Evolution Reflection

Having finished reading the brilliantly written short story The Most Dangerous Reality by Rick Chesler, I hopped back to Bill Nye's Undeniable, a book discussing the main topic of this article: evolution. No, I'm not done with the book yet; it is just I caught this spark of inspiration to make an article out of, as Richard Dawkins calls it, "the greatest show on Earth".

Many moons ago humanity was blind. People of yesteryear did not know the real nature of living things. It seemed that everything just came on the scene all of a sudden, like a magician conjures up a rabbit from his hat. Their judgment about how life came to be was severely clouded. It wasn't really our ancestors' fault, though – we can't really blame them for their lack of understanding of nature. Just like evolution itself, humankind took time to better comprehend the world around them. As science progressed, our blinders were slowly lifted up, allowing us to see a clearer, more genuine picture of reality. We now have a way better grasp of life and I think we should be incredibly grateful for that. (I can't help but wonder, had Charles Darwin not discovered the theory of evolution by means of natural selection, who would have done so?)

Evolution may seem like a hard punch to many people. Apparently, a fair number of fellow humans still find it difficult to accept and embrace this explanation of life emergence and existence. Of course, it is a great pity, but I think it can be well explained. Learning about evolution means challenging our ego. We humans are accustomed to and enjoy seeing ourselves as the "rulers of the planet", having full control of everything within it and deserving to revel in every bit of it. We are at the top of "nature's caste". But is it really the case? Evolution implies that we humans are no different than others. All living things occupy their own niche and exist simply because they have managed to survive in their own unique way. For humans, it is definitely our intelligence that has gotten us to this point, but, as Kenneth Lacovara said in an interview with FRANCE 24 English, it is "not the only way to [keep alive]." Thus, there is no good reason to hold humans higher than other organisms in this regard. (see also: Are We a Perfect Being?)

Perhaps, to some people, the reality that evolution brings comes across as intimidating or unsettling. But think about how pitiful and unfulfilling it is to dwell in delusion, however satisfying it may appear? How many missed opportunities would have led to profound advancements in society? Humility is a prerequisite for the acceptance of evolution. And the thing is, like it or not, this natural phenomenon is always at work, regardless of people's belief or lack thereof.

Ultimately, evolution is a humbling revelation to humankind and one of the greatest treasures the human race has ever discovered. Isn't it such a blessing to live in an age where we can rejoice in the comprehension of this unveiled "secret of nature"?

Note: If you'd like to learn more about evolution (its mechanism, trends, etc.), I thoroughly recommend reading Evolution in Minutes by Darren Naish.

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Quote #90

"Ability without humility reeks. Endless willingness to learn is aromatic." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #89

"Having an imaginary friend is not a problem as long as it doesn't propel you to harming your real friends." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #88

"No one asks to be born. Subjecting your child to parental egomania is utterly egregious." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #87

"Running away from problems is not a solution. Take the triceratops by the horns because, ultimately, you have to deal with them." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #86

"No topics are sensitive if you are open-minded enough." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Q&A (Q-Man and Answers) #4: How can we embrace continual sadness?

  

#4

Question from Azer: How can we embrace continual sadness?

Q-Man's answer:

Disclaimer: I'm not a psychologist, nor a psychiatrist. Should one experience such a feeling and need help, the best person to seek out is certainly such a mental health professional, which I am not. However, I will try my best to, hopefully, help the asker through my knowledge and experience.

I believe in order to get rid of a problem, the root of it has to be pinpointed and then obliterated, by any means necessary. Everything in this world has a cause, so it's only a matter of time and effort before it can be dealt with. What caused the continual sadness? What underlies it? It all comes down to the answer to these questions.

The best thing that I can offer (and one having the issue could try) is something I discovered pretty recently: Stoicism. This ancient school of philosophy will rectify the paths that many people's minds have wrongly taken. The depression may be merely due to our mind naughtily and stubbornly seeing life in a deceptively mistaken light. As Stoic philosopher Seneca said, "[W]e suffer more often in imagination than in reality." Is your sadness "justifiable" or has your mind banefully exaggerated the severity of the situation? Probably the solution to this mental health problem is simply plucking up the courage to change your mind.

