Quote #120

"Simply staying alive may be a monumental achievement far too often overlooked." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #98

"The key to happiness is not having everything, but enjoying everything you have." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #70

"Accept reality, no matter how harsh or grim it is. Without coming to terms with it, you will never be your full self." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Stoicism

Philosophy is not much of a big appeal in my life. As most of you are probably aware, aside from the English language, it is the field of paleontology (and particularly dinosaurology) which entrances me the most and takes up a great portion of my life – even though gaining knowledge about this subject has inevitably philosophical consequences, as evident in the grand dinosaurian volume Why Dinosaurs Matter by Kenneth Lacovara. However, recently (and possibly even before that) I discovered an amazing TED-Ed video explaining a school of philosophy called Stoicism, and I honestly was awestruck by the brilliance of this framework of thinking.

My dearest online dictionary, Macmillan Dictionary defines "stoic" as "someone who accepts things without complaining". While this covers part of the philosophy, Stoicism is actually more than that. As you can learn from the animated video, the stoics hold four (4) cardinal values: wisdom, temperance, justice, and courage. Nevertheless, it is true that the most striking point, at least to me, is the practice of endurance and resilience, which is attained by a genuine understanding of how the universe works. The narrative goes like this: We live in a super complex world system and, regardless of our wishes and hopes, there are events that go as we want and those that run off the course, which naturally would give people displeasure and disappointment. While we do have control over some events in our life, there are certainly others that happen entirely independently of our own actions. And it is these controllable events that have to be our focus and deserve our attention – otherwise, our life will be overwhelmed by negativity, shattering emotions, and toxic experiences that drag us backwards and even fell us into abysmal gloom. This tenet is in alignment with what the philosopher Epictetus wrote: "We suffer not from the events in our lives, but from our judgement about them!"

One excellent example comes from another TED video by Massimo Pigliucci, the same philosopher who gives us the lesson in the short, but insightful animation. Pigliucci takes an instance from a major element in most humans' lives: romantic relationships. The success of a relationship is determined by both the parties involved in it. A man can love his girlfriend in the most sincere and kindest way, but no matter how magnificent his love is, he literally cannot make her respond in kind since her very reactions are not under his control – they are up to his girlfriend. Stoicism teaches us to focus on being the best version of ourselves, i.e. the most lovable person for our partner, because it is what is actually under our control.

This principle can extend to and be applied in many aspects of our life: participation in competitions, job promotions (also mentioned in the TEDx video), raising children, and so on and so forth. Stoicism is a very relatable philosophy indeed and I love the fact that being a stoic means to perceive the world as it is, without sugarcoating the reality or distorting views of what really happens.

So, what do you think of Stoicism? Are you a stoic? Leave your comments below!

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Quote #61

"I would choose to know the truth, however agonizing it is, over comforting lies any day." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Thoughts during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Something is severely afflicting humanity. The culprit is not a cascade of gigantic explosions of atomic bombs scattered around the planet or a global-scale war waged by a superpower country. Our current archenemy is a thing so small in size that our naked eyes cannot make out: a novel coronavirus with the official name SARS-CoV-2.

Most, if not all, of the countries in the world are presently being affected by this micro-entity, which, in huge numbers, causes a disease termed COVID-19. We are still battling this crown-shaped virus together and hoping to hurl the pandemic out of existence as soon as possible.

Indonesia is probably not one of the most heavily affected countries but it is still in the process of combating the pesky pestilence and Jakarta, the capital city as well as the country's economic hub, has been hit by the deadliest blow, with 2,335 confirmed cases and 241 deaths by Tuesday, April 14, 2020. As a denizen in this Homo floresiensis-yielding land who happens to reside in the metropolis, I have to practice social distancing and do my job by WFH. With all the haunting boredom and solitude, these days certainly are not the happiest in my life, but all of us need to unite and be responsible for not only ourselves, but also other people by following what authorities such as WHO advise and recommend, among which are washing hands properly and wearing masks.

During this quarantine period, a philosophical idea pierced through my brain with regard to the harrowing reality. We humans are fragile creatures, teetering on a precarious stage of life. A gust of wind such as this crazy little thing called the COVID-19 virus can make us tremble and topple over into the abyss of non-existence. We are certainly not a species endowed with an endless list of superior qualities; this global disaster really underscores how feeble we can be in the face of another resident of our planet.

