Letter to My Children - Ask her if she wants to learn tango.

You may find an older version of this article on LinkedIn.

Letter to My Children: Ask Her if She Wants to Learn Tango.

Aside from my work life, one duty I must uphold is fatherhood. This is a letter I composed for my fifteen-year-old twin sons. The following tale comprises select excerpts from the extensive document I shared with them and the content I have been discussing.

In addition, I must admit that writing a letter to my kids made me realize that teaching a child usually ends up teaching the parents more than the child themselves. After all, kids tend to imitate adults, play, and learn in the flow rather than pay close attention to their learning trajectory in their formative years.

PS—I have been informed that the link to this article was posted on a university and government-body network in Canada. Psychology is the specialty of one organization, while mental health is the primary focus of the other.

Prologue

Essential human endeavors aimed at self-development manifest themselves in transforming their societal and intellectual idiosyncrasies and ethical mannerisms. [1] However, our education systems often skip over the essential early years of exploring the self and psyche, [2] which includes understanding the innate power of our minds and bodies and putting an emphasis on a complete understanding of how they work to maintain homeostasis balance without changing when outside factors change.

Interestingly enough, we receive extensive training throughout our lives, from performing surgical procedures to managing a business, immersing ourselves in literature, mastering the art of dance, and piloting vehicles like cars, airplanes, and boats. A notion would be rejected as absolute madness if someone alleged their intention to pilot a Boeing 777 to New York without prior training. Yet, when it comes to leveraging our most fundamental tools of human physical mobility and intelligence—the body and brain—we navigate throughout our lives without training on their true nature, operation, and use. This irony underscores the discrepancy between our thorough preparation in a particular case and the assumed innate proficiency attributed to our brain and body functions without training. This oversight hinders the use of these organs’ genuine potential, showcasing our cognitive abilities and attaining intrinsic educational fulfillment across our lifespan.

In one of my articles [3], I highlighted how technological progress, while solving some issues, inevitably brings about new challenges, transforming the vibrant tapestry of life and making the flow of events more intricate to conceive. This period, referred to as VUCA, is short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

Coincidentally, I came across a discussion on LinkedIn introducing a new definition of VUCA in an educational context: vision, understanding, clarity, and agility. Yet another further evolution was proposed in the same post with VUCA, unified, creative, and active vision.

Regrettably, VUCA and similar educational contexts often overlook the importance of early education in developing our cognitive faculties, physical prowess, and understanding of the dynamic homeostatic equilibrium maintained in our somatic tissues and organs. I marvel at these ongoing attempts to establish enhanced pedagogical standards. Still, regrettably, these endeavors appear to be confined to superficial considerations and constrained by limited perspectives, potentially hampering their efficacy. In light of this, I suggest adopting a supplementary curriculum that explores the true nature of the human brain and body, including their operation and complexities, and integrates this new curriculum with existing educational frameworks.

My work aims to include a reminder of this necessity and other insightful information in my letter to my kids, urging them to revisit it whenever they need guidance. It's not a rigid scientific document and does not downplay the need for physiological or medical interventions; instead, an open letter encourages continuing conversation and resonates with them in understanding the role of these essential organs in their lives, how to use them most effectively, and other facts about life's journey.

Note: February 16, 2024. In essence, this discussion revolves around the intellectual framing of education and the social life of information, focusing on the human brain and body's roles in meeting people's self-development and educational needs. It is centered on something other than scientific facts and the dominant perception of science within academic contexts.

This critique targets the elitist approach to education, which imposes predetermined content without prioritizing the perception of self and the operation, function, and use of the brain and body in personal growth. This approach hinders the development of solutions tailored to individual educational needs and personal development.

Educators are urged to reject traditional, hegemonic, and model-agnostic proposals that may confine humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. While potentially providing a false sense of comfort, these approaches could ultimately lead to severe problems in the 21st century. The elite cannot perceive the fine line between genius and depressed people, and linger and fiddle around with artificial conflicts that have no depth.