Q&A (Q-Man and Answers) is a section where I answer questions from my readers. Feel free to send me any question through one of my social media channels. Note that you may choose to remain anonymous.

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Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms – Book Review

Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms

by Marvin Terban

English grammar may be a tough nut to crack for many people. But if you ask me what the most challenging part of learning English is, I'd say, without a doubt, it is learning idiomatic expressions. According to my favorite online dictionary, Macmillan Dictionary, an idiom is "an expression whose meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words." This kind of language potentially causes confusion among English learners, and it almost certainly would at some point in their learning journeys. Finding incredibly useful resources for learning idioms is a must-do, and the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms by Marvin Terban is a must-buy.

This book is a top-drawer idiom reference; I am absolutely blown away by its superb quality. Why should you read the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms? Firstly, it boasts a whopping over 700 idioms, listed in alphabetical order. The sheer number should massively enrich your idiomatic vocabulary. Next, the definitions given are as clear as a bell. This is crucial to the success of learners' acquisition of the idioms. Thirdly, a simple, easy-to-understand example is provided for every idiom. Definitions are quite indispensable, but examples give the necessary context in which the idioms can be used, and clarify the grammatical roles and behavior of the words making them up. As if these are not enough, the author treats readers to information about the origins of the idioms. I have only read about those which I thought I had to and found them very interesting and well written. Learning how these idioms came to be has helped me incorporate them in my brain. There are also occasional cross-references in this feature, which have further expanded my knowledge of English idioms. All of these make the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms an invaluable resource for those aiming to improve the idiomatic aspect of their English.

Part of the reason why I love this book so much is the author's fine writing style. Gorgeous, elegant, rich, and eloquent. I have to admit that I really admire Mr. Terban for this forte of his! I would also like you to note that all the idioms in this book are used in American English. This means that a British person might have difficulty in understanding some of them. For British idioms, you may want to check out Work on your Idioms by Sandra Anderson & Cheryl Pelteret.

If you want to be head and shoulders above your fellow English learners, idiom-wise, get the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms by Marvin Terban at the drop of a hat!

Have you read the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms? If so, share your two cents in the comment section below!

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Q&A (Q-Man and Answers) #3: Of all your passions, which will you do until you are old and why?

 

#3

Question from Isma Swastiningrum: Of all your passions, which will you do until you are old and why?

Q-Man's answer:

If you are a loyal reader of my blog, you must know that I am deeply passionate about three things: English, dinosaurs, and Jay Chou. (the description on my Blogger profile also very clearly shows this) My life has revolved around this trio for ages and they account for a huge chunk of my existence on this planet: I teach (and learn) English for a living, I read lots of dinosaur books (both fiction and nonfiction), and I listen to (and sing) Jay Chou's songs all the time. These three are an extricable part of my life. I have loved English for about as long as I have been fascinated with dinosaurs. The two interests influence each other in a beautiful way: learning English enhances my knowledge and understanding of dinosaurs as many great dinosaurian learning materials are delivered in the language, while consuming them inevitably increases my English proficiency as I get exposed to more vocabulary and become more aware of the grammatical patterns and behavior of the language. As for Jay Chou, it is how I reach nirvana: his music so magically melodious that simply no words can describe its sheer beauty. I think I have no reason not to devote myself to all of them until my death.

Q&A (Q-Man and Answers) is a section where I answer questions from my readers. Feel free to send me any question through one of my social media channels. Note that you may choose to remain anonymous.

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How Happy Are You?

Please don't mock my attempt at creating an eye-catching title, but I think it's the best I could come up with and it certainly serves the primary purpose of this article. Now we are back in the theme of happiness, something that humanity seems to never get tired of seeking and discussing – and it's for an obviously good reason.

