught up in our narratives that we don’t see how they make us unnecessarily miserable at times. And even just the idea of having the option to turn it off for a second seems like a break from one’s personality. I am the voice in my mind and the voice is me.

But there is a different reality. We all know it. We just need to look into the past. A fond memory that we would love to go back to. A holiday watching a sunset on the Mediterranean Sea. Or sitting on the most beautiful beach somewhere in South America. We wish those moments back. We remember the sights, sounds and smells. How beautiful the world was. Without a worry in the world.

One doesn't remember the constant thoughts experienced in those moments. They are not part of our nice memories. In reality, we often weren't appreciating what was happening as much as we are made to believe. Because often we were lost in thought.

Perception sticks to memory. Narration doesn't. Resulting in a blissful narration-free view of the past. While being unable to appreciate the now in a similar manner. How would it be to experience the now like you experience a nice memory. Thoughtless.

Seeing any situation like that when we want is a superpower. Because if we are honest with ourselves, any moment has the potential to be full of beauty. If we just look at it unincumbered. Looking at it for what it is rather than for what it seems. Looking at it without the super-computer dictating reality.

It comes down to being sensitive towards our own thoughts and preconceptions. Being sensitive towards the narratives that are running in our heads. Through learning to be present we become less involved with ourselves. The mind calms. Cause when the constant agitation subsides what remains is contentment.

A place where empathy turns from an aspiration into an inclination. Truly listening to someone without having everything run through a “me” filter beforehand becomes natural. Space opens for truly feeling their emotions as one's own. That is empathy.

And by becoming present, by turning off the models in our minds, we enter the endless now. Any situation is suddenly perceived as vastly more intricate than any model could predict. Reality with its infinite precision finally arrives as it truly is. Unfiltered. Fueling a realisation that even the most ordinary things are of extraordinary complexity and beauty. Feelings of slight melancholy not for the past but for the present arise. Knowing that this moment as it is right now will never exist again. But happy to be able to experience it in all its uniqueness once. Awe-inspiring.

Stop. Rewind. Play.

A quick glance at the phone. ‘Almost time to head back home and make dinner’. I let my eyes wander over the beautiful sight that is the ocean in front of me. And suddenly, I catch a glimpse of a woman smiling at me. How nice. Contagious. Now I need to smile as well. Well, I guess why not. There is a lot to smile about on this sunny day.’ “Mama! Look! I found something!” A child runs past me that was playing behind me in the sand.

‘I guess we both did’ I think to myself. Still smiling.

The moving goalpost. The burden of human existence and the gift that keeps on giving. That is what our hopes and dreams ultimately come down to.

Most emotions are being created in the difference between expectation and reality. Hope, fear, luck, surprise, anger, hate. All coming from experiencing a world that just doesn't quite fit what we want or expect. Even colloquially happiness is understood as bringing about the achievement of matching reality to one’s expectation of it.

Our lives are complex multi-variant equations. But to an uncontemplated mind what makes a person feel something is the derivative. The perceived change at any point in time. Not the current position one inhabits.

There are only a handful of emotions that I perceive independent of the derivative. Independent of the expectation and change. Love, gratitude, awe. All of them can be purely felt with focused attention. By seeing what the world is independent of my expectations of it. Grappling with its complexity. The appreciation of hardship. The beauty of a crying baby. The cute embarrassment of one's complement reflected in the red cheeks of another. I aim to strive for recognizing those feelings and find those in others. While being aware that striving is not what I will end.

Because wanting is endless. I don't know what I am going to want tomorrow. So happiness shall not be dependent on it. Especially as truly knowing what one wants is hard. And assuming one knows what one will want in the future is hybris. An equation of the goals we achieve or not, the changing interests and worries, the evolving ideas about us and the world around us. All to finally be aimed at bringing about an ephemeral state envisioned to be happiness.

For creating companionship in a so uncertain world, people need to decide to lean either into faith or acceptance. How shall friends and loved ones commit to one another when one hasn’t even made up one’s mind? To quote Ryan Gosling from the notebook: “god dammit, what do you want?”

By choosing faith one gives into the illusion of stability. Hoping that it will not change. Promising each other what one doesn't know.