In summary, the discussion challenges the current educational paradigm, emphasizing that people's self-perception is a priority, hence tailoring educational content to individual needs.

Here is my letter to them:

My Dear Children

Now, you are 15 years old. You are a grown human, and societal ethos expects you to act like a man. However, society—families, schools, and your social circles—lacks the knack to guide you on what it means to be human and a man. I would see it as dismissible if the situation were not too much of an overarching imposition.

We discussed the narrative below, which could have been more cohesive. Still, in the end, I decided to gather the missing essentials of human development and put them in writing so you can refer to them when needed.

As humans, our birth is a form of transition from one medium to another; each has a different physical and spiritual environment and rules. Sartre's famous dictum relates it by saying, "Existence (being) comes before essence (meaning)" (l'existence précède l'essence), which means that first we pop into existence, then explore "why we are here," "what life is all about." Coincidentally, the adage "We don't know what we don't know; this is an endless discovery journey of life" [4] is attributed to Elon Musk, which means life is a mission of self-discovery.

In your case, the essence of becoming a human and a man is to perceive the surest basis of two foundational edifices of humans: our brain and body. However, at schools, even in families, we embark on our learning journey oblivious to self and psyche, how the brain functions, what thought and flow states [5] mean, how our somatic performance prevails, and what it means to have a pertinent relationship among consciousness, brain, and body to gain strength against the detriment of ups and downs of life. Our conventional education systems start with a discourse on science, math, art, etc. Still, it is alienated from teaching about ourselves, our brain and body, the functioning of these vital organs, and their impact on human development.

Humans exist as biological entities, possessing a consciousness that persists with awareness. Awareness is consciousness in abstraction, the ability of the brain to process real-world data, and the truth in non-duality. In the context of the mind-body problem in psychology, dualism is the position that the mind and the body constitute two separate realms or substances; for instance, raising your hand has a non-dualistic nature, contrary to hammering your finger and feeling the pain, which has a dualistic nature. In general, the mind (or the soul) is comprised of a non-physical substance, while the body -our physical structure, is formed of the bodily substance known as matter; hence, the duality is being neural and mental at once; examples are being and thought, mind and body, good and evil, matter and spirit, and subject and object.

Hence, the interplay of emotions and hormones and their comprehensive functioning regulates consciousness, brain, and body, thus achieving homeostasis equilibrium. Despite being aware of our integrity within this three-pillar structure, we often remain oblivious to our naked selves underneath and the deep, dualistic intricacies of the brain and body.

While our body and organs collectively sustain our biological essence, the brain and consciousness play pivotal roles in adapting us to our societal roles as humans. The disruption of this holistic integrity entails a range of consequences, from irritability and social isolation to engaging in aberrant behaviors that deviate from the usual human nature of being joyful, content, serene, efficient, effective, productive, and generous with social mores. This altered state of mind prompts us to seek expert advice to restore our balance and well-being.

According to Dr. Heather Berlin, people live in a "perception box," [6] a product of their minds that is fragile and susceptible to outside influences. This tender casing lays the basis for an ongoing clash with oneself, encompassing the facts on mental health, peace of mind, self-worth, self-respect, values, morals, and relationships with everything else surrounding them. The drift fuels a widespread ecosystem equipped with professionals, literature, resources, and techniques to capture the interest of those seeking help and facilitate healing.  Around $280 billion was spent on mental health services in 2020 in the USA alone [7] [8], and more effort and money are spent to cure these problems later in life, which is more complicated to resolve than to prevent them from occurring in the first place. [9] As a sign, on October 25, 2023, FE International, Inc. acquired Positive Psychology, a top online provider of accredited continuing education for the professional development of over 19 million therapists, psychologists, counselors, coaches, and practitioners. [10]

A Human is a Unique Biological Machine

Pulse, emotions, and hormones govern the body and brain. Whether you like it or not, the heart beats and pumps blood, and the brain produces thoughts and organs that render their functions as part of the biological machine.