We humans naturally gravitate towards happiness and the feeling that we are on top of the world is just indescribable, in positive ways. Think about beatific smiles, the state of being free of worries, painlessness, the absence of threats, and the list goes on and on. I strongly believe that Heaven, as described by many or most religions, is a "physical" manifestation of this quality. Every once in a while I can't help but muse on my own level of happiness. How happy am I? On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being not happy at all and 10 perfectly happy, where would I put myself? I think it is healthy to ask ourselves this kind of question as a form of self-assessment of our own contentment with our own life. So where do I stand on this simply made happiness scale?

If I had to rate my own happiness by this means, I would put myself somewhere between 8 and 8.5. Pretty good score, right? I may not be a billionaire like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, but I do have all my bare necessities, which Stoicism considers to be a requisite for happiness. I have a home, I can eat three times a day, I can go to the doctor if falling sick, and so on and so forth. And that's actually enough for me not to fall into the category of non-happy people – and this should work for other people too.

In addition to the fulfilled basic needs, there are things that added to my happiness score. I possess enough savings for an emergency fund, giving me a sense of security for when the universe is being mischievous and not on my side. I also have a job that really fits one of my greatest passions: English. What's more, my dream of having my own library has been achieved! (Due to limited space, I cannot buy another bookcase and I have switched to buying Kindle books. Here's hoping for a bigger home!) All these and others of the same kind certainly cranked up my happiness level and I am truly grateful for these life blessings, which not all people have the privilege of having.

It is true that life can be tough and things often don't go the way you want. This can cause one's level happiness to drop unnecessarily. Why? One simply must realize that most events in life happen outside their control. Stressing about these things will only lead to unhappiness or even depression. Many people probably, more often than not, sweat over things that they do not have influence over, which is a good recipe for misery. We ought to focus on what we can control and rightly ignore what we can't. This Stoic notion is also what keeps me sane in my day-to-day life and contributes to how happy I am. (Check out Stoicism for Inner Peace by Einzelgänger for a wonderful resource for learning about Stoicism.)

You may be wondering, "How about the remaining 1–1.5? What would make you 'fully' happy?" I think it is a tough nut to crack. Is there anybody who has achieved the state of absolute happiness? I may well have to shake hands with my idol Jay Chou and spend an hour talking about music and life with him in order to to attain such bliss. In the meantime, I will just keep my expectations low and make the most of my life every second. How about you? How happy are you? 😊

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Quote #85

"How you see yourself is vastly more important than how others see you." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #84

"There's no such thing as overly critical thinking." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #83

"Live your life in such a way that your happiness depends on the externals as little as possible." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Reflection

Your muffled voice is haunting my existence

The plaid drapes have become much less intense

Do I still have the license?

I guess I need to stop the pretense

The incandescent sea is glaring at our figure

The feeling has become unbearable

All the sweetness expressed in nature

Has left completely untraceable

Silence is sometimes the answer

My hands are incapable of working magic

The consequential shudder

Has reflected the inevitably tragic

I simply need no excuse

For it is not square one

Let me sip the pomegranate juice

For I have unarguably won

The creation of this poem was inspired by Reflection (倒影) by Jay Chou.

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Quote #82

"To be deep in (pre)history is to cease to be a (young-earth) creationist." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #81

"Practicing self-love doesn't necessarily mean being egotistical. It is okay to care for someone but you should not sacrifice yourself." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Financial Management

This post isn't about the whole business of financial management; it's rather about my way of managing my own finances. Whatever you do in this world, almost certainly you have to deal with money, simply because the monetary system is firmly built in most societies. You can be an artist or a paleontologist, creating astoundingly beautiful works of art or making groundbreaking dinosaurian discoveries, but you'll still need money to survive on this minuscule cosmological speck of dust. Failing to make money AND sustain its existence would result in the eventual demise of the person in question, hence the super importance of financial management.

It is actually a colleague of mine who inspired me to create this piece of writing. A few days ago she unexpectedly asked me how I manage my finances. I did my best to explain it and she seemed to find my tips helpful. So, I thought to myself, "Why don't I share it with my blog readers?" And the rest is history.