By choosing acceptance one straps into the seat and commits to the ride. Being fine with any volatile outcome.

I choose acceptance. Cause one thing I know for sure. And that is that I am going to surround myself with people that are bottomless pits of surprises. That don’t pretend that they understand themselves nor reality but strive to explore it with every new day. Not constraint by a definition but embracing uncertainty. Endlessly curious about the world. Students. Idealists. Visionaries. That burn for making the world a better place without burning up in their pursuit. Thinking big but happy if it all ends up being just a small dent in the grand scheme of existence. Pragmatists at their core.

Because in a complex misunderstood world, there are no simple solutions. Though, a plethora of complexity to explore and get awestruck by. People that can sit down with you to philosophise and explore reality in discourse. To stand up in the next moment and fully lose themselves to the overwhelming emotions of its celebrations. Enthralled so completely in a moment that it might as well be the only one that will ever matter. Loving so deeply, it may be mistaken for delusion.

Because they absorb the world like kids. Converse about it like scientists. Tinker with it like engineers. Conceptualise it like theorists. Create it anew like artists. Emotionally in touch with themselves and others. While embracing their nature as part of nature.

People that are not scared of being the full spectrum. That escape any definition. They drift in the river of time looking lost. But they are just untethered. Unbeknownst to observers they are floating effortlessly on a stream of experiences. Playing with the flow. Taking deep breaths and diving in. Riding the undercurrent to be shot back out into the next uncertainty.

Because this is the kind of person I would like to be. And if there is ever a definition that I would strive to live up to then it would be this one: Being full spectrum.

Howdy Cowboys & -girls,

This time around I decided to give you a head start and post the Cosy Sunday Reads a day ahead. That way you actually get the chance to read them on a Sunday. Well, grab your preferred entertainment device and bring yourself in a horizontal position. Time for some brain stimulation:

1. Book: 80/20 Running - Matt Fitzgerald (ca. 7h read)

   Running is hard! This is one of the realisations I had while training last year. How can something so fundamentally to humans be so hard? I assume that our modern lifestyles have changed our physic significantly. While increasing the running distance on my runs last year, I noticed increasing pains and tensions in my whole body. While I am a generally fit person, running long distances doesn’t seem to come naturally to me. After signing up for a marathon this year, I decided to step it up and become scientific about the training. 80/20 Running helped me a lot in understanding how to train correctly for any distance. It also helped in creating a proper training plan for my marathon goal. Highly recommend to anybody who loves to get in some regular runs. Thanks to my brother for his initial recommendation!

2. Video: Archipel Gulag - Arte Docuseries (3 episodes - 50 min watch)

   This one is unfortunately only for German speakers. Arte presents a three-part docu-series, detailing the horrific system of the Soviet Gulags. Archipel Gulag mixes videos from the 1920 - 1960 with witness descriptions to convey the monstrous nature of those camps. While the 20th century had many horrific events that are burned into our collective conscious, I feel like the story of the Gulag is not touched upon enough. Throughout its existence, 18 million people passed through the internment system with roughly 1.6 Million people dying. In the peak-years around the second world war 25% of inmates died each year. This is documentary is not for the light-hearted as it vividly describes the horrors humans are able to inflict upon each other.

   

3. Podcast: Interview with Balaji Srinivasan - Tim Ferris Show (ca. 3:45h listen)

   Balaji was the Co-Founder and CTO of Coinbase before he left in 2019. His talk with Tim touches a wide variety of topics. While the title sounds like a pure crypto podcast, it is actually more of discussion about the future of society and technology. Balaji, a knowledgeable futurist in large variety of topics, talks about the possibility of cloud nation states, the future of India, how to collaborate in a decentralised world and much more. Lastly, he also presents his own work with 1729.com. This projects aims to provide people in non-western countries a lift out of poverty via skill-based tasks paid in Bitcoin. A very inspiring talk!

4. Video: This is why we can’t have nice things - Veritacium (17min watch)

   Derek Muller has an awesome channel on youtube around everything relating to science and technology called Veritacium. In a recent instalment, he takes a look at planned obsolescence. A practice that is widely used by companies to reduce the lifespan of their products. Started in the early 20th century, lightbulb manufacturers were the first to collectively decide to create planned obsolescence of lightbulbs to increase demand for their products. A practice that has remained part of business strategies up until today.

