Author: jaylazzo

What am I grateful to have today?

| jaylazzo

A random question from a random feed. To which I give a snapshot answer: I’m thankful for having a job, health, and freedom.

I’m grateful to have a challenging job. Which I often tell myself I hate because it has a high rate of failure, the infrastructure is not enabling, and there are just too many whirlwinds. But it’s not boring. Besides, where I am right now, the present, is the best place to be:

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” 

Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

I have always known I would never be without a job. But, this can’t be said of many, including people I know who are better talented, better trained, better connected. I’m not brilliant. I have a poor memory and my experience is thin. But, maybe talent and experience are overrated. In fact, too much of a good thing might be a disadvantage.

A guy I know, let’s call him Garfield: from a rich and powerful family, well educated, postgraduate degrees, led a research team at a university, and now jobless, spends his days on FB. He was given a simple job until about last year, but his employers asked him to take a “medical” leave, but are NOT calling him back. If you can do FB, work with numbers, and yet take numerous breaks, you must be unemployable by choice. Others, much more disadvantaged, work.

Garfield’s lazy. Pity’s not an appropriate response to that.

I am thankful that I still have strength in my limbs. When they disappear will I still be thankful? I might spend my last few years in bed, with tubes running in and out, not remembering the names of my friends. I might thank Death some day, but it’s pointless to look forward to it:

This is our big mistake: to think we look forward to death. Most of death is already gone. Whatever time has passed is owned by death.

Seneca ((4 B.C. – A.D. 65)

But long before that, I will be thanking Wisdom.

Wisdom. I’m thankful just for the present chance of exercising whatever powers I have. An above average IQ, skills and knowledge of a PhD, guitar skills, and the ability to snatch 125 lb. Had I been born with less, I’d still be thankful. A small cup filled to the brim is as thankful as a big cup filled to the brim.

Even the most talented sometimes regret why they aren’t more talented. That’s no way to be grateful. The point about talent is:

Talent alone won’t make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The most important question is: ‘Are your ready?’

Johnny Carson

If you think you’re successful, then you know you were ready. You can help others with that knowledge.

Who to help? First of all, time, resources, and energy are limited; we can’t help everyone. But it’s not a question of helping those who deserve to be helped. It’s a question of helping whoever is beside you.

Once upon a time, a young man was walking along a beach, and he found hundreds of starfish washed on the shore. Feeling a love for nature, he picked up one starfish and threw it back to the ocean. Then strolling along, he picked up another and did the same. A young boy watches him and asks:

“What are you doing?”

“I’m saving the starfish.”

“But there are hundreds of them! How can you save them all? What does it matter?”

“Well,” said the young man, “It matters to this little guy,” and then throws the starfish at the boy’s face.

If the world were truly random, then every unredeemed starfish could sing a lullaby to itself “That’s just how the wheel turns.” But if destiny were real, I would understand if an unsaved starfish would resent whoever controlled Fate. I think that God rules Fate and that events are not as random as they appear. But that’s no reason to resent God.

This is why. A soul is not “meant to be this, or that“, but to “be“. When God creates a soul, He creates it unique. It has a unique body, a unique set of potentials, and a unique future. What is that future? He sends that soul out like a simple coin, for it to return to Him at a higher value at the end of its life on earth. In that return to God lies the soul’s reason for being, its fulfillment.

And so, the fellow who lives in the slums, who has no opportunities, a quadriplegic who is orphaned and depends only on an abusive relative: it is not their unfortunate state that defines them. A gold coin is not less gold if muddied. What defines them is their drive to return to their Creator in a better state, which may be more or less difficult, but never impossible. Even for a brain-damaged person who cannot make choices like we do. God I think gives them value in a mysterious way. What we see more often, though, is that the handicapped and underprivileged help others around them to desire to become better.

Image: https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-1b75a/images/stencil/1280×1280/products/482/700/Chocolate_Gold_Coins_by_Palmer_001__52084.1649201331.JPG?c=2

That desire is love. Love determines what we choose, choice determines what we become. Choice is like minting a coin to give it value. We go from bum to brilliant because of choices. Or, if we choose to kill, our soul takes the form of a murderer. At his death, the person will see what years of minting have done to the coin that is his soul.

Then he will know if the coin was a fake.

How do you know a coin is fake? Desire and disgust, the two sides of the coin we call love: check for consistency. When one says he loves God, and worships the Devil, that’s a fake. God meant that coins should return to Him not only at higher value but also genuine, and He will reject it otherwise.

The beauty of it all is that the coin and its consequences, for better or worse, are truly ours. Our choices, our accountabilities: OURS. No one is so poor he does not have that.

So, the last thing I’ll be thankful for today is freedom.

(Q.C. 230530)

Why aim for 100 rejections a year?

| jaylazzo
Image: https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/12/16/opinion/sunday/16winter/16winter-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg

I came across this insightful article, Why You Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year by Kim Liao (https://lithub.com/why-you-should-aim-for-100-rejections-a-year/). The logic is this:

“Collect rejections. Set rejection goals. I know someone who shoots for one hundred rejections in a year, because if you work that hard to get so many rejections, you’re sure to get a few acceptances, too.”

I searched the internet for figures about the percentage of works that are rejected. The estimates are high: at least 90%, one giving 99+%. With that information, I asked, how many submissions must one make to have a 95% chance of being accepted.

Set up the equation:

Success = 1 – (Failure)^X

Where Failure = 99% (I will try 95% and 90% as well), and X=the number of submissions.

What this equation is saying is this: How many times do I have to fail in succession until I get an acceptance, a Success?

