One of my most re-read books is Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. I tend to pick it up often and read through some of the passages and often they can tell me something about what is currently happening in my life. A few days ago I happened upon a passage from Book 6.20, where he uses a gymnasium metaphor to deliver a profound insight on handling interpersonal conflicts. It’s fascinating how he draws lessons from the physical to the philosophical.
In the gymnastic exercises suppose that a man has torn thee with his nails, and by dashing against thy head has inflicted a wound. Well, we neither show any signs of vexation, nor are we offended, nor do we suspect him afterwards as a treacherous fellow; and yet we are on our guard against him, not however as an enemy, nor yet with suspicion, but we quietly get out of his way. Something like this let thy behaviour be in all the other parts of life: let us overlook many things in those who are like antagonists in the gymnasium. For it is in our power, as I said, to get out of the way, and to have no suspicion nor hatred.
Imagine being in a gym where accidents happen—maybe a stray elbow here, a bump there. Aurelius notes that in these moments, we don’t hold grudges; we simply acknowledge the mishap as part of the process and remain vigilant without bearing ill will. He suggests taking this approach into our everyday lives, dealing with emotional and social bumps with the same nonchalance. This got me thinking about how often we misinterpret others' intentions. In the close quarters of life, just like in a gym, people might ‘collide’ with us unintentionally. According to Aurelius, we should view these incidents as neutral events, not personal attacks.
He pushes for a stance of strategic engagement rather than avoidance. It’s about recognising potential conflicts and navigating them without emotional disturbance. This stoic advice isn’t about withdrawal but about maintaining inner peace by choosing how we react. By doing so, we avoid the negativity that can cloud our judgment and disturb our tranquility.
Marcus Aurelius teaches us to face life’s inevitable scuffles with resilience and forbearance, just as we would in a gym—no fuss, just moving forward with awareness and preparedness. It’s a lesson in understanding the nature of conflicts and the power of our responses.
I came across an interesting tale about Biosphere 2, a massive scientific experiment in Arizona designed to mimic Earth’s ecosystems. Inside this controlled bubble, trees shot up at a rate that surprised everyone. Initially, this seemed like a win for the scientists—creating perfect conditions for growth. But then, these rapidly growing trees started dying unexpectedly.
The culprit? No wind. Yes, really. In their natural habitats, trees are exposed to wind, which actually helps them grow stronger by forcing them to stabilise and develop robust roots. But in the sheltered life of Biosphere 2, without these natural challenges, the trees lacked the resilience to sustain themselves.
Sometimes, we look at people who seem to be advancing rapidly and wonder about their secret. What we often don’t see is the “shelter” around them—whether that’s privilege, support, or resources—that might be helping them but also potentially weakening them in ways not immediately visible. They’re missing out on the “winds” of challenge that help strengthen and prepare us for the real world.
This whole situation has me thinking about the balance between protection and exposure. How much should we shield ourselves or others from the challenges of life? Are we nurturing resilience or inadvertently fostering fragility? Maybe it’s about finding that sweet spot where we’re supported enough to thrive but still exposed enough to grow strong and resilient. Sometimes, the very things that make us feel safe can hold us back from developing the strength we truly need.
Have you ever looked at someone else’s problem and immediately thought you knew the answer? It’s like being an armchair detective during a movie, confident in predicting the next turn of events and sure about what each character should do to avoid pitfalls. From the outside, everything seems obvious, especially when you’re removed from any emotional entanglement. This kind of clarity can make it tempting to think that spotting problems and solving them should be straightforward.
However, when the challenge is yours, clarity often fades, and things aren’t so simple. It’s a lot like asking a toddler to solve for x in an algebra problem—they wouldn’t even know where to begin. Similarly, when we’re in the middle of our own issues, whether they’re related to work, relationships, or personal growth, we can feel just as bewildered.
