There are two primary approaches to creating something: bottom-up design and top-down design . Top-down design is often seen in architecture. People do not build bricks randomly; instead, they follow the design drawings created by the architect. This method executes a plan that has already been established. When asked why something is built in a certain way, the answer is usually that the blueprint dictates its design. Conversely, bottom-up design does not start with a fixed goal, but rather involves setting and implementing small, actionable rules. For example, termite nests follow this approach. Small termites have a simple rule: to pile up soil. They do this without knowing the reason, but over time, the finished structure is remarkable and sophisticated. The appearance of the Sagrada Familia church , designed by Antoni Gaudà and still under construction, closely resembles a termite nest, differing only in size. Setting goals and planning is one way to create, but actual achievem...
Life can feel joyful when we have many close relationships, but this often gradually brings more anguish as well. Intimacy is also crucial to us, yet just as much as it is, “blatant ignorance” and a “healthy dose of distance” significantly influence our happiness. For instance, I can’t eat meat from a slaughtered cow that I have carefully nursed, but I am content eating the meat from a cow that I did not nurture. The fact that I have made money means my gains are a return for the damages of someone unknown to the economic system of this world, yet I can only be happy because I do not know adequately. Without blatant ignorance and a healthy dose of distance , our happiness deteriorates terribly. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”