Today could be memorable for several reasons. Interesting things happen when there are lots of things going on at the same time. Simple maths: Expected no. of interesting events= Probability of interesting events X Total no. of events.
But I just want to note this particular interesting thing that happened today because it was so brief and yet brought a well needed smile.
If you’ve known me long enough, you’d know that I have this “mode” where I unleash and speak on an issue that I feel something for. This mode where I go on and on, being argumentative and somewhat aggressive (and perhaps annoying). I also make analogies that can be anything from funny, ironic, provokative, or just plain lame.
And that is me, in one of my most natural forms.
Today, I guess I’ve come very much to terms that this form has not many opportunities to manifest itself in my current life in the army.
Well, I love to argue and feel that I’m on the right side of an argument. I like feeling logical, if you’d forgive such an oxymoronic statement.
And of course, I love challenging someone else’s view that I disagree with, provided that it is somewhat socially acceptable for me to do so. Haha, even though some might say that I have quite a loose standard of “socially acceptable”, I just attribute that to the fact that I care substantially less than other people about what other people might think of me.
So, I guess I shall just have to entertain myself with little tidbits of logic that I read and think about for now.
Well, recently, due to so many of my friends taking a business or business related degree in university, I’ve been reminded about Milton Friedman’s brilliant statement on the ethics of doing business: T he social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.
Read the article, my friends. It is absolutely brilliant. There are many strange, convoluted, fluffy and feel-good ideas about business ethics, but few are as incisive, simple, and eloquently explained.
Which reminds me of a short comment I once posted on some guy’s note on Facebook. Don’t really know the guy though, just that he’s from VJ. What I said was this:
Companies do not care about your “inner happiness” or sense of self achievement, except when it visibly affects their bottom-line. They do not care about your passion, only your productivity. The two, though linked, are distinct. I do not think this sad. The role of firms is to make profits, that is, to create value for society by making a product that is more valuable than what its made of. Firms are firms, not charities or feel-good associations.
Clearly, I am making some generalizations here, and simplifying alot of things. But that one sentence in that comment simply captures why I think that profit making businesses, in a free market environment, is such a force for good, generally speaking.
Well, the Facebook note is here, if you’re interested.
Well, speaking of Facebook notes, I also recall a time when I posted this on a Facebook note that Mark (Heng) wrote.
1. Either it is true that “Nothing is impossible” or it is not.
2. Assume “Nothing is impossible” is true.
3. If “Nothing is impossible” is true, then it is impossible for something to be impossible.
4. Therefore, something is impossible.
Reductio Ad Absurdum,
“Nothing is impossible” is false.
Hahaha felt a little mean posting something so cynical on a somewhat cheerful note, but that’s what I mean. Whacking pieces of feel-good fluff in good nature is really quite fun. Can’t find the old Facebook page though, but I remember what I wrote.
Well, those are the little tidbits that I think most of you guys would probably not know, since they took place in some nebulous part of Facebook that people don’t really bother to look at.
Of course, other moments when I wrote logically passionately include other blog posts, including the one about weareveryhappy. To me, the high point of that discussion was when I finally formalized to myself (in a comment to other comments) why I think religious claims just simply false.
Another thing I remember was when A11 had this discussion about dogs, resulting in me making this blogpost. Basically, I suggested (after PE, I remember) that since we allow sterilization of pet dogs, when don’t we remove their salivary glands as well since I find it somewhat annoying when dogs slobber all over me.
And of course, A11 being A11, had quite an interesting discussion. Hahaha, I remember the days.
Hmm, so I guess this post has turned out to be a little trip down memory lane.
More recently though, I’ve been thinking about how some people just don’t get thought experiments. I recall when Cheryl used to complain to me about people not getting thought experiements/hypothetical analogies in GP class. Basically, the teacher asked the class whether if a perfect copy of Mona Lisa was made, should it be considered art. And people were arguing that… A perfect copy was impossible.
Argh! And that basically led me to say something about thought experiments that has been captured in this photo.
And that kinda brings me to a more contentious point. You know how in uni where they give you a “scenario” of sorts and you’re to work out certain questions? I think those are sort of like thought experiments. But I guess schools might see it differently, or looking out for different things. Haha.
So I guess I like to try my best to keep things my thoughts neat (heh, my things on the other hand, are very messy), and in an untidy, chaotic world, logical coherence is one way to do so. And as much as I am passionately anal, I also strive to be passionately logical.
All this has me thinking about my future. You know, I don’t get into the “mode” sometimes in debates. Perhaps I’m not familiar enough with the issue in an impromtu debate, or perhaps I’m nervous in a competition, or perhaps I just don’t believe the side that I’m arguing for. But I guess I shouldn’t expect to feel passionately logical when I argue stuff if I go into litigation in the future.
School, on the other hand, will be an absolute blast. I can totally imagine the fun whacking other people, and getting whacked too. Totally can’t wait for it.
Haha.
I guess this has been a first proper post in some time; the last was more of a ramble, as I said.
Here, I recall my past and I excitedly anticipate my future.
In the present meantime, I am trying desperately to remember who I am.
And, trying to get a little sip of that joy when I am in that mode I call “passionate logic”.