We go to war not because we ignore the costs, but because we know there are costs, but we are willing to pay those costs because we get something from the war which we wouldn't get otherwise.
— Christopher BlattmanThe question to be asked is why doesn't everybody fly?
It's multi-fold. Firstly resources that are useful on Earth that we may get from outer space and secondly- which is perhaps a newer idea- is resources that will be useful in space itself. Water is the essence of life. In space it takes on a whole new form. We can use water as a radiation shield. Water is a molecule made of hydrogen and oxygen- and that happens to be rocket fuel.
You may become rich, engage in philanthropy and help a million people but the only way you can help a billion people is by building a profitable business. Making money has almost become a taboo! People say, 'oh my god! You're making money?' and I say, 'you know what? I'm so proud that my business makes money… it's the only way I can scale and make a huge impact…'
Our brains are adapted to pick leaders based on characteristics that are no longer adaptive, or necessary today. In times of crisis, we are wired to gravitate towards strong men – strong males who are overconfident and speak of solutions in simplistic terms.
In biology we are still in a kind of Ptolemaic era with man considering himself the centre of the universe.
Reflect on the 1950s when computers occupied vast air-conditioned rooms filled with vacuum tubes. This gradually transitioned to smartphones we can hold in our palms. The trajectory is clear: technology is getting intimately closer to us. I envision its next iteration as smart glasses or even smart contact lenses, offering an augmented layer over our perception.
You have to step back and focus on the merits of the offer- not the person who brought the offer to you. That's how you defend yourself. You recognise that there's something that goes on first as important as the message itself inclining you towards purchase or agreement.
You are only ever one click away from looking at another alternative… The ability for the consumer to shop-around has made it difficult for some operators to realise the need for transparency in pricing… particularly when your product is built around opacity.
Images are mediations between the world and human beings. Human beings 'ex-ist,' i.e. the world is not immediately accessible to them and therefore images are needed to make it comprehensible.
Digital technology and instant news cycles, together with the aggressive marketing of fear-mitigating products and services, are certainly driving fear in contemporary society. Today, fear is closely related to the problem of misinformation and disinformation, and to the erosion of trust in political institutions.
All you've got to do is- to their face- call yourself every name that they are harbouring about you, it's that simple; it means you're demonstrating understanding. Whatever adjective from your culture best describes the worst possible name they could think of for you- all you've got to do is look them in the eye and say you feel I am – that's super simple, right? The thing is, it may sound easy- but it's hard to do- but if you can do it- it can unlock a situation in a heartbeat.
When you embark on that spiritual journey, it's literally a series of deaths that lead to a new, more spiritual life. That part of me had to die for the spiritual part to be born.