0.95 = 1 – (0.99)^X

X = log(0.05) / log(0.99)

X = 298

Solved for X using the method of logarithms.

Results and recommendations? For 99% probability of rejection, submit 298 times; for 95%, submit 58; for 90%, submit 28. These are submission, not 298 distinct works.

When Ms. Liao recommends 100 rejections a year, she is saying that the probability of rejection is between 95% and 99%, which squares well with what many anecdotal accounts in the internet say.

Let’s unpack that rather high figure. First of all, my estimate assumes that the figure is random, like flipping a coin. It’s not. Among other things, it is a function of capacity: publishers simply cannot accept much more than a small number, and if submissions are seasonal then the probability of rejection changes. Second, the probabilities are better for better writers; but “better” can refer to many things, not necessarily talent. For example, seasonal timing, or greater fit with the target audience. And third, the figure is not constant. Also, every rejection likely improves your chances in the next submission because you learned something.

Although I said it cannot be much smaller, there are ways of improving your chance of acceptance.

How can one decrease the probability of rejection?

There’s no surefire way. However, you can significantly improve your chances by following these approaches:

  1. Research Potential Publishers/Agents: Understand the kinds of work they usually accept and make sure your manuscript aligns with their preferences. It would be a waste of time to submit a science fiction novel to a publisher that specializes in non-fiction history books.
  2. Follow Submission Guidelines: This may seem simple, but many submissions are rejected simply because they do not adhere to the specified submission guidelines. These may include specific formatting requirements, word count limits, and instructions for what to include in your cover letter.
  3. Write a Compelling Query Letter: This is often the first thing a publisher or agent sees. A good query letter should be concise, capture the essence of your story, and convey why you believe your manuscript is a good fit for the publisher or agent.
  4. Proofread and Edit Thoroughly: Make sure your manuscript is as polished as it can be before submission. This means careful proofreading for grammatical errors, typos, and inconsistencies. Consider hiring a professional editor or using a reputable editing service if possible.
  5. Get Feedback Before Submitting: Have others read your manuscript and provide honest feedback. Beta readers can offer valuable insights and catch mistakes or confusing passages you might have missed. Consider joining a local or online writing group.
  6. Consider Professional Assessment: Before submitting, consider getting a professional manuscript assessment. They can provide a detailed critique and advice on how to improve your manuscript.
  7. Stay Current and Relevant: Keep an eye on trends within your genre. While you should not change your entire manuscript to fit the current trend, it might help to be aware of what is selling in your genre.
  8. Be Patient and Persistent: Publishing is a highly competitive field, and many successful authors faced numerous rejections before getting their work accepted. Keep submitting, keep improving your craft, and don’t let rejection discourage you.

I’m not familiar how the dynamics work out for self-publishing as I have not explored that area. A priori, I do have a high regard for mechanisms of selection or external review, which I feel is lacking when one is in full control. It’s something to study.

That said, every publisher and agent is different. What works for one might not work for another. Keep learning, keep refining your approach, and keep trying. It’s all part of the paying your dues.

I expect this event to be very helpful:

At the Hall C, Hidalgo Room, Booths E53-E56. World Trade Center, Manila. Image: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5902f354893fc0548ada3585/1d802c7f-5f26-491c-a228-89703c5ad6ea/IMG_2200.jpeg?format=1500w

(Q.C. 230530)

On Free time

| jaylazzo

The good news is, you’re always connected to the office. The bad news is, you’re always connected to the office.

The Wall Street Journal, full page ad

We need to rest, that’s pretty obvious. But why?

Relaxing and the Importance of Free Time

Many philosophers believe that taking a break and relaxing is super important for our well-being. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) thought that free time allowed us to think deeply and to develop our minds. In his book Nicomachean Ethics, he says that leisure is not just about not working; it’s about having the chance to think and learn, which is the real goal in life.

Epicurus (341-270 B.C.), another Greek philosopher, also believed that enjoying life and finding peace is the key to living well. He thought that our brains could help us choose the best experiences, both for our bodies and our minds.

Having Fun and Being Happy

Enjoyment means having a good time and feeling satisfied with what we do. Philosophers have always talked about the role of enjoyment in finding happiness and living a good life. Some, like Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), believed that being happy is the most important thing in life, and we should use our brains to find the most pleasure and avoid pain.

On the other hand, philosophers like Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) think that it’s more important to do what’s right and follow our moral values, rather than just looking for enjoyment. This idea shows that there’s a bit of a struggle between thinking and having fun, and we need to find a balance in our lives.

Finding the Right Mix of Thinking and Enjoying Life

Our brains play a big part in helping us enjoy life and find pleasure in things like taste, relaxation, and having fun. But focusing too much on pleasure can make us forget about our responsibilities and the importance of learning. At the same time, if we only think about doing what’s right, we might miss out on the good times that make life enjoyable. So, it’s important to find a balance between thinking and enjoying life.

I like to think that the brain is driven by only one of two drivers at a time: Business (B) or Pleasure (P). The B driver seeks achievement and fears boredom. The P driver seeks pleasure and fears pain. We get to choose who takes the driver’s seat. A healthy man will alternate the two depending on the rhythm of his day. An unhealthy man puts either B or P on the driver’s seat 99% of the time. For the unhealthy B driven guy, dinner with his kids is a business meeting, like Baron Von Trapp in the Sound of Music before he met Maria.