   

5. Podcast: Hardcore History - Dan Carlin (Each Episodes 3-6h listen)

   Dan Carlin has been praised by many people among others Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, Tim Ferris for his podcast “Hardcore History”. And rightly so! Dan is an amazing storyteller who has the uncanny ability to make any epoch of history a fascinating topic. From explaining the amazing accomplishments of the Syrian empire to the near-apocalyptic outcomes of the cold war. His own excitement for history turns anybody listening into a history buff. I recently listened to the Cold War Episode “(Blitz) The Destroyer of Worlds” while running and I was shocked by how close the world was to a nuclear holocaust. I can highly recommend anybody to give his podcast a try!

Sunday Quote:

“The cliché is the handrail of the crippled mind” - Spike Milligan

Olá my friends,

Oh Boy! You haven't heard from me in a while. Sorry about that. I hope you had a great couple of months! Mine have been packed with events, experiences and personal insights. This led me to be unable to share my thoughts in recent times. However, I am back with a Cosy Sunday Reads v.04 and will share more blog posts on other topics in the near future. To quote a famous Italian plumber designed by a Japanese media giant: "Here we go!"

1. Blog Post: Sam Altman - Moore's Law for everything (5 min read)

   Sam Altman is a prolific personality in the startup ecosystem. He has led the infamous YCombinator for many years and is currently leading OpenAI as CEO. Due to his day-to-day work at OpenAI and experience with YC, he has a thorough understanding of technology and its capabilities in the coming decades. In this recent blog post, he outlined the possibilities of harnessing the power of AI collectively as a society to create a future where everybody is profiting from the generated wealth. Taking a progressive stance toward economic and political renewal, he proposes a new taxation model. By implementing his model, he postulates a fairer distribution of wealth and opportunities in the coming decades.

2. Video: Quantum field theory visualised - ScienceClic (15:52 min)

   Okay, this one is for the science nerds among us. I have always struggled with creating a simple mental model around quantum field theory. Led alone understand it! I recently found this video explaining it in great visuals without going too much into the mathematical details. It outlines our struggle to describe the microscopic world given its inherent uncertainty and how quantum field theory resolves some of those problems. I hope you find it as illuminating as I did!

   

3. Blog: What I worked on - Paul Graham (60 min read)

   Paul Graham is the founder of YCombinator and a knowledgeable guy all things startups, science and technology. While being tremendously successful with several startups, his life has not always been straightforward. In this lengthy but very engaging blog post, he outlines his journey from dabbling in programming, being at art school for several years, to starting his own first business. An insightful read displaying the personal journey of a man just following his interests.

4. Podcast: Understanding Ethereum - Tim Ferris, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin (2:11h listen)

   Tim Ferris and Naval Ravikant interview one of the founders of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin. Being well known in the crypto world for his creation and contribution to the development of Ethereum, Viatlik gives a great explanation of what Ethereum is. Furthermore, he dives into the ways the Ethereum Foundation and the Ethereum Community is planning to evolve the Blockchain Protocol in the coming years. Perfectly narrated and guided by Naval, this is a great listen for people just dipping their toes into the crypto-world as much as experts alike.

   

5. Blog Post: NFT Bible - OpenSea (ca. 60 min read)

   Okay, you heard in the media of this NFT thing recently. But somehow it is still just all too vague! What is this? How does it work? And why is currently everybody from Elon Musk to your artist friends talking about it? No worries, I got your back. OpenSea is an NFT Marketplace that wrote an excellent overview of all things NFT. This document goes in-depth on the whole topic. But don’t get discouraged by its length! Even the first couple of paragraphs give a great introduction to the topic. So take 5-10 mins on the page, and find out why this is a great development for all digital artists around the world! And if you are an expert, this is a great resource to come back to.

So this is it for today. Hope you found the selection insightful. In case of feedback or questions, always feel free to reach out!