Having said that, this should not discourage or even stop us from taking the necessary course of action to stamp out the predicament. If we are to survive as a species, our communal efforts to resolve this issue must be our top priority. We also have to give an enormous thank you and show great respect to all healthcare professionals, on whom we hugely rely to put an end to this worrisome situation. I believe many medical researchers are racing to develop a vaccine that can be used to halt this crisis too (let's keep our fingers crossed for its success). It is strongly urged that we give the required support to these people and the like who are scientifically involved in extirpating this dire state by whatever means we can employ.

The viral paroxysm is like a double-edged sword. It truly is devastating the human race by inflicting the disease on its members; however, it has also had a positive impact on Earth. For example, NASA stated that there has been a 30% reduction in the amount of air pollution in the Northeastern US due to some sort of lockdown imposed on the people living in the region. On a personal level, I feel that it is probably a moment to explore the many things that we could have done but haven't. Take reading for example. This is perhaps the dinosaurology, perhaps?). Look around your home; if it is a bit of a mess, you may want to clean it up and rejuvenate your domicile to a much fresher look. On a higher level, perhaps now is also a good opportunity to take a deep breath and reflect on your life more deeply: your achievements, regrets, ambitions, hopes, etc.

It seems to me that by the time this pandemic is over, a massive change will have occurred in the conduct of our society. Let's be hopeful that it will turn out to be positive, but the focus should be us ourselves because we, as always, are the assembling units: nothing more and nothing less.

Extra paragraph: Reading during this adverse situation reinforced my thought of how amazing the role that our imagination plays in our life. Our mighty brain processes the modest signals that we receive, whether they are ink impressions on paper sheets or sounds emitted by the vocal cords of our fellow humans, to create another realm of "reality" which we base our acts upon. This is, at least to me, absolutely mind-blowing and it is likely something many of us do not realize. Continue reading

Quote #44

"One important life skill that will save face is that of gathering the necessary data or evidence before assertively making a judgement." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #42

"To unmistakably judge your own happiness you just need one tool: total and brutal honesty." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #41

"Being gullible is bad. Being cognizant of the fact that you are gullible, but still carrying on is worse. Incorrigibly and violently persisting with your gullibility is the worst." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #40

"Happiness is not to be seeked and found. It is to be realized." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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"Sad" Truths about Life

First of all, I don't have the intention to send any chills down your spine or take you to the deepest depths of sorrow. Instead I hope this post can bring readers to a realization of and/or emphasis on the veritable truths of life.

Let's begin by thinking of our fellow humans who were born in the 1840s, a period of time when British biologist & paleontologist Sir Richard Owen established a group of magnificent animals by bestowing the immortally impressive name Dinosauria, which means "fearfully great lizard", to those then-thought-of-as-extinct creatures. To the best of my knowledge, no-one arriving in this world during that decade is still alive today. I repeat: no-one.

What does this mean? Well, this phenomenon seems hardly any surprising but contemplating it could be fruitful in building a good and wise outlook on life. After experiencing a brief gust of life, they all crossed the threshold and stepped into the death realm, something that is inescapable to all beings, including us humans. The average human lifespan sits roughly in the region of 60–70 years. If you think about it, our time on Earth is mind-blowingly infinitesimal compared to the age of the planet itself: 4.6 billion years – let alone the unfathomably vast amount of time that has passed since the universe began: 14 billion years. I was born in 1990 and I'll turn 28 this coming April. Therefore, I have more or less 40 more years on this evolution-friendly planet, before I join the majority. The total moment that I possess to be in the presence of my beloved family & friends, gaze at my girlfriend's soothing smile, be stuck in awe at gorgeous views of foreign countries, tuck into luscious Quiznos subs and pizzas, peruse (in both senses) best-quality dinosaur and English books, indulge myself in Jay Chou's sublimely composed, timeless music, and so on and so forth, is only 40 Earth revolutions around the sun left. And then my body will unite with nature as it decomposes either on the ground or, if cremated, in the sea, by means of detritus feeders – if no-one doesn't want to balm or, in some way, preserve it. In any case, nobody will be able to see any parts of my physical and mental selves "move". What will remain is my legacy, which is made up of all the things I have printed on the globe (however good or bad they are): my words, speeches, acts, behavior, dinosaur painting, blog articles (like this one) and such. That's all. Klinsman is gone. If I am lucky.