The Sound of Music: I watched this movie at least 6 times. It may almost been an addiction because it’s such a feel good movie. But then, we were kids, we liked candy. Most of the media consumed by grown people today are designed to be addictive for adults. Addiction is always sketchy. It is certainly great for the producer, but deadly for the consumer. And the way producers achieve addiction is to increase the emotional content. The Sound of Music had great music, beautiful actors, and wonderful scenery, like ads.

And pornography.

Image: https://www.antidopamine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/libertycitysurvivor.blogspot.com_.jpg

At the level of the brain, the intense emotional experience of The Sound of Music puts it very close to pornography, which is also designed to achieve an emotional euphoria. Porn is so much stronger, however, than Rodgers and Hammerstein. Those who’ve had the experience of it know that no serious work gets done as long as the addictive storm is taking place.

But the damage of porn goes way beyond missing work deadlines. Porn affects the way we make decisions. How so?

We do not think in a vacuum. Our thinking is stimulated by data. These can come from the senses, or they can come from the imagination, the memory, and emotions. The brain takes all these data, selects what is relevant, applies some kind of rule (e.g., an algorithm like compare and contrast, pro’s and con’s, etc.) to process the data, and then makes a judgment. What porn provides is a model.

For example, the sculptured looks of a porn star constitute a model for compare-and-contrast. A girl looks at the mirror, and says “I don’t look sexy [i.e., I don’t look like a porn star.], therefore I’m ugly.” We tend to adopt whatever is most recent in our memories. Thus, regular and intense consumption of porn keeps that model of beauty in memory. And not just beauty, but behaviors, ways of talking. And not just porn. Regular consumption of gore, violence, and dysfunctional behavior makes salient features of the human condition that are but part of a complex, colorful mix.

Imagine building relationships with people when the models we use are limited to physical beauty or a certain version of it, pleasure, and aggression. Building relationships with real people is already hard and messy, and having limited models doesn’t help with navigating the much larger variety of humans in real life. If it’s messy, what do we do? The brave will risk it. The un-brave will click on an avatar. One can spend a whole lifetime in isolation, like the hikikomori of Japan. Who are these sad people?

Hikikomori are individuals, typically young adults, who withdraw from social interactions and isolate themselves in their homes or rooms for extended periods, often for six months or longer, supported by their families. They often face challenges with school, work, relationships. Academic stress, social anxiety, bullying, family dynamics, societal expectations, and economic factors have been suggested as potential triggers or contributing factors to their withdrawal from society.

Hikikomori may number in the hundreds of thousands or even higher, although it is challenging to obtain precise figures due to the secretive nature of the phenomenon.

I said they were sad. Maybe they have adapted to dealing with avatars who will tell them what they want to hear. Or play video games, watch porn or movies about singing girls and nuns, eat and sleep the whole day. That should make them happy, right? I do not think so.

Dr. Raymond Lloyd Richmond said,

“We watch television and sports and we read books and comics in the hope of seeing something that will make us feel good about ourselves. We play sports and video games in the hope of accomplishing something that will make us feel good about ourselves. We listen to music and chat on mobile devices in the hope of hearing something that will make us feel good about ourselves. We strip sexuality of its reproductive responsibilities and make it into the most pervasively sought-after entertainment of all, in the hope of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and accomplishing something that will make us feel good about ourselves.”

Raymond Lloyd Richmond

The question he invites us to ask is: does our mode of entertainment make us better versions of ourselves? He extends this invitation outwards: the better versions of ourselves invites others to be better versions of themselves, too.

And that, I think, is the key to navigating the risky messiness of human relationships: put your best foot forward, that the other may do likewise. The rest is adventure unfolding.

(Q.C. 230528)

Taste in Entertainment

| jaylazzo

“Everybody wants healthy entertainment.”

Me

Who am I kidding.

I want entertainment that’s fun and productive, most people do. The “winners” practice a sport, takes leisurely walks, or dedicates time to reading, music, or some hobby for rest and entertainment. The “losers” like to eat, sleep, and complain.

Sad to think that’s what the losers choose or regress to. We were all there. When we were young and stupid. That’s forgivable. But we grew up and pruned away, becoming more discriminating in our choices, especially in pursuits that take time, such as music, reading and movies.

Music. Many who enjoy their favorite music love the concentration, the break from ambient noise or ambient people. They don’t always listen to relax, but to experience whatever emotion breaks the tedium. I’m partial to jazzy instrumentals, to complex rhythms and harmonies, and to Brazilian music. Others are partial to heavy metal. Apparently, white noise is good (https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/can-listening-white-noise-help-you-focus), an example of which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMfPqeZjc2c. In fact, I’m listening to that one right now. It relaxes me like any Jobim song.

Reading. I found an article that describes 20 kinds of readers (https://basmo.app/different-types-of-readers/); they even have an online quiz to class you. Obviously, we don’t have to face the 4 million books published every year, but we do have to ask: what’s a good strategy to choose books?

My favorite advice comes from Jean Guitton (1901-1999) who wrote much about reading in Nouvel Art de Penser. On the question of “what”, he said books were friends. You have this large number in the library; a tiny fraction of that would be your acquaintances. From that, you pick no more than a handful that you call friends, the ones you’d never lend to anyone.

On the question of “how”, he gives two guidelines. First, never read a book that has only just come out, i.e., that has appeared only in the last three years. Read only what have stood the review of time. And second, read only books that move you. He didn’t mean “emotionally”. Rather, the books that make you think, that make you feel this is something you would have written yourself, whether it’s the book or some paragraph. He says that the French writer and philosopher Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) used to tear out pages that were not worth reading from all of his books, an insane practice used as hyperbole.