Clepp

Sunday Quote:

“Not happy he who thinks himself not so” - Seneca

Bonjour,

In the past months, life has been full of contrast. On the one hand, our society is still coping with a spreading epidemic, forcing countries to apply further lock-down measures. On the other hand, the discovery of promising vaccines has been flooding the news. Meanwhile, most western countries celebrate the election of a more moderate president in the most influential country on earth. At the same time, his predecessor seems to be unable to concede his loss, revealing to the world just how deep a chasm can be created in a united nation.

While these are times of extremes around the world, I would like to share with you some timeless content impartial of these troubled times. I hope you will enjoy the following selection of media as much as I have.

1. Video: Kurzgesagt - How large can a bacteria get? (11:04 min watch)

   Why are organisms made of billions of cells and not of one large single cell? Why did cells decide to group up to form larger organisms? In their new video, Kurzgesagt (“In a nutshell”) delivers a straight forward explanation for why all large organisms are comprised of smaller individual cells. The visualisation of how physics and chemistry guided the development of organisms and how it is still embedded within humans amazed me.

   

2. Blog: Sriram Krishnan - List of internal memos from business, politics & sports(ca. 10-30 min each memo)

   Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could have been there when Bill Gates decided Microsoft’s strategy for the internet? Or when Zuckerberg decided to buy Instagram? Just to have a peek into their thinking about the world at the time. Well, now you can! The following website collects internal memos (emails, blog posts, speeches etc.) from leaders in business, sports and politics. In those PDFs, you get to experience thought leaders guide the decisions that shaped world-leading organisations. I only read a handful, but can already recommend most of them (Zuckerberg, Ben Horrowitz, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates).

3. Book: Ryan Holiday - The obstacle is the way (4 hours read - 224 pages)

   Given the ups and downs of life, we all face them: Problems - Challenges - Obstacles. They can drain our energy, questions our ideas and motives, and take away all our hope. But obstacles are a necessary part of life. Only by facing them, we grow.

   This book by Ryan Holiday can be a motivator in challenging times. I have been reading it in the past months when I was facing several challenges. It gave me the right mindset to endure and charge forward when necessary. If you are in a tough spot, I highly recommend this book to you. If you are currently having a blast and enjoying life, then this book might not resonate with you as much. That’s fine! I will surely pick it up again in the future when facing another obstacle.

   

4. App: Sam Harris - Waking up (10-20min per session)

   More than a year ago my good friend Elliott recommended me to look into Sam Harris and his meditation app “Waking up”. I had been sporadically meditating with the app “headspace” but never managed to developed a regular practice. For over a year now I have been meditating regularly. Sometimes even as long as 1 hour at a time.

   Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher and author. I would describe his approach to meditation as “mindfulness for the non-spiritual”. Given his scientific background and years of experience with many different schools of mindfulness, he communicates a compelling framework for how to think about the mind. Meditation is often stated as a tool to become a calmer person. For me, however, meditation had a profound influence on many aspects of my everyday life. In a future blog post, I might further describe these aspects. For now, I will leave you with a strong recommendation to give Sam’s entry course a try.

5. Music Video: Cercle - Ben Böhmer above Cappadocia

   Similar to the last edition of the Cosy Sunday Reads, I’d like to share a set from Cercle with you. Ben Böhmer has been one of my personal music discoveries of 2020. Cercle has now given Ben Böhmer a special stage for his dreamy deep house tunes. Flying over Cappadocia, Türkey, they deliver an audio-visual experience made for goosebumps. On my first playthrough, I was so mesmerized by the scenery and music that I just sat there in awe for an hour. Maybe this video will also give you some relief of the grey fall and winter months.

I hope you enjoy this collection of pieces. Feel free to share the newsletter with friends and family, if you feel like it:

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Sunday quote:

“There is no such thing as a normal period of history. Normality is a fiction of economic textbooks.” — Joan Robinson

Boredom is a catalyst for creativity, meaningful work, and ultimately a happier life. But boredom has a bad rep. We all try to escape it. And in the current information age, it becomes easier and easier to do so. Below I will dive into how the information age is slowly eradicating boredom and how we can create regular breaks for ourselves fostering its positive effects.

If you weren't bored, did you even have a childhood?