If not, I will kick the bucket even sooner. Humans are vulnerable beings; we are susceptible to illnesses, diseases, and pestilences (Just a few days ago the mother of my elementary school friend passed away at the age of 55, presumably because of cancer. To name another few, there are diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, malaria, and Ebola.) Consequently, some people are so unfortunate that their lives have to end earlier than expected, perhaps abruptly. And then there exist those who have been suffering from some affliction since birth (or even before). Sadly, some may not be able to survive long after they leave the status of a newborn. I was organizing my files just now, and in the midst of it I went astray and came across this photo:

Santos and me

Santos was a child cancer survivor. A few years ago I read about his needing blood transfusion via Blood For Life Indonesia's Twitter account, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to donate a small amount of mine (type AB) to him. Nevertheless, he eventually had to succumb to his leukemia and breathed his last.

I am writing this article in a restaurant in South Jakarta, and I am going home as soon as I finish it. Is there a guarantee that I will arrive home safely? (FYI, it is located nearby) No. Life is highly unpredictable. We humans are so so terrible at predicting the future, as American paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara put it in his book Why Dinosaurs Matter. I might have an accident on the way home while riding a Grab motorcycle. Some other driver might exhibit their inanity by showing how speeding is really cool (to their imbecilic mind). It is also not difficult to come up with other death-invoking things, one type of which is natural disasters, which can happen all of a sudden. (However, note that actually "sad" things are not necessarily related to death; lifetime (and short-term) suffering can also be immensely depressing – think of those who need to undergo dialysis all their lives, for example.) It might be unimaginably distressing to know you are going to die soon. Nonetheless, American neuroscientist Sam Harris makes a point worth pondering in his Big Think video on death that, to add another "sad" thing, if we outlive our loved ones, it means we will be left alone, without them by our side.

It is always now, as Sam said in this eye-opening video. The powerful message is that we need to live our lives to the fullest in the present moment. People often forget that now is the best time to be happy; the past has always passed and the future will never come. Do not wait and get rid of all the "if"s and "when"s to really enjoy and appreciate the present. If you love someone, express it. If you have a keen interest in a field of study, learn about it. Be crazy and never let yourself be bound by constraints that are slowly gnawing on your potential happiness, which you do deserve. Do what you want while you are alive and while you can; otherwise, you will regret and feel the real sadness of life. Continue reading

Quote #33

"A society is at its lowest level when there is persecution of those who proclaim and advocate the truth." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Why I Don't Use Instagram

Thought-provoking title, isn’t it?

You might call me an old-fashioned or technologically down-to-date man – in fact, one of my best friends, who works as a doctor in a government hospital in North Jakarta, carries on keeping on continuing – I know I am being lebay (i.e. an Indonesian slang term for "exaggerating"), but there it is – insisting that I utilize the popular social media app. So, why don’t I do that? What prevents me clicking on the Play Store icon on my phone and, after several necessary steps, press the download button for the camera-logoed software?

I am from Indonesia, a wide-spanning, island-chunked country near to the kangaroo land Australia, and with a population of an enormous over 250 million people (hopefully I am right) and alay attitude present across the inhabitants (most of them are young adults), it is squarely a delish market for Instagram. And I think it is safe to say that its penetration and performance here is “highly successful”. A lot of my friends seem to love it and I can see their photos (and sometimes, or oftentimes, the accompanying deluges of hashtags) on my Facebook timeline since their Instagram accounts are linked to their Facebook. Again, the question remains the same: why don’t I have Instagram? (oh, well, different wording, but the same idea, right?)

The answer lies in my nature. I consider myself as someone who is ‘geared’ more towards functionality. I am not a kind of person who puts high importance on esthetics. It is reflected by the way I dress: I wouldn’t want to spend, say, 150 USD on fancy pieces of clothing – it would be better to use that much money to buy dinosaur books written by experts in the field since it will make me a more knowledgeable human and get me to a clearer understanding of the world. However, I do love taking and sharing pictures – with right doses. I do it occasionally, just when I feel it is necessary.

I am also a type of hominid who doesn’t like to follow mainstream trends – again, if they are not functional. I don’t feel Instagram would satisfy my needs as they have been fulfilled by, for example, Facebook. The sister company, I think, is the best social medium as it has all the features you would expect in such an app: you can upload photos and videos, you can post a status consisting of text only, you can create groups as well as pages, and so on and so forth. I do use other social media, for instance, LinkedIn and Twitter. I use the former because it provides a great platform in professional context (for networking, applying for jobs, etc.), while I created an account on the latter as it was ordered by my university lecturer in a character-building subject for a future assignment which she ended up not giving – thankfully, there is an upside of it: I can interact with science public figures such as British zoologist Dr. Darren Naish and Australian science writer John Pickrell. To me, the thought of having the latest version of the iPhone is just uninteresting and to be ignored: I am completely satisfied with my over-a-year-old Sony Xperia M2.