Movies. I treat movies like books: I prefer older movies, or ones that are likely to be classics for artistic and technical reasons. I prefer what I might willingly watch more than once. We have our choice of romance, horror, suspense and comedy, whether for character, plot, or landscape. I’m chill with all of that (except supernatural horror), and make choices sometimes based on whether I’m watching on a Friday (movies that think) or a Saturday (movies that don’t). Although they are not movies, I’ve watched certain clips many many times, my recent ones being from Shine (1996), Groundhog Day (1993), The Godfather (1972), and Margin Call (2011).

Of course I’m prejudiced. G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) wrote that the purpose of education was not to remove prejudice, but to improve its quality. The act of election as described by Guitton is an act of judgment, and therefore, of thinking itself. Ergo, the better the thought, the better the judgment, the better the choice, for and against. That we can even speak of “better” because there are objective features we are judging: a pleasing manner in how words are strung or scenes are lighted; a significant subject matter worth talking or thinking about, particularly if it is true and good and beautiful; and a coherent method in organizing the content, i.e., composition or logical order. Manner, Matter, and Method — objective parameters professionals of all kinds spend years honing.

Thus, taste is real and objective, not just imagined and purely subjective. And because taste is the product of a judgment, and judgment the product of a thinking that underlies all choices, taste can reveal something about the character of a person. As J.K. Rowling says through the character of Dumbledore:

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

Prof. Albus Dumbledore

Now let’s look at how taste relates to the way we think and reason.

Taste and Liking Beautiful Things

When we talk about taste, we usually mean how we appreciate beautiful things. But is there an objective aspect to taste, a universal standard for beauty? Let’s dive into the philosophy of taste and see if we can find any objective elements in this otherwise subjective world.

The Subjectivity of Taste. When it comes to taste, we often hear the phrase, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” This means that what one person finds beautiful, another might not. It seems like taste is completely subjective, with no real objective standards to follow. However, philosophers have been trying to find a more objective approach to taste for centuries.

Some philosophers, like Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), believed that what we understand as common sense implies a universal human experience of beauty. Even though we all have our own personal preferences, Kant thinks that deep down, we share a common understanding of what makes something beautiful.

Modern psychology has experimentally studied what Kant has described. In a post, Smartprimaryed wrote:

It has been found that aesthetic learning is highly integral to children’s cognitive and academic achievements. Children’s emotional development and their ability to make connections in the natural environment is supported by a learning environment which places emphasis on the beauty and wonder of nature. This in turn helps students to form a firm foundation for social consciousness, knowledge and care.

https://smartprimaryed.com/author/smartprimaryed/

Kant’s theory of taste focuses on the idea of “disinterested pleasure”, another way of distinguishing objective from subjective. When we find something genuinely beautiful, it’s not because we want to own it or use it for some purpose. Instead, we just enjoy the beauty for its own sake, without any personal attachment. This disinterested pleasure finds objective beauty in the “wonder of nature”.

Objective features allow us to predict the results of applying techniques, and thus we can tell a good technique from a bad one. The objective features of taste are what make training possible.

The Role of Culture and Context. While there might be some objective aspects of taste, it’s also essential to consider the role of culture and context. Our personal tastes can be heavily influenced by our upbringing, social environment, and cultural background.

But if cultures and upbringing are unique why are the most successful films often ones with “attractive” actors, whether it’s Hollywood or Bollywood? This is an example of a relatable experience that suggests certain “standards” of human beauty are shared, such as having a youthful appearance, long and thick hair, slimness, and the presence of symbols such as tattoos. These physical qualities may be measured.

Indeed, in one example of a study to measure objective aspects of beauty, Vashi (2015) wrote:

Research suggests that the main attributes that humans find universally attractive in others include facial averageness, symmetry, sexual dimorphism, and skin homogeneity. 

N.A. Vashi, https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-17867-7_2

So, is there a way to find objective beauty in a subjective world? Philosophers like Kant and scientific studies like those cited above argue that there’s a universal human experience of beauty that goes beyond individual preferences. There is objective beauty, and there’s subjective beauty as well. Our personal tastes are influenced by factors like culture and context that add a powerful emotional color to objective features like symmetry that influence our response.

In the end, we can appreciate and respect the unique tastes of others while still recognizing that there may be some universal qualities of beauty that we can all agree on.

The philosophy of taste is a fascinating exploration of beauty, both from a subjective and objective perspective, and an inspiring look into into how we put value to our free time.

(Q.C. 230528)

Igor the Generous

| jaylazzo

Once upon a time there lived a man named Igor. He was tall, his silver hair slicked back meticulously, and he always wore a serious expression on his face. He lived in a house on a hill a little overlooking the town, and the townsfolk rarely saw him.

Igor’s reputation was that of a snob. He rarely spoke to anyone, and when he did, his words were curt and his voice frosty. He had a penchant for walking alone, on the rare occasions he was out of the house, never saying more than a short greeting to everyone he met. And so, people found him standoffish and unapproachable, interpreting his aloofness as a disdain for the common man.

However, the truth about Igor was quite different. He was an introvert, finding more comfort in solitude than in crowds. Conversations with all but equally serious people like himself drained him and left him feeling flustered. Yet, he wasn’t self-absorbed as the townsfolk believed. Among his few close friends he was known as an organizer and a brilliant historian.

One day, a storm hit the town, and much of it was flooded. Those who had to leave their houses had to seek shelter in the town’s covered courts and in the classrooms of its elementary school. The townsfolk were in a panic, fearing they would soon run out of medicine and food. The local stores were quickly running out of supplies, especially toilet paper and paracetamol, and fear was creeping into every heart.