Humans stand out among machines exclusively, setting their goals and shaping their life paths in due course. This distinctive ability implies that their 'Existence precedes essence,' highlighting the idea that individuals define the meaning of their existence only after experiencing it, contrary to other machines.

The Fascinating Life of Our Brain

The brain, weighing around three pounds (~1.3 kg), juggles over sixty thousand thoughts daily. This cognitive marvel is home to over a hundred billion neurons, orchestrating connections at nearly five hundred trillion synapse points, and the electrical signals zipping through these neural networks lay the foundation for our thoughts, memories, and feelings.

Anil Seth, the British neuroscientist, introduced the notion that the human brain functions akin to cognitive hardware, comprising a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), and a basic input/output system (BIOS). All of these operate within the confines of darkness and silence within the skull, devoid of any external gadgets such as flashlights, cameras, or earphones. It is an isolated organ responsible for generating thoughts, an ongoing act of perceiving the external world, shaping our identities, and guiding us through life's challenges by interpreting electrical signals from our sensory organs and ascribing meaning to them. "By nature, the human brain is a prediction machine—no more, no less—that makes educated guesses about what is outside of itself. Hence, human existence is a captivating subject that triggers profound philosophical contemplations and sparks vibrant hallucinatory experiences produced by the brain," Seth says. [11]

Dr. Lera Boroditsky emphasizes the brain's ability by saying that speaking is one of humans' magical abilities. We can transmit complicated thoughts to one another by making sounds with our mouths, thus making tones, hisses, and puffs, creating air vibrations. Those vibrations travel to you in the air, hitting your eardrums. The nerve endings of the eardrums transform the vibrations into electrical impulses, which are transmitted to the brain, and then your brain transforms those signals into thoughts [12], and hearing occurs.

Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel highlights the pivotal role of neurons as the brain's processing units and identifies the cortex as its central command center. [13] Drawing an analogy between Lego blocks and neurons, saying neuron connections ensue from a learning experience, in contrast to preplanned Lego constructions.

Sixteen billion neurons in the cerebral cortex are the foundational elements of an intelligence apparatus; indeed, learning enhances the connectivity of these neurons. This phenomenon is known as neuroplasticity, which refers to the brain's ability to form new neural connections and reorganize itself. Its heightened form germinates intelligence with qualities of convolution and flexibility, enhancing cognitive faculties such as sense, imagination, memory, understanding, intellect, and the virtue of humane activities, hence confidence and pride.

A central and crucial part of our brain is the Reticular Activating System (RAS), a sophisticated network of brainstem nerves that processes all bodily sensory signals, except for those related to smell, which are diverted to the brain's emotional center. The RAS is roughly two inches long, about the width of a pencil, and begins above the spinal cord. Its job is to filter information that comes from the body. Also, it links the conscious and subconscious regions of the brain for concurrence. RAS is essential to our vigilance, the ability to focus our fight-or-flight responses, and the proper perception of the world surrounding us and our engagements. It acts as a gatekeeper, controlling how we interpret all bodily sensory signals in our consciousness [14]. Thus, the system facilitates learning and dealing with life's challenges with its conducive functions. Meditation is one of the stimuli that helps RAS with its facilitative impulses for positive outcomes in our responses to life challenges and learning experiences.

On the other hand, from a particular perspective, every thought in your brain is indistinguishable, regardless of how you articulate it. The brain doesn't categorize thoughts as good or evil, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly, fun or boring, etc. These distinctions result from the unique neural pathways that make up an explanatory fabric and the neuroplasticity patterns that your personality and habits shape, forming your thoughts into a coherent whole. The brain doesn't autonomously discern these categories; you forge them through social and epigenetic transformations—gene expressions—and the brain adapts them accordingly and builds patterns to process thoughts through what Daniel Kahneman describes in his book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" as System 1 [15]. Daniel Gilbert of Harvard cites Shakespeare as saying that ‘Tis nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,’ pointing out that thinking is a remarkable tool that allows us to change our views and emotional reactions to the world. [16]

The brain doesn't care about handling your duties, studying, reading books, establishing priorities, foreseeing the future, or engaging in games. It treats all these tasks the same without assuming an authoritative role in guiding you or restraining your habits. Your sense of responsibility, interests, emotions, and action-driven nature play the primary role in orchestrating your life activities, with the brain serving to fine-tune and process them. For instance, if some crucial tasks necessitate your attention yet loom large and linger untouched as time elapses while you wait for your mind to take charge and address the tasks, it just won't happen. You need to take responsibility and carry them out.

