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“If you’re different, there’s an otherness factor.” I recently met a women who worked as a midwife in a small African village. She said the most beautiful part about living there was, everyone looked each other in the eye. Even strangers. Especially strangers. I asked why, and she said it’s because there’s no fear there. The locals are connected in a very intimate, special way, she said, one that…

“Hell isn’t other people, hell is trying to change them.” Why can’t you be more like me? That’s the essence of every argument in history. One person insisting that the other conforms to their version of what a spouse or a coworker or a friend should be. Unfortunately, our species doesn’t work that way. Minus a few exceptions, human wiring is a static operation. People may change a bit…

“People thwart your expectations every way you can imagine, and in many ways you can’t.” For a long time, expectation was my drug of choice. I couldn’t kick that sweet candy if my life depended on it. Then my life actually did. No joke. I used to be so infatuated with the future, so intoxicated with the prospect of good things happening, that I literally forgot to breathe. I was…

“Go enjoy something that’s raw, pure and unregulated.” Every artist needs an honest canvas. Some platform, be it online or off, where they can go to express themselves without the fear of the red pen. It’s art without editing, and it’s infinitely healthy for the soul. Even if it’s not your primary arena of expression, it’s still a necessary venue for creating meaning. Especially if you have a day…

“Rather than judging experiences, just be with what is.” Lernstift is the first pen that vibrates when you make a mistake. After watching the video, I’ve decided I don’t like this product. Here’s why. The art we don’t intend to make is often the best work we create. Creativity isn’t about avoiding or preventing mistakes, it’s about following them down the rabbit hole and seeing where they take us. That’s…

“Bind them to the mast as they sail past alluring women.” Contrary to popular conditioning, not all men are unthinking troglodytes susceptible to the bewitchings of anyone with a skirt and a heartbeat. Yes, all men are stupid. But not all men are savages. We may think about sex every seconds, but that doesn’t make us cheaters. Despite our manly wirings, some of us actually choose to defy archaic…

“I wanted to create a way to meet people through music.” That’s why Shawn Fanning createdNapster. Not to make money. Not to get girls. Not to reinvent the industry. Not to piss off the record labels.But to help people connect. Talk about good intentions. And that’s exactly why Napster worked. That’s why there were eighty million registered users at its peak. Music isn’t just the healing force of the universe, it’s…

“You tweet the news so you can say you knew first, not because you really care.” The problem is, we don’t really care. We only care about looking like we care. That’s not sympathy, that’s narcissism. And if we don’t work to reverse this brand of digital heartlessness, we’re in serious trouble. But values aren’t taught, they’re caught. We need to find people who care, find proof that doing so leads…

“There was a euphoric amount of optimism.” From a physical standpoint, I’m not interested in risk. I have zero need for speed. I don’t play extreme sports. I’ve never been in a fight. And I walk away from even the slightest hint of violence. People have called me a pussy more times than I care to remember, and I’m totally okay with that. Here’s why. When it comes to…

“We carry our love of competition right through to the hospital and into the cemetery.” I’ve never been a competitive person. It’s simply not in my blood. I don’t play to win, I play to keep the game going. Despite dirty looks from people who hate to lose. But I’m not against competition as a whole. I think it’s human and healthy and necessary for the advancement of our society….