Weekly thoughts #3
Thank you for being interested in this creative space. It adds a new layer of meaning to this blog to know that my reflection or thoughts might positively impact your life.
Here is a summary of what interested me this week and my published posts. Enjoy!
Quotes that made me reflect.
On the importance of authenticity and being in touch with one's own inner values without going adrift in the normative instances around us.
A study of people healthy enough to be self-actualized, revealed that they are not 'well-adjusted' (in the naive sense of approval and identification with the culture). An inner feeling of detachment from the culture was not necessarely conscious but was displayed almost by all ... They very frequesntly seemd to be able to stand off from it as if they did not quite belong to it.
Abraham Maslow, "Resistance to acculturation", Journal of social issues 1 (Fall 1951): 26-29
On the significance of our capacity to stay optimistic no matter what is around us or what our rational mind tells us.
You must realize that I am far from feeling beaten…it seems to me that… a man out to be deeply convinced that the source of his own moral force is in himself — his very energy and will, the iron coherence of ends and means — that he never falls into those vulgar, banal moods, pessimism and optimism. My own state of mind synthesises these two feelings and transcends them: my mind is pessimistic, but my will is optimistic. Whatever the situation, I imagine the worst that could happen in order to summon up all my reserves and will power to overcome every obstacle.
Antonio Gramsci, Letter from Prison (December 1929)
Most recent posts
How much life do you experience at work?
From the post:
We live in a period characterised by polarity and strong dichotomies.
Good vs evil, right vs wrong, work vs life.
Once you stop and reflect, you soon realise that most of these dualities do not make sense. Reality is more nuanced, and we like it in an interweaved ecosystem where these simplifications do not hold.
Let's take one of these pairs often referred to in discussions among founders: work vs life.
Is your mental framework geared toward living a good life?
From the post:
I recently listened to a podcast with philosopher Kieran Setiya that presented telic and atelic verbs and activities.
Telicity is a property of a verb indicating that the action has a clear endpoint or goal.
You can think of the difference between having kids and parenting or graduating and studying.
There is an enormous difference depending on which one you focus predominantly on.
Thank you again for taking the time and join me on this journey. Let me know if there is anything that you found most exciting or any reflection you might have.
Feel free to forward this mail to anyone that could be interested!
Have a fantastic day/night wherever you are,
Francesco