You can program your brain to say that killing is a good thing or a bad thing. The concepts of good and evil are relative concepts for the brain. The brain doesn't recognize the difference between the two. These are learned. Therefore, the quality and objectives of the education received in our society, our families, and schools are stirring and have a paramount impact on shaping our personalities, influencing our thinking on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI-b) issues in our society, and teaching the brain how to process thought.

From another point of view, the brain is like a horse, and you are the rider of the horse. A horse is an intelligent animal, as is a brain. It can proceed in its own way in places it deems safe.

Sometimes, the horse may not agree with you. While you plan to go somewhere, it can go elsewhere. Although our minds often work similarly, where the rider wants to go may only sometimes seem essential.

If the rider (our conscious mind) and the horse (our subconscious) disagree, we won't get what we say we want. We only think about these things on a conscious level, and emotions and subconscious programs control most of our thoughts, feelings, and actions. We must learn how to attune our subconscious (the horse) to what our conscious mind (the rider) wants. This endeavor has to do with the inputs we make to our brain, that is, what we regularly feed our brain and what we put into it. It refers to the riddle of imaginary wolves, one good and the other evil, continually fighting inside us. [17]

If we accustom our subconscious mind (horse) to the fact that playing games is good and fun, it will always want to play. So, we must feed and train the brain in the proper direction.

From another angle, the brain is like a ship sailing in rough waters; you are the ship's captain. The management of the ship is in your hands. Knowing how well your ship is equipped and getting it to work effectively is crucial.

You can't stop the brain from producing thoughts [18], but you can focus on and harness good and positive ones through your learning and reading efforts. [19]

It is said that the brain is the home of an evil wolf and a devil if one does not read and learn to keep the focus on the positive; in consequence, humans do not use the frontal lobe and cortex and, thus, act irrationally, driven by the cerebral trunk and animal instincts, withholding consent to will, discipline, and behavioral rationale.

Thereby, the human brain possesses an extraordinary capacity that transcends self-imposed boundaries. It is a versatile organ that responds to our aspirations rather than imposing limitations. Whether one aims to work at Walmart or McDonald's or strives beyond the achievements of renowned figures like Elon Musk, the brain remains receptive without any objection. This remarkable adaptability allows us to embark on diverse paths with equal readiness to support our endeavors. By continually challenging ourselves and pushing the frontiers of cognitive ability, we foster personal growth and jointly explore new horizons in collaboration with our neural networks.

Hence, to become an evolved, mature, and wise individual, you must fully perceive how the brain works, its anatomy, how to get it involved with your life and its activities and assist in mastering them.

About Our Body: Our Cell Structure and Aging

The body is mechanical hardware. Chromosomes in billions of cells in our body contain "software" called DNA. The DNA in each cell is the same and consists of a ring of "device/organ driver" elements called genes. Each cell finds its genes from DNA with an epigenetic mechanism that reads them. In this way, the cell learns what it must do and what duties to perform. For instance, genes concerning the brain remind its cells that it belongs to an organ with cognitive abilities; genes of the heart remind its cells of how it works and its duties, etc. All these are instrumental in maintaining the homeostasis equilibrium of our somatic tissues and organs.

You cannot tamper with the functioning of the organs yet, but you can support their correct functioning by eating right, acquiring the proper life habits, doing sports, and mastering the forms of thoughts, as in the case of the brain.