Despite the grim situation, Igor left the house and returned with a large crate of groceries and boxes. The few who saw him fueled the fire of resentment and Igor soon became the subject of hostile whispers. Many thought he was hoarding.

The next day, a little boy, Luc, mustered the courage to approach Igor’s house. His mother was ill, and they had run out of toilet paper and paracetamol. Swallowing his fear, Luc knocked on Igor’s heavy, wooden door.

Igor answered. He towered over Luc, his stern face devoid of any smile. Luc stammered out his request, asking if Igor had any toilet paper and paracetamol to spare.

To Luc’s surprise, Igor didn’t send him away. Instead, he disappeared inside his manor and reemerged with a box with both items requested, and a bottle of Le Petit Marseillais liquid soap [“Il met l’accent sur le naturel!”]. He gave it to Luc with a smile, without a word. The young boy thanked him profusely and ran off. Before reaching his house, Luc passed by the covered courts and gave the liquid soap and some of the paracetamol to Raph, a boy about his age, whose house had been demolished by the storm.

The next day, the town woke up to an incredible sight. There, in the middle of the basketball court, was a large pile of food, medicine, and other necessities. There was only a note that said “For the town, care of Dr. Olivier.” The town’s leader, Dr. Olivier was called, who put together a team, including another doctor and a nurse, to handle distribution and diagnosis. Within the hour, many townspeople came and added to the pile, which now included clothes, beddings, canned goods, diapers, and a large box of doxycycline and penicillin for those with early symptoms of leptospirosis. People who were more fit also organized themselves to cook and to bring supplies to old people living alone. The crowd was well disciplined and in good humor.

As the supplies dwindled down and the crisis abated, a box was found at the bottom of the pile, part of the original pile that had been ignored. Inside, someone discovered several T-shirts branded “Iguane d’Igor“.

Word spread quickly. Igor, the so-called snob, had purchased a large amount of supplies, but not for himself. He had risked being trapped in a flood to get many of these supplies.

A different rumor then spread. The town knew that Igor wasn’t a snob, but a very generous and courageous man, caring in his own quiet, introverted way. No one, however, asked him directly about what he had done.

It was little Luc who knocked on Igor’s door later, and thanked him again for the toilet paper, paracetamol, and soap, and also for the pile. Igor smiled, disappeared, returned to the door and offered the kid a Coke and a Kit Kat, then said bye and to take care.

Igor continued to live his quiet life, oblivious even to the town’s respect and appreciation. But in their newfound attitude, they began to notice things about the quiet man they never noticed before: that he had a pet iguana, belonged to a club of Latinists that met by Zoom every Thursday, had a masters degree in Medieval Studies, ran a profitable distribution business online, and that the prettiest girl in the next town, a virtuoso pianist and music teacher, was his fiancée.

People can tell when someone is can ignore his inconvenience, pain, and even lack of competence. Generous people just do it, never think of their help as a performance.

(Q.C. 230527)

On shortening one’s prayer

| jaylazzo

Prayer.

Basically a chat with God or a higher power. You find this kind of thing in almost all religions or spiritual paths. What people say, when they do it, and why can be very different, but usually, people might say thanks, say sorry, pray for others, ask for stuff they need, or just sit quietly thinking about the divine.

Prayer isn’t all just about a wish list to God, it’s more like a conversation and building a relationship with God. So people might be saying how awesome God is, saying sorry for messing up, being thankful for the good things God has given them, or asking God to help out.

A tradition of prayer refers to the usual ways people in a specific religious group pray, and passed down through generations. It can include different ways of praying, specific ways people pray (like the beads Catholics use for the rosary, or the five daily prayers Muslims do), set times for prayer (like Jews praying three times a day), or certain prayers everyone uses (like the Lord’s Prayer Christians often say, or the Shema for Jews).

In a bigger sense, a tradition of prayer also means what a religious community generally believes about prayer. This could be ideas about how God answers prayer, how important faith is when you’re praying, the value of praying with other folks, and so on. These shared beliefs and ways of doing things are a huge part of what makes a religious group what it is.

An ancient tradition in the Catholic Church is the recitation of the Divine Office.

The Divine Office, also known as the Liturgy of the Hours, is a set of prayers that Catholics (and some other Christian denominations) pray throughout the day. It’s like the heartbeat of the Church, with prayers happening around the world at different times of the day.

Related to the Divine Office is the breviary. The term “breviary” comes from the Latin “breviarium,” meaning “shortening” or “summary.” The Catholic breviary is a condensed or abridged version of the various prayers and readings. It was designed to be a more accessible, brief form of the larger liturgical texts, making the prayers and readings of the Church more readily available to its clerics and members of religious orders, as well as the laity. It offers a practical and manageable way to carry out the Church’s extensive daily prayers.

The aim of the Divine Office or breviary is to sanctify the day and all human activity, providing a structured way for the faithful to engage in constant prayer.

Structure of the Breviary:

The breviary is organized around a weekly and yearly cycle, with the prayers changing based on the time of day, the day of the week, the liturgical season, and the particular feast days of saints. The main hours included in the Divine Office are:

  1. Office of Readings (formerly Matins): A longer office of readings from the Bible and Church Fathers, it can be prayed at any time during the day but is traditionally used as the first prayer of the day, before dawn.
  2. Lauds or Morning Prayer: Prayed at dawn or the start of the day.
  3. Daytime Prayer: Shorter prayers that can be prayed at any of the three hours (terce, sext, none) typically corresponding to mid-morning, midday, and mid-afternoon.
  4. Vespers or Evening Prayer: Prayed at sunset or the close of the day.
  5. Compline or Night Prayer: The last prayer of the day, prayed before retiring for the night.

