Tom

I am grateful for https://ourworldindata.org/ In the past I was pessimistic because I read and learned much about the problems of capitalism. I am an optimist nowadays mostly because of what I've learned in the past five years or so from people like Hans Rosling and Steven Pinker. Also from movements such as Effective Altruism, and sites like the one linked above. It's a goldmine of insight! As I've learned steadily more, there has been little space for cynicism. https://ourworldindata.org/optim...

I am grateful for the ocean. I was feeling tired and dull when I arrived there today. It was hard to find the motivation to leave the comfort of 4-walls and venture forth to the place where I can legitimately shout "I can see the sea!" (the only other time, is at the opticians...). But once you hit that water, oh my. What a feeling. So much energy afterward. Thanks also to the Iceman Wim Hof for helping to set me (and so many others) on this path. One year ago I would not have done it - why on ...

I am grateful that science is finally permitted again to research the affects of psychedelic substances. For too long, the post-60s misinformation campaign of politicians and the media has kept people ignorant. The tide has begun to turn. It won't be long until the stigma and ignorance have been swept away like so much other superstition, by solid peer-reviewed science. And remember that big Pharma does not hold the patents to these drugs. So their corrupting influence on the published body of ...

I am grateful for my physical health. Through 2020, there was no point when I feared I may have the 'vid. I didn't consider getting tested. The closest symptom I had was tight lungs after exerting myself in the cold air. Although I'm still a little podgier than before, the winter, I've drunken and eaten less than I usually would in a typical Christmas season. Especially alcohol. I got drunk twice in December. This has probably helped with remaining moderately active. Walks and runs in the fresh ...

Today, I made the largest financial donation I have ever made. The recipient organisation/fund are within the Effective Altruism ecosystem. Through this action, I hope to have prevented approximately one unnecessary death https://www.givewell.org/giving101/Your-dollar-goes-further-overseas I genuinely believe this, although it is impossible to know for sure. I am grateful for many circumstances related to this possibility: I live in a wealthy country and have employment Thousands of scientis...

I am grateful for the changes in my life during 2020. This was my first year avoiding other people, not going to parties, barely visiting my family, working from home, not going abroad. I miss all those things and long for them. Yet am still grateful for much of what has filled the void. This year I internalized and embodied the idea that we should first primarily focus on improve ourselves, before striving to improve the world. I read significantly less about global issues, sustainability, e...

Calm time at work, with fewer meetings and the change to think about the bigger picture Those educational videos with animation perfectly accompanying narration. I've just discovered they are called Whiteboard Animations by the people who made the first ones I ever saw: https://www.wearecognitive.com/whiteboard-animation they have some research there, claiming it's generally better than an equivalent talking head with the same content - I'm happy to believe that! And yes the research is of cour...

Around Christmas, I have been especially grateful for friendly and brilliant housemates that are open to connection an excellent friend, bringing spice to our conversations oven-roasted vegetables, so good. the Harry Potter series of books and films my family, that generally match my preferences in terms of frequency of contact fun and happy christmas music christmas jazz, particularly Mr Bean's interpretation of it (probably on Youtube - brilliant!) having a warm home, protected from storms ...

Today I am grateful for open source software, and the patient passionate people that build it encryption, to counteract the worst excesses of modern centralized techno-power books, I could read for ever elegant lamps the light up a room my niece, who brings so much joy to everyone who encounters her ...