Trumps Foreign Policy, Losing the lead on Nuclear Fusion and finding Inner Peace
Weekly Ink #5
A new weekly newsletter with findings, practical wisdom, and interesting conversations from across the web, curated by yours truly.
Insights
Curated stories and ideas that shape our world and expand our understanding.
How to predict Donald Trump’s foreign policy: There is a lot of hand-wringing around Trump (understandably so, even if it isn’t productive). So I genuinely appreciated this reasonably deep and thoughtful analysis, trying to parse what Trump may do if elected, what motivates his decision-making, and who and what would be critical influences on his decisions. Let’s hope for an alternative outcome in November anyway.
The Reading Mind: Surprising Science-Based Benefits of Reading Everyday: Read widely and often; it’s good for your brain!
Losing the Race for Nuclear Fusion: I believe that energy abundance is one of the great tasks of this century and not one we should leave to the private sector alone. I am also skeptical that renewables alone can scale to meet human energy needs the way nuclear power and nuclear fusion specifically could (If you have a good case otherwise, write me I want to hear from you!). This is where an entrepreneurial state would be beneficial. Let the government help nudge us in the right direction, and don’t let a statist regime lead innovation in this field.1
Thucydides Trap: An Overview: This site has a thought-provoking premise and is a neat resource if you’re interested in the grand chessboard of geopolitics.2 I also recommend this Twitter thread by Graham Allison, who popularized the term on his recent trip to China.
Contemplations
Meditations, practical philosophy, and the occasional restless thought.
I recently took on a department-directing role at my employer. It’s an exciting time; the work is challenging, and I have had the privilege of hiring and training a unit, joining the leadership team, and running an organization that is critical to the company's future success. But… I’m not sure it’s for me?
Don’t misunderstand: I appreciate the opportunity I am offered, value my colleagues, and am committed to the company's success, but I’m unsure if I enjoy the work—and work should be enjoyable at least 60% of the time. As Magnus Carlsen once said, ”Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.”
Beyond that, I find work thoughts intruding regularly. If I’m not at work or working, I frequently find myself thinking about work, either being anxious and worrying about something I did or have to do or planning to ensure everything gets done. A lot of the time, I don’t do it willingly. I’ll be sitting on the couch and suddenly notice myself getting stressed thinking about work.
As someone who grew up on the lower end of the income ladder, it’s difficult not to worry about work, income, and employment. I grew up in a household where money was a constant stressor, leaving a mark on my psyche. This makes sense to an extent: we all need money to live. But I have also come to recognize, as I age, that this is no way to live, to worry about money and income constantly. It’s draining and runs counter to the life I want to live. To the person I strive to be.
Of course, some of this is a matter of perception—I recognize that. But the Tao, Stoicism, meditation—all these things will only take you so far in addressing, coping with, or realigning your relationship with challenging situations. Sometimes, we have to take steps to actively change our circumstances rather than looking for ways to make them tolerable.
All that said, I am unsure if I’m the problem or if the work is the problem. I am undoubtedly outside my comfort zone and being radically challenged in a way I have not been at work in years. I promised myself I’d stick it out for now— I committed to myself and my colleagues, who rely on me to deliver for us to succeed. But in the coming months and weeks, I will look carefully to see if I can adjust, find my footing and balance, and get to a better headspace. If so, that tells me most of the stress was caused by my perception of what lies ahead, my idea of what I could and couldn’t do. If I don’t, that suggests I’ll need to have a more serious conversation at work in the coming months.
It is good to do good work, to be productive, and to want to do good work. We are social animals and have an obligation to contribute in some way. But I also firmly believe we mustn’t do so at the cost of our inner peace. The stakes are not that high (unless perhaps you work in national security or something).
Dialogue
Voices, perspectives, and conversations from our community and across the web.
This week, a short clip from the Waking Up app on the power of mindful living and meditation: Mindfulness is a matter of discovering that it's possible to be truly free. . .
What do you think must happen to create an age of energy abundance? Where does work fit into your life? Do you have a mindfulness practice? Have feedback? Hit that reply button and let me know! ✍️
If you want to know more about why energy abundance matters, check out this piece. Noah Smith also has some great writing on the topic like here. Let’s make it happen and build some replicators!
I imagine the book is also quite good— definitely adding it “to the pile.”