Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

The scariest people in the world are those who truly know themselves. It may sound easy, but few understand what they excel at and what they prefer. The same goes for occupations. Someone may seem to know their job well, yet they might not fully grasp what they’re doing. What potential exists—whether the job is suitable for the times, if you’ve chosen the wrong market, or who the right partner is for you? The fact that many rarely start by understanding themselves means they often spend time without gaining much insight, even as they struggle hard. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

For humans, humility begins with the understanding that we cannot know the future. If you encounter misfortune now yet believe that good fortune will arrive in a few days, you will not be disheartened during difficult times. Conversely, if you are fortunate now but are aware that misfortune will strike soon, you will not become arrogant. Thus, humility involves preparing for an uncertain future. Being humble doesn’t mean you avoid misfortunes altogether; nevertheless, your possibilities of navigating them successfully statistically improve. Knowing the future is not necessarily an advantage in our lives. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

What someone can share with others is referred to as a “non-rival asset,” whereas the counterpart is termed a “rival asset.” Intangible assets, such as brands and intellectual property rights, fall under the category of non-rival assets. In contrast, tangible assets that physically exist, like buildings and goods, are classified as rival assets. Non-rival assets can theoretically be utilized by numerous individuals simultaneously, and their depreciation is nearly nonexistent even when an original copy exists. Thus, the scale and speed of wealth creation differ from that of an economy focused on existing tangible assets. In Apple, the personality assets of founder Steve Jobs are considered non-rival assets, while the productivity aspect, traditionally seen as a rival asset, has been managed through outsourcing. If Apple focuses solely on non-rival assets, managing the rest becomes straightforward, as they understand the sources of high-added value. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

A panopticon is a prison design inspired by British utilitarian Jeremy Bentham’s ideas. The most effective way to monitor prisoners is to create spaces where a few prison officers can observe many prisoners without being seen themselves. Control is not exercised by the prison officers but rather by the design of the space. A watchtower with tiny windows is situated in the center of the circular structure, allowing the interior of the prison to appear bright while enabling the prison officers in the watchtower to keep an eye on the prisoners. Power stems from the ability to observe others without revealing one’s existence. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The Roman alphabet constructs words in a single direction by using ordered combinations of 26 distinct letters. DNA also reveals life by altering the sequence of the four bases in one direction: A, G, T, and C. The West has developed novel concepts by combining basic units, while the East has refined them based on relative relationships. For instance, in Asian scripts, Chinese characters can convey different meanings by altering the length or position of a single stroke within a character. These two approaches account for most methods of creating something new. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

No matter how much honey you have, honey alone cannot attract bees and butterflies. The scent may be invisible, but it exists, and it brings life. As a result, both plants and insects thrive. No matter how hard you try to conceal it, the scent is what you exude. The scent is also significant to humanity. All scents are difficult to hide. The scent is created simply by being present. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Warren Buffett’s assets were once estimated at $82 billion. 90% of these assets have been earned by Warren Buffett since he turned 65. The way to make money over time without labor is through finance; it’s an interest. One of the most economically effective methods is ‘compounding.’ This involves deriving interest from the principal and then earning interest again on the total of the interest and principal, continually repeating this process, making compounding the most efficient money-making method discovered by humanity. The same applies to stock investments; to achieve this compounding effect, you need to earn at least a 4% annual return. However, this is only valid for long-term investments like those of Warren Buffett. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”