As cells age, the performance of intracellular or other relevant structures gradually deteriorates, and the quality of performing their duties declines. For example, when the epigenome [20] cannot read "device/organ driver," the gene in the DNA, the cells in the organs become oblivious to the organs they belong to, their duties, and how they function, leading to their transformation into senescent cells. For the brain, this means the formation of Alzheimer's disease or dementia. For the heart, interrupting its tasks means a heart attack and other ailments. Similar problems occur in other organs and age-related diseases, including cancer. Eventually, we approach a state known as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), or multiple organ failure, in which homeostasis is no longer maintained. [21] [22]

Science is advancing. Scientists have designated aging as a disease. The hallmarks of aging have been identified, the root causes of senescent cells have been well-studied, and studies are being performed to prevent aging at the cell level without medical or physical interventions. [23] We have gone through all these and discussed them before.

Figure 1: Nine characteristics of senescent cells, which are the hallmarks of aging

Two Nobel Prize-winning studies of fundamental concepts on the prevention of aging are autophagy [24] and nitric oxide secretion in blood vessels [25].

Autophagy is a process that revamps intracellular activities, activates senescent cells, and triggers regenerative cell activities. Exercise, nutrition, and intermittent fasting ignite autophagy.

Nitric oxide dilates blood vessels, relaxes their walls, and promotes efficient blood flow. Nutrition and "High-Intensity Interval Training" (HIIT) sports activities cause the release of nitric oxide. [26]

We can slow down or reverse aging concerning cells, organs, and the body, including the brain, through nutrition, sports [27] [28], and supplements. [29]

Thus, to become an evolved, mature, and wise individual by supporting your brain activities using somatic forces, you must fully perceive how the body works, its anatomy, how to get it involved with your life and its activities and assist in mastering them.

What is Life?

First, seizing the intricacies of the brain and body and then navigating a fulfilling life necessitate tailored and nuanced enhancements and gradual progress. These journeys are intertwined; a change in one area serves as a pedestal for the other and vice versa, as does incremental.

Some define life as a game; hence, learning to play it, making choices, and attaining objectives requires a considerable learning curve and respective efforts.

Dr. James Carse [30] and Simon Sinek [31] describe the types of games as finite and infinite, in which a finite game is played to win with an ending in mind; an infinite game has a perpetual context without an end. The "infinite game" praises an opponent, advises treating friends and rivals as one, and encourages amicable competition. It displays self-sufficient strength and involves participants. [32] The "finite game" motivates rivalry and fierce competition, and its players seek power. It is theatrical, necessitating an audience. We discussed all these briefly before.

According to Dr. John Nash, the boys are the participants, and their actions of "go for the blonde" or "go for a brunette" are called strategies in his Game Theory. What happens if all participants chase the blonde girl? Game theory studies mathematical models of strategic interactions among agents in life and business. John Nash, later portrayed in A Beautiful Mind, a film starring Russell Crowe, brought Game Theory to the forefront. [33]

Life is a series of iterations involving the Prisoner's Dilemma [34] from Game Theory, illustrating the significance of collaboration at both genetic and somatic levels. In his groundbreaking work, "The Selfish Gene," Richard Dawkins simplifies the complexities of evolution, portraying our bodies as vessels dedicated to transitioning selfish genes for survival.

Dawkins emphasizes that our bodies are essentially pre-programmed by genes to ensure the forward movement of their genetic material for survival; as a result, the selfish nature of genes transforms into a caring for others, highlighting the significance of generosity and altruism at the somatic level.

See how things become convoluted as we immerse ourselves in the game of life, but wait, fear not, for listening to the following shall grant you relief.

Life is often metaphorically likened to diverse notions attempting to encapsulate and grasp its essence. One perspective portrays life as a path we construct and navigate based on our desires and needs. Alternatively, some argue that life is akin to a book—a literary composition where we pen our narratives. Nevertheless, my favorite metaphor is this: a person resembles a house in perpetual construction, an ongoing process never truly finished.