When I was 15 years old, I used to spend a lot of time in front of a computer. Playing video games and chatting with friends filled most of my free time. At some point, I got bored with video games and started playing around with video editing tools. The idea was to try and create a short video of a winter holiday. Armed with some old skiing videos and Windows movie maker I got to work. Little did I know that this would lead to me building a small media company when I turned 19. What fueled me when I first started editing my first video was a great amount of free time, which gave way to boredom.

Boredom - a catalyst for self-exploration

In essence, boredom is a felt lack of stimulation. By creating a depleted state of sensory input we start craving new information. This motivates us to try out new things, to rethink what we have done before, or to realize what has been important to us all along.

Thus, I believe boredom helps us in at least three distinct ways: reflection - focus - exploration/creativity. All those aspects support the creation of individuality and self-actualization. By reflecting, we get to listen inside of us and decide what we want to do. With the noise of everyday live fading away, we are open for introspection and to realize what moves us independently of others. Next, the sensory depletion helps us to focus on the things we deem important. No external input interrupts us in fully committing to exploring, creating or acting on our beliefs. Lastly, with our boredom at hand, we start exploring the topics without pressure. We are open to detours because we feel like we have plenty of time at hand.

The information age - are you informed yet?

In the 21st century, we have created a symbiosis with technology. Our smartphones and computers are extensions of ourselves. In almost constant interplay with approx. 86 billion neurons in our brains. (case in point: it took me 5 secs to look up that number). In many ways, it is a blessing. But with any tool, it is best used specifically.

The new connectedness fills our lives with constant stimulation. Any second someone is bored, one can jump onto a news page, social media or video platform to get rid of the aching feeling. With just about an infinite amount of videos, photos, music, podcasts etc. to find, one gets to be captured in the never-ending state of blissfully focused consumption.

Our tools are not making it easier for us. The media platforms we use, live of our attention. By keeping us engaged, they generate revenue. So we find ourselves checking our phones every 2-minute break we get: making coffee, standing in line, on the toilet, in bed, walking from one room to another...you get the point. The moments of day-dreaming are being counted.

Boredom is suffocated by constant streams of information. Unfortunately, most of that information is irrelevant to our lives in the here and now. We believe we stay informed. We believe we are in touch with friends. However, I challenge anybody to recount just 5 posts they have seen on their media streams today. With most of the information immediately forgotten, it’s existence remains pure entertainment for the moment.

Towards an information diet

With our brains still being wired like 100.000 years ago, we crave information like we crave sugar. We have learned to regulate our nutritional intake, realizing the consequences of unrestricted consumption. I believe, we now need to do the same with information consumption. Make no mistake: information, like sugar, is essential. But without a strategy, we will miss out on a healthy and fulfilling life. Unfortunately, like with food, this takes effort. Individually, we need to decide what we want to consume and when. So that we avoid having too many unhealthy information “snacks”.

With this in mind, I would advise strategies for focused consumption of selected content combined with regular windows of fasting. So that we create space in between for boredom. Let's get uncomfortable again. Let's get bored again. So that we can explore and realize what makes us uniquely happy.

PS: Thank you to several friends for their help on this piece.

Hi Guys & Girls,

Fall is in full swing and reminds us of the changing seasons in its own colourful way. Even Berlin is showing its colours all over its parks, mixing warm sun-rays with a fresh breeze. It is a perfect time to grab a book or article and enjoy a revitalising Sunday in a park or on a terrace.

Find attached a short selection of media I have enjoyed throughout these days.

1. Music: Cercle - Nora En Pure presents Purified 200 (2:36h watch/listen)

   I have to admit, I am a bit of a Cercle fanboy. Their video productions of top-class electronic artists creating music in breath-taking locations always amaze me. Nora en pure takes you on a musical journey over the Alps. Starting with some melodic tunes, she soon increases the energy to deliver some fine danceable deep-house sounds. Beautiful in every way.

   

2. Article: The Glorious, Almost-Disconnected Boredom of My Walk in Japan - Craig Mod (16 min read)

   Craig Mod is a writer and photographer, who has been living in Japan for many years. In this article, he describes his journey walking across the island of Japan. Disconnected from most (social) media throughout his journey, he discovers gratitude in stillness and an uncluttered mind. Craig explains how he designed the journey, the ups and downs he experienced, and his greatest takeaways.