Each of these hours includes a variety of elements: psalms, hymns, readings, and prayers. The structure of the Divine Office ensures that the Psalms, the prayer book of the Bible, are prayed in their entirety over the course of a week or four-week cycle, depending on the specific rites.

Obligation:

While all members of the Catholic Church are encouraged to pray the Divine Office, it is an official obligation for the clergy and members of religious orders. Bishops, priests, and deacons, as well as many monks, nuns, and friars, are required to pray the Divine Office daily. Some lay Catholics also pray the Divine Office, either in full or in part, as a part of their personal devotion.

Praying the breviary offers a number of benefits.

Benefits of Praying the Breviary:

  1. Structure and Discipline: The Divine Office provides a structure to the day and encourages a rhythm of prayer that encompasses the entirety of the day.
  2. Connection to the Universal Church: When praying the Divine Office, one is united with the whole Church throughout the world, participating in a communal act of worship.
  3. Immersion in Scripture: The breviary is replete with psalms, readings from both the Old and New Testaments, and prayers that are grounded in biblical language. This immerses the individual in the word of God, allowing it to shape their mind and heart.
  4. Liturgical Participation: The breviary is aligned with the liturgical year, allowing individuals to live according to the rhythm of the Church’s seasons and feasts.
  5. Spiritual Growth: Regular prayer fosters a deeper relationship with God, aiding in personal spiritual growth and transformation.

What’s the benefit for laymen? In addition, reciting the breviary in whole or in part can put a rhythm of margin and meaning in an otherwise swamped and stretched professional schedule. It can bring people together when prayed as a group. However, the Divine Office is a means to an end — deepening one’s relationship with God — and not an end in itself.

How do I practice it? I use an app called iBreviary. I usually pray just the Matins and the Evening Prayer on my own. A former high school classmate set up a recurring Zoom link to recite Matins on Sundays at 5:30 am Philippine time, which takes about 10-15 min. Comment on this post with your email address if you’re interested to join.

Image: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71V0G+2NZQL.jpg

Writing as Gym Work

| jaylazzo

I came across a Youtube video with that title some time ago. The speaker told about how once as a kid she refused to perform a musical number because she was shy. Her mother told her “Don’t flatter yourself. No one’s really going to care about you; your job is to go up on stage and perform. The rest doesn’t matter.”

I, like most people, will sometimes worry about how I appear when I give a talk. Am I making a good impression? Are they convinced? After a talk, I’m sometimes worked up thinking I should have said this or that.

One solution I tried to lessen that problem was to write out my whole talk and then deliver by reading; extemporaneous is for Q&A. This lessened my worry about forgetting anything important. Writing a whole talk looks like it takes more time, but the benefits to me are worth it.

The benefits to my audience, too. A talk that I used to deliver for about half an hour without notes is now down to 15 minutes.

When I started that practice, I thought, “What would people think, that I have to read my talks? Would they sound too academic?” Now I’m so used to the practice and people who know me are used to it as well I do not think anymore about performance. I just know it works.

I’ve even stopped comparing my performance to others, outside of getting what I can learn from them. I’ve tried many approaches, and now I realize that that what’s makes one person impressive is not usually transferable. Writing reveals what is unique to oneself.

I do not wish to describe exactly how that happens. But let’s take it from the fact that writing is not just an activity; it is a cognitive artifact. A cognitive artifact is something physical or digital that has aided a mental process. Cognitive artifacts can be used to guide problem-solving, recall, and/or thinking. These items are referred to as artifacts because they are leftover remnants indicative of the efforts it takes to unravel mental processes.

Writing is just one of many cognitive artifacts; others include books, maps, calculators, language, decision software, calendars, checklists. Napoleon Bonaparte’s hobby was to study maps and solve geometry problems. Choose an artifact and, like Napoleon, use it at every occasion. Master it.

Image: https://www.awai.com/_img/content/2015/05/the-fastest-way-to-build-your-writing-muscles/001.jpg

Use your favorite cognitive artifact like you’re going to the gym. You will develop powerful cognitive muscles, and you will discover confidence, especially in solving your favorite problems.

One day you will find others who enjoy the same pursuits. Common aims and complementary skills lead to collaborations. That is what a profession is: a community built around solving specific kinds of problems and whose tools, techniques and traditions have been tried and tested over generations. One can change the world with such collaborations.

In the old days people joined professional guilds from a very young age. Nowadays, we do that training in school, but also in clubs.

What is important is to start young. Cultivate these talents and networks even without seeing their immediate use. For when the opportunity does present itself to make your grand entrance to the world you will be ready.

(Q.C., 230515)

On I.Q. and Cognitive Artifacts

| jaylazzo

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer editorial by Inez Ponce de Leon (https://opinion.inquirer.net/163365/of-about-and-beyond-iq),

The below-average IQ ranking of the Philippines in the World Population Review 2023 (WPR) is another indictment of the country’s poverty and learning crises. This may no longer come as a surprise given the dismal performance of Filipino high school students in reading, mathematics, and science literacy but it is worrisome for the country’s future in global competitiveness.

The Philippines ranked 111th out of 199 countries in the latest WPR measuring IQ scores defined as the “quality of education and resources available to people in their local geographic region.” It noted that areas with lower IQ scores were typically poorer and less developed, specifically in education. The Philippines scored 81.64, several percentage points below the average range of 85-115. Japan topped the list (106.48), while Nepal (42.99) took the bottom. Among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, only Laos (80.99) and Indonesia (78.49) ranked lower than the Philippines.