Now you might be asking: Will you ever use Instagram? Will I do that in the future? Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends: I will if I find that it will have a useful impact in my life. Continue reading

Quote #32

"Those who fear the truth won't see the beauty of the truth." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #30

"It is genuine smiles which are worthy, as opposed to fake ones, which are pernicious." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #29

"As members of Homo sapiens – the most intelligent species on the planet – we are endowed with a highly advanced brain. Yet, we need to keep on nurturing it by ceaselessly learning with high doses of curiosity, willingness, and, last but not least, humility." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Why Dinosaurs Matter – Book Review

Why Dinosaurs Matter

by Kenneth Lacovara

This is it. This is just the book the world needs. This is more or less what was in my mind before I purchased this book. Now that I finished it, all I can say is it really is.

Gazing at the intriguing title – and after reading the previous paragraph – you might be frowning with several shadows of a doubt: Do they really matter? Aren't they just long-gone creatures intended merely for children's entertainment? Grab this book and let Kenneth Lacovara obliterate any reservations of yours and convert you into an ardent dinosaur defender.

Why Dinosaurs Matter is definitely "a dinosaur book with a difference," as Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE puts it in her review. You won't find numerous dinosaur illustrations accompanied with a great deal of information on the diet, behavior, and other aspects of hosts of dinosaur genera. No, you won't. Instead, this book will take you into deep contemplation of your very existence on this planet. It will take you into a clearer understanding of the world through the medium of dinosaurology. It will take you into a period of reflection that will eventually lead you to genuine humility. The small size of this book shouldn't delude you into thinking that it is nothing. Why Dinosaurs Matter is made up of 12 chapters, each of which is filled with Ken's sublime scientific writing, which shows that he is a remarkable science communicator. I found that Ken's poetical prose, which was composed with his linguistic prowess, is a supreme point of this book, and with its content of scientific nature, Why Dinosaur Matters is a treasure of (dinosaurian) paleontology. You might be asking: Are there any particular dinosaurs covered in this book? The answer is yes! These include the world's most famous dinosaur: Tyrannosaurus rex, and the mighty Late Cretaceous sauropod Dreadnoughtus schrani, which was discovered by Kenneth Lacovara himself in southern Patagonia over a decade ago. In a nutshell, Why Dinosaurs Matter is a brilliantly & beauteously enlightening book.

As you may have noticed, Why Dinosaurs Matter is a TED Book, which means that it expands on a related TED Talk. Be amazed at Kenneth Lacovara's 2016 marvelous speech: Hunting for dinosaurs showed me our place in the universe (to access it on YouTube, click here). You might also want to have a glimpse into the book by navigating through these useful links:

• Here's Why Dinosaurs Matter (TED)
• In Defense Of Dinosaurs (Science Friday)
• Q&A with Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara (Natural History Museum of Utah)
• Why T. Rex's Puny Arms Are a Sign of Strength (National Geographic)
• Why Dinosaurs Matter... (Live Science)
• How a Boy Who Was Obsessed with Dinosaurs Discovered Dreadnoughtus (Live Science)
• Kenneth Lacovara Tells Us ‘Why Dinosaurs Matter’ (GeekDad)
• We are all walking natural history museums (INKtalks) (to watch it on YouTube, click here)
• Why Dinosaurs Matter - Kenneth Lacovara, at USI (Unexpected Sources of Inspiration)

Beware! Reading Why Dinosaurs Matter has a side effect: it will astronomically enlarge your vocabulary, owing to the innumerable expressions Ken poured into it. You might want to get a reliable English dictionary ready before you start reading this eye-opening book.

Have you read Why Dinosaurs Matter? What do you think of this book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

P.S. I love how Ken addresses young Earth creationism in this book. ;)

Related article by me: Why Dinosaurs?

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Quote #28

"Fakeness is always inferior to genuineness." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #24

"The only thing you need to fear is the fear itself." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #18

"Possessing a brain is not enough; you need to utilize it to its full potential." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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