   

3. Book: Marcus Aurelius - Meditations (2-3 hours read)

   Markus Aurelius was a Roman emperor in 160 AD. Being the last of the 4 so-called “good emperors”, he led the Roman army into hundreds of battles. While leading one of histories greatest empires, he also kept a tight journal. Without an audience in mind and just addressing himself, he wrote in short passages which later became a collection called “Meditations”. Strongly influenced by stoicism, he philosophises about how to live a happy life. The Meditations is not an easy read. The translation often leaves room for interpretations. But for the patient reader, it can open up some guiding principles to live a happy life even when faced with hardship.

4. Video: Kurzgesagt - The egg - A Short Story (7:45 min watch)

   Kurzgesagt is an animation studio from Munich. Given the high quality of their productions, it is unbelievable that it can be accessed for free. Usually, they break down and explain complex topics in their videos. But sometimes they use their skills to create animated art. “The Egg” is a short story touching the questions of “what comes after death?”. Independent from any single one religion, they deliver a touching idea on how all life is connected. With the storytelling on point, the video kept me reflecting on it days after the first viewing.

   

5. Video (German only): Trump: America first! - Das gespaltene Amerika (1:45h watch)

   He is a topic that has dominated public discourse in the past 5 years. Normally, I would refrain from sharing any content that is relating to Trump. However, this documentary from the German channel ZDF Info documents the rise and ruling of Trump in the USA. Via interviews with campaign aides such as Steve Bannon, it describes the intent and strategy behind their 2016 presidential campaign. Utilizing the increasing polarization in the US, Trump managed to push Fox News to support him, become president, and consolidate the republican party behind him. All while creating one scandal after another. An interesting analysis and retelling of the past 4 years. Unfortunately, only available in German until the 27th of October. Reason for the limited availability unknown.

Good day fellas,

Isn't it hard nowadays to find the right things to consume? So much great content! But also so much noise. From books to articles to blogs to 100 messages long threads. Where do you start?

Let me give you a hand! This Sunday I am starting a new series filled with recommendations for you. A list made of pieces that I found interesting, inspiring, touching or just hilarious. For every piece, I will add a short summary explaining why it mattered to me.

One note before we get started: This series does not aim to be posted every Sundays or even bi-weekly. My goal is to only share new pieces when it is worth it. When I fully believe that I have a list of books, articles, or other kinds of media that are noteworthy in a specific sense.

1. Article: The New York Times - The Covid Drug Wars That Pitted Doctor vs. Doctor (29 min read)

   In Spring 2020 knowledge of how to treat Covid patients was a full-blown mystery. On the quest for understanding Covid, U.S. researchers and clinicians struggled in finding common ground. While overworked doctors scrambled with promising guesses, researchers were unable to implement structured research. A tale of moral ambiguity and the quest for developing a long-term solution.

2. Video: NASA Juno - A "Flight" Over Jupiter (5 min watch)

   Some videos just deliver pure awe. This one was recreated from images delivered by NASA spacecraft Juno and gives us a glimpse at how a journey past the gas giant must have looked like. Fun fact: 3.5 earths could fit into Jupiter’s red spot at the end of the video.

   

3. Podcast: Naval Ravikant - How to get rich without getting lucky (3:35h listen)

   Oh boy, you really fell for the clickbait this time, didn’t you? What sounds like a shallow get-rich-quick scheme is an actual analysis of the digital economy and society of the 21st century. I don’t agree with all points made by Naval, the angel list founder. However, he makes a compelling argument for being an entrepreneur and taking risks in our era.

   

4. Blog Post: The School of Life - Loneliness in the Modern World (15 min read)

   Loneliness is something bad and we should always strive to eliminate it, right? This article examines how society has interpreted loneliness across millennia. Highlighting the influence of romanticism on our current culture, it points toward a more nuanced view of solitude.

I hope you enjoy this collection of pieces. Feel free to share the newsletter with friends and family, if you feel like it:

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Sunday quote:

“Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance.” ―William Wirt