This difference in perspective, between an outsider and someone directly involved, largely stems from emotional connections. Our feelings can cloud our judgment, making even clear solutions seem obscured and complex decisions difficult to grasp. Being emotionally invested in our problems filters our perceptions and can significantly complicate the decision-making process.
When it is personal there is another layer of complexity. Every decision you make can have significant repercussions, adding pressure and making the ‘correct’ path less obvious. This isn’t just a straightforward task like solving a math equation; it involves navigating emotional landscapes, social dynamics, and sometimes professional risks.
Navigating life’s challenges is thus more about understanding and managing our emotions than simply finding quick fixes. Recognizing our deep involvement in our problems is crucial. It doesn’t necessarily simplify the issues, but it does provide a clearer lens through which to view them. Starting to see our situations with this kind of thoughtful awareness might not immediately solve every problem, but it certainly helps us find our way forward, one step at a time.
As I rummaged through my old blog posts recently, I couldn’t help but notice a recurring theme: Twitter. Surprisingly, amid the clutter of musings and reflections, Twitter stood out as a significant part of my online presence. This got me thinking: What if Twitter had been designed as a full-fledged blogging platform from the get-go?
Throughout my blogging adventures, Twitter was always there—whether I was sharing intriguing discoveries, engaging with like-minded individuals, or contemplating its potential for growth. Yet, amid the chaos of tweet storms and fleeting thoughts, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Twitter missed a golden opportunity by not embracing its potential as a blogging platform.
Picture this: a platform where you could share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences without the constraints of character limits or fragmented threads. A space where content could be effortlessly published and shared with your audience, regardless of its length or format. That’s the essence of what Twitter should have been—a unified hub for expression and interaction.
Instead of hopping between platforms to consume different types of content, users could have enjoyed a seamless experience within Twitter itself. Whether you wanted to read thought-provoking essays, peruse captivating visuals, or watch engaging videos, everything would be conveniently housed under one roof. No more juggling between YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to cater to your browsing needs.
While platforms like ActivityPub and Mastodon have made strides towards this vision, there’s still a gap that needs to be bridged. Integrating diverse content types within a single platform requires careful curation and a seamless user experience—a challenge that remains unresolved for many. However, with innovations like Meta’s Threads, there’s hope for a more cohesive and comprehensive social media ecosystem.
Of course, achieving the ideal “everything platform” requires more than just technical prowess—it demands a deep understanding of user behaviour and preferences. Perhaps the key lies in a collaborative effort, drawing upon the collective wisdom of developers, designers, and users alike. In hindsight, Twitter’s journey could have taken a different trajectory—one where it emerged not just as a microblogging platform, but as a versatile and all-encompassing space for expression.
Cory Dransfeldt writing about Data ownership and agency:
I control that data, it sits on infrastructure I manage, it’s in a format I understand and I get the responsibility (or fun — let’s go with that) of presenting it. I get agency and that agency is accompanied by the burden of maintenance, presentation and action. Convenience in exchange for control.
As usual, Cory’s take is measured, accurate, and raises some interesting points on the ownership of your data online. Many people have begun to think about these things now that the USA is finally preparing legislation on privacy and personal data. Of course, that isn’t a worry for me, but this short statement prodded at something I was thinking about when moving my blog around in the last few weeks.
I really want to have an 11ty blog and keep all of my data to myself. I can then pull in whatever it is I want from around the web and display it in whichever way I choose. Thankfully, I am skilled enough to write a bit of code and get things going. It makes the most sense for me, but I just can’t be bothered. I want to be able to post easily, post all sorts of things, and not have to worry about a thing - in exchange for that, I give up control.
Don’t get me wrong, I trust Manton and micro.blog more than any other platform; this is more control of how I can do things and, in some cases, what I can do. In exchange for being able to post easily and not have to deal with rebuild times and server things - my host calls the shots now. This will range from pretty much unlimited ability on platforms like WordPress to locked-down services like Hey World. Whoever it is you choose, as Cory writes, you get “Convenience in exchange for control”.