Someone said that however much you earn, you are sure to have financial problems if you can't manage it. And I couldn't agree more with that. Having one million dollars is useless if you live a lavish, spendthrift lifestyle, whereas (depending on where you live) 400 USD may be enough to fulfill all your needs for one month. So, the first and most fundamental 'rule' is to change your mindset. Do you really need what you want to buy? Or is it just a mere whim, which would result in lamentable wastefulness? Having the 'right' attitude towards money is absolutely crucial.

Then comes my strategy for better organizing my money. For me, payday is not payday. (What the hail did you say, Q-Man? You ask.) The day when I receive my salary is just like any other days of that month, which means I won't spend it like crazy. I think of myself as earning an equal amount of money every day (or being paid daily) and that entails dividing my salary into roughly 30. This 'smaller salary' is then reduced by my daily fixed expenses (things like rent and my mom's share). And ta-da! That's how much I have for a particular day. Every day I try my best not to spend more than my 'right' – the less I spend, the better. Of course, there can be occasional bursts of spending but they should be limited and justifications must be provided if they occur.

To minimalize spending, I pay close attention to two key components: transportation and sustenance. In my experience, these types of expenses can bloat spending in an invisibly insidious way, so to speak. My normal transportation expense for a single working day is 7,000 IDR (round-trip bus commute), which means, assuming there are 20 working days in a month, I spend 150,000 IDR monthly. If I were lazy and opted for online motorcycle taxi transportation, I would spend roughly 40,000 IDR per day, which amounts to around 800,000 IDR per month! The difference is insanely huge! (Actually, I did use the more expensive travel option when the pandemic was much worse, because, well, it was the best choice available – health matters.) And this is not to mention food and drinks we consume. I hope this can give you a good sense of how our income can be 'stealthily' gnawed on by things sought by our pleasure-obsessed selves.

Does that mean I don't spend money on things like hobbies and interests at all? Of course not. I also allocate a monthly spending money budget – mostly for books. However, it is important to set a healthy and reasonable limit to ensure our continued existence on this planet.

Sticking to this scheme, I would manage to save a sizable percentage of my salary, which largely goes into my emergency fund – this should NOT be forgotten because who knows what is in store? There are innumerable things outside our control (pandemics are a good example), so it is certainly prudent to anticipate any trials or tribulations.

That's all for now! What do you think of my money management? Is it similar to yours? If not, would you like to implement it? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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Quote #80

"Denigrating others will not make you look better in any way, shape, or form." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #79

"Never will world peace be achieved unless and until all of us live under the flag of humanity." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #78

"You are best at being yourself." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #77

"The truth can be a bitter pill to swallow. But if it heals you, what's not to like?" - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #76

"Counter an argument with an argument. The moment you resort to violence, you simply lose." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Dinosaur Therapy – Book Review

Image source: https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Therapy-SUNDAY-TIMES-BESTSELLER-ebook/dp/B0962WLRR3/?asin=B0962WLRR3&revisionId=&format=2&depth=1

Dinosaur Therapy

by James Stewart and K Roméy

I am in seventh heaven! Yes, I just purchased a Kindle! 🥳🥳🥳 The e-reader, which I named Klindle (short for "Klinsman's Kindle"), is the culmination of my accumulating thoughts swirling around my reading life. Both my bookracks are almost full, which means I'm running out of storage for books. Needless to say, print books have something indescribable to it, but e-books offer a number of advantages, including the lack of need for space required by their paper kin. So, voilà! Now I'm an e-book reader! 📱📚📖😄 And, as you might expect, the very first book I bought and read is Dinosaur Therapy 🦕🦖🧠📖 by James Stewart and K Roméy.

Let's cut to the chase: I thoroughly recommend this dinosaur comic book. Why? Dinosaur Therapy highlights a very important societal issue that seems to be largely taboo and blithely ignored: mental health. This topic is nicely presented in the form of short comic strips (mostly consisting of 4 panels) showing a wide range of situations which are grouped into 7 chapters, for example "Growing Up", "Depression", and "Relationships". This book reveals things that might fly under the radar as we go about our business on a daily basis, but they are crucial to acknowledge and discuss for it is people who make up society and our mental states are a determining factor in the future of our species.