When we conceive of a person as a house in construction, we acknowledge their existence's complexity and multifaceted nature. Just as a house comprises various rooms and spaces, a person consists of varying facets and elements within their context, harmonized within our culture and epigenetic intricacies, including their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions. Every aspect requires attention and development, as do the different rooms built and furnished over time in a house in perpetual construction. First, humans need a solid foundation. If you desire, you can make a makeshift and slum-like house; nevertheless, having a side with many features that meet all the modern human lifestyle's needs is preferable and an increasingly onerous task.

Likewise, just as a home requires maintenance and renovation to adapt to changing needs and circumstances and stay relevant, a person's life entails constant improvement and adaptation to the disposition and impetus against the ups and downs of entropic life. [35] We constantly evolve, gaining new knowledge, broadening our perspectives, and improving our skills. This ongoing process of self-improvement reflects the fact that our search for self-discovery throughout our lives never winds down, like a house under constant construction.

Additionally, the concept of a home built throughout one's life emphasizes our agenda and responsibility in shaping our lives. Making choices and decisions is freedom; however, responsibility takes precedence concerning the impact of these choices and decisions. The cohesive presence of freedom and responsibility is not a dichotomy but a duality; both are crucial elements. Thereby, we are the architects and builders of our destinies, making our choices and taking actions that determine the trajectory of our existence. Just as a home reflects the intentions and decisions of its builder, our lives reflect the choices made, the responsibilities taken, and the efforts invested by us.

However, it is crucial to recognize that the analogy of a never-ending construction process does not imply constant dissatisfaction or lack. Instead, it underscores life's dynamic, ever-changing nature. It invites us to embrace the journey of personal growth and self-discovery to understand that our lives are a work in progress, constantly emerging with new possibilities and opportunities.

Hence, viewing human life as a house built throughout our existence provides a vivid example of our complex, ever-evolving disposition and struggle with twists and turns. It emphasizes the ongoing process of growth and development and our innermost agenda in shaping our lives, which is needed.

Rather than perceiving life as a finished product, I prefer and suggest you also see it as a process that urges a series of journeys, continuous construction of a meaningful and satisfying existence, curiosity-satiated work with an analogy, and remembering, "You don't know what you don't know; this is an endless journey of discovery of yourself and life."

Knowledge is the Key

By analogy, data is the modern oil equivalent in the present-day landscape, and knowledge emerges as the refined outcome of oil refineries. It serves as a metric revealing the weight of our ability to absorb information, foster creativity, and learn [36] through the brain's neuroplasticity.

Knowledge also contributes to artificial intelligence's distinctiveness in the present era. Information-agnostic artificial intelligence would resemble a purposeless and void agent.

Hence, consuming information and possessing knowledge through educational institutions or beyond is an indispensable and irrefutable feat of human evolution in this context. [37]

Ask her if she wants to learn tango

This private and confidential message is written to you, highlighting the crucial roles of our consciousness, brain, and somatic functions in human development and well-being. These aspects often go unnoticed in traditional educational contexts. Understanding their significance can help you form a pearl of wisdom with harmony, serenity, and incisiveness, and thus, you exude confidence and pride.

In addition, this letter discusses other topics that you find interesting, such as choosing a career, maintaining cordial and long-term relationships with your female friends in your social circles, and the meaning of sexuality from a man's and woman's perspective, learning dancing or tango to invite her to tango [38] 😎, being your true self, as well as bold but humorous, and acquiring meticulously crafted tapestry of stoic principles tailored to nurture your particular needs, well-being, and your adaptation to the AI age.

To Conclude

We all comprehend the gravity of the typical discussions and the central role of our curiosity in becoming fine humans and developing an awe-inspiring future for humanity and, thus, for ourselves. I recommend not drawing upon the narrative here, copying it, or memorizing it; instead, you should start connecting dots in your learning trajectory to build your own life map and create your own true self. Your immense and critical efforts ensure that you effectively meet the educational challenges and grow yourself. I am pleased and blessed that you are committed to listening to and learning from challenges, school curricula, and your autodidacticism.

Sadly, we live apart; 🦕thence, I look forward to continuing to talk with you when we meet now and then, proudly watching you soak up the world of knowledge and rise above all those tasks to become excellent versions of yourself with confidence and pride!

