The Monday Mix (17/05/2021)
Hi friends,
Restrictions have been lifted here in the UK today. We can now go inside pub and restaurants, while hugging is also permitted.
This is another step back to normality. I don’t think the pandemic is finished for a second, but we are making progress in this part of the world at least. Hopefully, wherever you’re reading this from, things are getting better there too!
4 principles of leadership - This is my latest post on some of the key attributes of leadership. It’s based on my experiences of working for some not so great bosses and a few other influences.
10 Truths in life - Here’s one of the most popular articles I’ve published. I wrote this one in August last year and it proved to be a hit. It revolves around truths we’ll all face at some point in our lives. Check it out!
Mixed Messages
This is a fascinating article I read yesterday on the debate around human-monkey embryos.
I wasn’t aware this was happening until I read the article. It’s concerning and intriguing at the same time.
This practice raises a lot of ethical issues and it’s one I think we’ll see more of in the future.
How dirty is bitcoin?
I’ve been trying to understand more about bitcoin over the past few weeks. Despite its popularity, it’s something I’ve never looked into with much detail.
This is despite several friends being interested in it. One of the concerns I’ve had is the sheer amount of energy used to create bitcoin from mining.
This article does a great job of highlighting just how much energy is involved and what’s powering it.
Daniel Kahneman interview
It’s no exaggeration to say Kahneman is one of the most important academics of the past fifty years, perhaps of all time.
His insights into the way humans think are revolutionary. If you’ve not read his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, you’re missing out. It’s an astonishing read.
He has a new book out, hence the interview. It’s a book I’ll be reading, but I didn’t share the interview for this reason. It’s to do with the answers he provides in the interview. One of which I found fascinating. His reasoning on whether autonomous cars will be successful or not.
The asymmetries between what’s natural and artificial are huge. That means we’ll hold autonomous vehicles to a much higher standard than we do humans. You only have to google car deaths per year to see this. What happens when the first accident involving these cars happens?
Don’t be surprised if there’s a clamour for them to be heavily regulated or even banned.
The New Conspiracist
If you’re looking for a new podcast series to start, this one is worth listening to. I\ve just started listening and I’m enjoying it so far.
The series looks at the world of conspiracies, from the weird and wacky to ones which have important overtones.
They’re not too long and if the above link doesn’t work where you are, you can listen to them on Spotify too!
Book I’m reading - The Assault on Truth
This is an excellent book on the rise of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. It looks at their aversion to the truth and what it means for our societies moving forward. Reading through the pages, the amount of lies both have told is incredible. It’s disturbing they got as far as they did in their political careers in spite of their aversion to the truth.
Quote I’m pondering
“Man is troubled not by events, but by the meaning he gives them.” - Epictetus