Reading Dinosaur Therapy will open up a lot of possibilities for a mental-health–literate society, which is just what we need in a seemingly crumbling world, psychologically speaking. I can imagine the book becoming alive and saying, "We need to normalize talking about mental health issues and rather than behaving as if they did not exist, we have to work together to find the best solutions to these 'invisible' problems." Keep in mind that it is not always negativity that you will find here; the book also portrays positive realities regarding mental health. Another thing that I like about Dinosaur Therapy is that the drawings are cute and do not look intimidating, which would help readers relate to the subject. Oh, one more thing: if you are a dinosaur freak like me, this comic will be a unique addition to your collection.

As you go on the journey with the blue T. rex, you will find yourself weeping, laughing, and reflecting over and over again. Treat your mind through perusing Dinosaur Therapy.

Have you read Dinosaur Therapy? What is your view on this book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Stoicism for Inner Peace – Book Review

Stoicism for Inner Peace

by Einzelgänger

The last several months have been an exhilarating philosophical ride for me. The previous book that I read is The Little Book of Humanism, an all-important philosophy work which I regard as "one of the most important, if not the most important, books I have ever read in my life." Having finished the marvelous opus, I ventured into deepening my knowledge and understanding of another school of philosophy by reading Stoicism for Inner Peace 🏛️📖 by Einzelgänger. Before I started reading the book, I had been so powerfully drawn into this ancient philosophy that I created a blog post about it entitled the name itself (to read my article about Stoicism, click here). Perusing the volume just made me more deeply in love with the philosophy and to start with, I would like to say that Stoicism for Inner Peace by Einzelgänger deserves to be placed cheek by jowl with its humanism cousin on my shelf for essential books for life.

No, I wasn't exaggerating in any way. Especially in this era of rife chaos and pandemonium, we seriously need guidance on living our lives in an orderly and tranquil manner. How can we attain that aspiration? From my viewpoint, Stoicism is the way, and this philosophical realm is gloriously and effectively presented in this book through the hand(s) of "the loner". In Stoicism for Inner Peace, you will discover Stoic principles, teachings, and wisdom regarding the numerous issues that humans encounter and need to deal with in life. Take a look at the following questions:

• How can I achieve true happiness?
• Does anger have any value at all? Can it be justifiable in any way?
• I just broke up and it hurts so much that I want to end my life. Is it possible for me to deal with this extremely depressing situation?
• My father is the worst man on earth and I mortally hate him. He deserves it, doesn't he?
• I just got laid off and it's really hard to find a job nowadays. I don't have a lot of savings either. What should I do?
• This pandemic has caused acute distress for so many people, including me. It's the end of the world, right?

You may have questions similar to the above in your mind, and if you are still wondering, this book provides the best answers for tackling them. Stoicism for Inner Peace also has a section discussing four great Stoic philosophers: Zeno of Citium (the founder of Stoicism), Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor), Epictetus (a slave), and Seneca the Younger (a statesman). As if that's not enough, the author supplies a set of exercises for readers to become a better Stoic in chapters such as "Praemeditatio Malorum", "Memento Mori", and "Amor Fati".

This book is a masterpiece, not only due to the nature of its contents but also the way it was written by the author. Einzelgänger is absolutely an ace writer. His God-tier eloquence shines throughout the book and it makes this philosophy gem very clear, persuasive, and engaging. He does not ramble on or include any unnecessary parts, taking a straightforward approach without sacrificing nuances.

In brief, Stoicism for Inner Peace is a truly worthwhile investment if you want to live a good life. For my money, you will actually get more than your money's worth (see what I did there?). There are certainly other resources for learning about Stoicism, but believe me, you can't go wrong with this one. Read Stoicism for Inner Peace, practice the philosophy, and attain inner peace. Be a Stoic. 😊

Have you read Stoicism for Inner Peace? What do you reckon to this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!

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Quote #75

"Segregation is a horrid plague to humanity. What causes us to splinter is simply to be extirpated." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #74

"Normalize talking about sex. Normalize talking about death. Normalize talking about religion. Normalize talking about anything." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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