PDI,, May 21, 2023

The data can be found here: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/average-iq-by-country

Why is this a problem? Consider the graphs below.

The two normal curves, yellow and green, show the distribution, say, of IQ, in two populations of the same size. The average IQ in the green population is 100 (centered around 1), and the average IQ in the yellow population is 85 (centered around 0). The black line centered at 2 represents the minimum IQ required for a specific job, in this case, one that requires high intelligence such as a software engineer. The red area to the right of that line represents the number of people in the yellow population who are fit for that job. The green plus red area to the right of that line represents that number for the green population. We can see here that the talent pool in the yellow population for that job is about 1/3 to 1/4 that of the green population.

The implication is this: populations with higher IQ’s have a greater supply of manpower for any job, and their competitive advantage over populations with lower average IQ’s becomes more pronounced in jobs requiring higher and higher intelligence. Countries with high IQ’s have a greater talent pool of engineers, researchers, professors, and other jobs that add great value to a country’s wealth. Those countries will also have a larger pool of talent for intellectually less specialized work but which will require complex skills. A country with a very low IQ like South Sudan will have a large supply of stevedore talent, but not enough engineers to sustain any strong industry. Indeed, GDP is correlated with IQ and other measures of academic achievement (Hunt 2012, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41613567).

More specifically, what are the estimated IQ’s required for different jobs? I reproduce the data from a very interesting article, which you can find here: https://enhancingbrain.com/what-kind-of-job-fits-your-iq-by-jordan-peterson/

IQ 116-130

  • Research Analyst, Attorney 
  • Advertising Manager, Editor
  • Engineer, Chemist, Executive 
  • Trainee, Manager
  • Auditor, Systems Analyst

IQ 110-115

  • Accountant, Copywriter 
  • Manager/Supervisor 
  • Programmer,  Sales
  • Sales Manager
  • Teacher, Analyst, Adjuster 
  • Purchasing Agent 
  • General Manager
  • Registered Nurse
  • Sales Accountant Executive 

IQ 103-108

  • Administrative Assistant 
  • Bookkeeper, Store Manager
  • Drafter, Credit Clerk, Designer 
  • Assistant Manager, Lab Tester/tech 
  • Telephone Sales, General Sales
  • Accounting Clerk, Secretary
  • Medical Debt Collection 
  • Customer Service Representative 
  • Computer Operator 
  • Automotive Salesman, Technician

IQ 100-102 

  • General Office, Dispatcher
  • Police Patrol Officer 
  • Cashier, Receptionist
  • General Clerical 
  • Meter Reader, Inside Sales Clerk
  • Data Entry, Printer, Teller,
  • Electrical Helper 

These figures suggest that in the Philippines, less than half will be qualified to be cashiers or receptionists.

A small talent pool is not a death sentence. A country can still grow rich picking fruits or digging rocks, perhaps fishing. Highly intelligent people from other countries may come in to employ the low IQ locals who may be fortunate to work with rich natural resources. The highly intelligent people will become rich.

Now is there a sweet spot for a high IQ?

According to Jordan Peterson in the article cited above, an IQ of 145 is necessary if one is to become the best in his or her field. The best performers are often the ones who get ahead first, and very high IQ people have the learning speed to get them there. However, having a high IQ does not guarantee success, only that those who do succeed enormously happen to have at least 145.

Ms. Ponce de Leon speculates on the causes of the Philippine problem. Proposed causes are poor nutrition, lack of training in critical thinking. She writes:

Children grow up in an environment where they are applauded for following orders, imitating moves, and meeting adults’ expectations of a docile, obedient child who is promised severe punishment for independent thinking.

Smart students might find school a safe place. Ms. Ponce de Leon says, however, that when these students return home, they must face family members who do not value learning. She also faults many students’ inability to take criticism productively, and an educational culture in general that rewards metrics such as grades that measure rote memory, not critical thinking.

I agree that good nutrition in the earliest years is essential for proper brain development. Beyond that, I agree with Hunt (2012, op. cit.) that intelligence is a function of training in the use of cognitive artifacts: physical instruments or styles of reasoning that amplify our ability to think.

Below are some examples of cognitive artifacts:

  1. Pen and Paper
  2. Algorithms, like long division
  3. Calculators
  4. Abacus
  5. Maps
  6. Books
  7. Spreadsheets
  8. Mind-mapping Software
  9. Smartphones
  10. Project Management Software
  11. Dictionaries
  12. Recipes
  13. Mental cognitive artifacts: rules of thumb, mnemonics, parables and proverbs

There is a strong tradition among East Asians and Europeans of using pen and paper, to memorize characters, to take dictation, to solve math problems. We should also credit the practice of reading and interpreting scripture and parables as powerful exercises to develop critical thinking and rhetorical skills.

It is important, of course, to know how to use these artifacts. Everyone knows how to use pen and paper, but not many know how to write good prose and poetry and teach others. When class sizes are very large, writing material is expensive, and movies and gaming are more important pursuits, how can students give the large amount of time needed to master cognitive artifacts?

Filipinos seem to still love to read. In a 2019 survey by the National Book Development Board, 76.75% of adults and 84.99% of kids say they’ve read a printed book within the past year (https://www.rappler.com/brandrap/beyond-the-buy/239878-filipinos-still-into-books-survey/). But this does not square with another finding: that the Philippines scored significantly below average compared to other countries in all three major areas: reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy. Only about 19 percent of Filipino students achieved at least the minimum proficiency level in overall reading literacy, and only about 20 percent achieved the minimum in mathematical literacy (https://opinion.inquirer.net/162422/local-international-tests-show-urgent-need-to-improve-quality-of-education). We may be reading, but not reading well.

