What others say and I like.
Mostly an archive of internet articles I want in one place, with some of my writing and rumination sprinkled here and there.
Monday, 9 May 2016
Seven things you should always keep secret
Copied verbatim from here
There are a few things which are always worth keeping to yourself. Telling the world about them — however much you want to — just won’t bring you anything good. Here are seven of the most crucial things we think you should always keep secret.
- Don’t reveal your most ambitious plans. Keep silent about these until you’ve actually managed to fulfill them. Such plans often have weak spots and ill-thought out parts which you haven’t noticed; therefore, the chances are that someone could pick them apart quite easily, leading you to become too disheartened to even try to overcome them.
- Don’t deliberately share information about any good or generous deeds or charitable work that you’ve done. The greatest virtue lies in doing something good without hope of recognition. Boasting about such things can quickly lead to arrogance. If you feel the need to, perhaps you should evaluate why it is that you’re really doing these things — is out of altruism, or the desire to be praised?
- Never reveal the secrets of your lifestyle. It’s not worth bragging about how you’ve gone on a diet, or overcome your habit of sleeping too much in the morning, or stopped indulging your appetite for sex. If you’ve given up on worldly pleasures for the sake of spiritual goals, then it makes no sense to talk about this — your emotional condition needs to be harmonious, and such a desire to impress others and receive praise is a sign that it is not.
- Another thing it is always worth keeping silent about are those moments when you’ve shown courage or heroism. We all come up against various challenges every day — both in the external world and on the inside, in our own minds. Your achievements in dealing with both, should they become known, will be rewarded appropriately. It’s not for you to decide whether they are worthy of recognition — therein lies the lesson.
- Never share your thoughts on what you consider to be your enlightened knowledge of the universe and on questions of life and death. It’s only your interpretation, rather than objective truth, and the chances are you will only seem condescending to others when you try to convince them that they’re mistaken.Only in very rare cases will someone benefit from your thoughts on this subject.
- It’s never worth revealing any conflicts or problems in your family life to others. Always bear in mind: the less you divulge such secrets about your family to others, the stronger it will be. Such things can only ever be resolved within the privacy of your own home, between loved ones. The more you complain to others about them the harder they will be to overcome.
- Don’t talk about all the unpleasant things you’ve heard people say or do. Just as it’s possible to get your clothes dirty, you can also soil your mind. And the person who recounts all the foolish and awful things he hears and sees going on in the world as soon as he gets home is no different from the one who forgets to take of his shoes when he walks through the door.
Friday, 29 April 2016
The kinds of books I read
The Books I read can be broadly classified into 5 categories:
1. Islamic
2. Inspirational / Self help / Self improvement / Depression (This also contains Biographies
3. Philosophy - I think they fall under #1
4. Technical (Compter Science, Programming, Math, Cooking)
5. Psychology
6. Literature (Classics, Pulp)
Oh wait, That's 6! Not cause 1 and 3 are different, but because I haven't really read a Psychology book that wasn't driven out of self-improvement, never really read a technical one. But I have bought one, and I will read it next.
Currently Reading: To Kill a Mockingbird
Last finished (May 14, 2016) Thinner Leaner Stronger by Mike Mathews
Last finished: Of Mice and Men
Next up: Psycho Cybernetics
1. Islamic
2. Inspirational / Self help / Self improvement / Depression (This also contains Biographies
3. Philosophy - I think they fall under #1
4. Technical (Compter Science, Programming, Math, Cooking)
5. Psychology
6. Literature (Classics, Pulp)
Oh wait, That's 6! Not cause 1 and 3 are different, but because I haven't really read a Psychology book that wasn't driven out of self-improvement, never really read a technical one. But I have bought one, and I will read it next.
Currently Reading: To Kill a Mockingbird
Last finished (May 14, 2016) Thinner Leaner Stronger by Mike Mathews
Last finished: Of Mice and Men
Next up: Psycho Cybernetics
Thursday, 28 April 2016
Review: The Sun Also Rises
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The description of the book on its back cover is the best review I could write about it.
He shows how fickle yet strong relationships can be, how superficial, yet deep-rooted.
It could help one lose some baggage if one wants to lose some.
View all my reviews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The description of the book on its back cover is the best review I could write about it.
He shows how fickle yet strong relationships can be, how superficial, yet deep-rooted.
It could help one lose some baggage if one wants to lose some.
View all my reviews