Your Father

A word on parenting: Most of our children grow up on their own, learning about life via trial and error, which presents considerable challenges for them. Parenting is a responsibility that necessitates compassion and love toward children, first in one's own development as a parent and then in raising one's children and nurturing and accelerating their growth as parents in an educational context. Furthermore, as I said at the beginning, composing this letter elucidated that a child's education surprisingly entails the education of the parents rather than vice versa, acknowledging that children demonstrate a greater propensity for imitation and playfulness than focused attention during their early years.

When we consider our roles in assisting children's development, I prefer the role of a gardener to that of an architect because a gardener requires caring for the soil and cultivating a harmonious blend of love, curiosity, and learning through their intrinsic faculties as they walk through with enjoyment in the flow.

A further note on "Letter to My Children": The original missive is 26 pages long, including the prose above and additional chapters. The part "Prologue" at the beginning of this article was not included in the original letter. The original document utilizes a simpler language and aims to address all key aspects of their development.

The article's purpose may be twofold: to shed light on the long-overdue responsibility on the issues concerning human evolution in the age of AI, while exclusively addressing relevant topics concerning my kids, as briefed above.

Navigating these complex and challenging paths has potential pitfalls and risks. Attaining the designated goals requires an aggregate performance of our consciousness, brain, and body, combined with equanimity, patience, perseverance, and self-discipline; hence, these character-forming attributes make us human and boost self-esteem and pride in ourselves.

Notes and references:

[1] "Self-improvement epitomizes itself in integrity; the essay attempts to map it out" by Turgut A. (https://lnkd.in/dhJ52NcV).

[2] 5 Ways to Start Your Therapeutic Journey by Alain De Botton—the part about "childhood matters" (https://youtu.be/MUzb60JgPdE?t=19).

[3] Data to Wisdom: the Social Life of Information by Turgut A., https://lnkd.in/d9MWjjgP 

[4] "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Pursuit of the Great Future," a book by Ashlee Vance

[5] Flow, the Secret to Happiness, a TED talk by Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_flow_the_secret_to_happiness?language=en

[6] "Can you trust your brain?" by Dr. Heather Berlin. The "perception box" seems to be a TM. - https://bigthink.com/perception-box/can-you-trust-your-own-brain/

[7] Reducing the Economic Burden of Unmet Mental Health Needs: https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2022/05/31/reducing-the-economic-burden-of-unmet-mental-health-needs/

[8] There is a mental health crisis in the US. By American Psychological Association: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JcoN80CIz28

[9] Prevention is better than cure: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5be00437e5274a6e174bdac1/Prevention_is_better_than_cure_5-11.pdf

[10] FE International, Inc., acquired Positive Psychology on October 25, 2023. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/10/25/2766579/0/en/FE-International-Advises-Acquisition-of-Positive-Psychology-by-Eden-Capital-and-Phlebotomy-Training-Specialists.html

[11] "How do our brains perceive the world around us?" by Anil Seth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWEwpS8L5Cw

[12] "How language shapes the way we think," by Lera Boroditsky https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think/transcript?hasSummary=true

[13] Why do we have to go to school? by Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Ph.D. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvSA1qhBq4M

[14] Reticular Activating System: https://extension.umn.edu/two-you-video-series/ras

[15] "System 1 thinking relies on our innate instincts and past experiences, occurring spontaneously, intuitively, and with minimal exertion." The book "Thinking, Fast, and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman states that System 2 thinking is a conscious, logical process that operates at a slower pace and demands more cognitive work. https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555/

[16] "Thinking: The New Science of Decision Making, Problem Solving, and Prediction," edited by John Brockman and featured on edge.org, page 60. The book is an excellent piece of literature, with the pinnacle in Section 15 on page 292, suitably titled "The New Science of Morality." https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062258540?tag=edgeorg-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

[17] Two imaginary wolves, one good and the other evil, continually fight inside us (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Z-hWI2L34Bs).