And science? Poor science literacy may be the result of poor reading strategies, as suggested by one study (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-023-01705-y).

We’re really down to pen, paper, books, and the exquisite skills required to use them well.

(Q.C. 230524)

A Day of Great Conversations

| jaylazzo

We had dinner with the Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales of Baguio City last May 18, 2023 in a resto called Hill Station at Casa Vallejo in Baguio City. With us were two other board members of the Philippine Society for Cell Biology, Dr. Racquel Chua Barcelo and Dr. Easter Joy Sajo.

Image: Camera of R. Chua-Barcelo

Why this meeting?

The Society decided last October 2022 to hold its 6th International Conference this October 2023 in Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines, and the most important urban and educational center in the North. In March 2023, we learned that a city ordinance was being drafted that would give priority to research. Wouldn’t it be wise to invite the city government to collaborate in organizing this scientific conference?

We got in touch with Baguio City Councilor Orcales. He had proposed the Research and Innovation Ordinance providing for policies and strategies on research and innovation in the city. The objective is to come up with effective coordination among innovation partners in solving the city’s problems. “This is also for the intention of Baguio to come up with long term plan or vision when it comes to research and innovation,” he said in an interview.

What will happen is this. The ordinance will create a City Research and Innovation Alliance that will gather all innovation partners. The policies will create focus. People and focus produce ideas. Ideas attract funding, projects, actions that walk the talk to address real problems.

I asked Councilor Orcales, “Sir, what are the three top problems of the city?”

“Water, zoning, and urban decay,” he said. Baguio’s perennial water shortage problem gets worse during tourist season. The zoning problem is the result of a lack of too many exceptions. And urban decay is a complex mix of issues from poor social capital to environmental degradation.

Solutions to these problems are already being worked out in Universities. Perhaps gathering dust in libraries. Well, take out the dust! The universities are unique ecosystems that bring problem solvers together.

So are scientific societies. Councilor Orcales believes that undergraduates and senior high school students will also benefit if given a chance to participate in these meetings, which are usually for professionals. The idea is to see real work, and to draw inspiration from it.

I asked Councilor Orcale, “Sir, I understand you are working on a Theory of Change for the city?”

He said, “Yes, yes, in fact we just started our TOC workshop last week.”

Our dinner conversation was fluid because we were all speaking the language of Theory of Change. From the example below one can already see why we were so engrossed.

Image: http://heed-refugee.coventry.ac.uk/theory-of-change/

What is a TOC, and why is it important to bring up this topic?

Theory of change refers to two things, a method and a document. First, it is a is a method that explains how a given intervention, or set of interventions, is expected to lead to specific development change. Second, it refers to the plan itself. A TOC is as important for a project or program as a constitution is for a country. It spells out a project’s priorities, what it will do and why and, as importantly, what it will NOT do, as part of its mandate as a group.

Baguio’s TOC will give the city’s leaders a reason to say NO to projects that lead nowhere near their desired outcomes, and YES to those that do. Focus, and a clear vision of the impact Baguio wants to achieve, how to achieve it, and how to monitor progress. The Society will also benefit from its own TOC, which will identify cities like Baguio as stakeholders.

What other cities? I think three cities best represent the key places to test solutions in this country. Manila, the capital, representing the challenge of flat lands. Cebu, queen city of the south, representing the challenge of islands. And Baguio, representing the challenge of mountains. How varied is Philippine geography!

By 8 pm it was time to go. We thanked Councilor Orcales for an enjoyable dinner, made even better by the ambience.

You see, Hill Station at Casa Vallejo is one of the best restaurants in the City (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hill-Station-Casa-Vallejo/186024604775996), and its building, one of the oldest. It was slightly unfortunate that we were not able to pay much attention to the excellent musicians, a lady and her pianist, during our 1.5 hour dinner. After the meeting, we applauded. Then as we were standing up to go I asked the singer, “Was that French you were singing?”

Image: https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-byYW_UEo_dg/UkpzwTE56FI/AAAAAAAADLA/f5RZN2v76pw/s1600/Casa+Vallejo+Hotel+Baguio+City-004.JPG

“Portuguese,” she said with a big smile. “Any requests, sir?”

“Yes, Ma’m” I said, “Anything bossa nova.” I love bossa nova.

She sang Garota de Ipanema [“Olha que coisa mais linda. Mais cheia de graça“] and Desafinado [“Se você disser que eu desafino, amor“], in Brazilian.

On the way out my colleague commented, “You’re a romantic, Jay, because you like bossa nova, yes?”

“Not at all,” I replied. “Bossa nova is not especially romantic. Desafinado is about contempt and ingratitude, and Garota de Ipanema is about desire and frustration, not romance.”

It was a day of great conversations.

Vinicius de Moraes and Helo Pinheiro, c. 1960’s. Image: https://m.wsj.net/video/20160810/081016ipanema2/081016ipanema2_1280x720.jpg

Trivia. In 2001, the muse who inspired Garota de Ipanema, businesswoman and former model Helo Pinheiro (1945 – ), who has never received financial benefit from the second most recorded song in history, was sued by the heirs of the composers Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980) and Tom Jobim (1927-1994) for naming her boutique Garota de Ipanema. Pinheiro won. Someone should write a bossa nova song about that and call it Marota de Ipanema.

(Q.C. 230523)