[18] Struggling with negative thoughts by Shadé Zahrai: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zdrj2Z7nItE

[19] Mel Merritt's Cup Metaphor for Living Your Best Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oc2YXgw2r8

[20] The term epigenome is derived from the Greek word epi, which means "above" the genome. The epigenome consists of chemical compounds that modify or mark the genome instructions—genes—in a way that tells organs what to do, where, and when. Different cells have different epigenetic marks and gene expressions that are transient to organs.

[21] Exclusive interview with Dr. David Sinclair about longevity, healthy aging, and health span science: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qE-oes_93rI

[22] Aging is no Longer Inevitable, by Dr. David Sinclair: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A-uI8Fhn6dk

[23] "Aging and prevention: longevity and age-reversing updates" by Turgut A.: https://www.strategyzerlab.com/post/longevity-age-reversing-updates

[24] 'Self-Eating Cell' research wins Nobel Prize in Medicine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws0mOmfC9EU 

[25] Nobel Prize winner urges you to learn about Nitric oxide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsZ_vWxI3bQ 

[26] Dr. Mercola's Nitric Oxide Release Workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEui9ImJaiI 

[27] Reverse Aging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtIlFK_aYms

[28] Dr. David Sinclair about aging: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/K59UCE80J38

[29] They aim to extend people's lifespans. https://donotage.org/

[30] James Carse defines "infinite and finite games" in his 1987 book, https://www.amazon.com/Finite-Infinite-Games-James-Carse/dp/1476731713

[31] Simon Sinek's book about Infinite games: https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Game-Simon-Sinek/dp/073521350X

[32] The Infinite Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tye525dkfi8

[33] Nash's mind left a beautiful legacy: https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/context/nashs-mind-left-beautiful-legacy

[34] The prisoners' dilemma is the most famous game strategy in social science. It helps us grasp the rules that regulate the balance of cooperation and competition in business, politics, and society. In a well-known example, police arrest and question two individuals in different rooms. Each can either confess, implicate the other, or remain silent. No matter what the other suspect does, each can strengthen his case by confessing. If the other confesses, one must do the same to avoid the particularly harsh sentence reserved for an obstinate holdout. If the other person remains silent, confessing can get you the same treatment as a state witness. Thus, confession is the dominant strategy for each (see game theory excerpts for more information). However, when both confess, the outcome is worse for both than when they remain silent. Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher of the RAND Corporation developed the concept of the prisoners' dilemma, codified by Princeton mathematician Albert W. Tucker.

[35] Entropy is a scientific concept often linked to the state of disorder, unpredictability, or uncertainty in systems. Although it is known as the second law of thermodynamics, its influence encompasses all areas of life, demonstrating increased entropy or disorder. It measures the level of disorder and explains why life becomes complex and deteriorates over time. The cosmos upholds an equilibrium of energy—our body cells decay, rooms gather dust and disorder, the heat from our tea disperses, businesses decline, crimes increase, relationships terminate, the environment deteriorates, and climate changes, among other phenomena. To restore order, anyone seeking to rein in must inject energy into the system. It encompasses caring for one's physical well-being, organizing and maintaining living areas, cultivating and nurturing relationships, actively engaging in effective communication, revitalizing the surroundings with energy, promoting peace to prevent conflicts, and other related activities. Fundamentally, the system necessitates energy to return to its prior and preferred state. Please see these articles for further reading on entropy: The Hidden Force That Complicates Life (https://fs.blog/entropy/) and Why Life Always Seems to Get More Complicated (https://jamesclear.com/entropy)

[36] "Self-improvement epitomizes itself in integrity; the essay attempts to map it out" by Turgut A. (https://lnkd.in/dhJ52NcV).

[37] See the 1995 film, "Dangerous Minds," starring Michelle Pfeiffer. The gist of the movie occurs around the reel of the film, 1 hour and 7 minutes, when the teacher preaches on the merits of reading and learning.

[38] The "Scent of a Woman" tango scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQtOZphElLY 

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