Pessimism as a driving force?

Recently, I wrote about my granddad Tjibbe, and how much he enjoys his daily dose of sambal. Even though Boersma's indeed like it hot and in general have quite a good dose of self mockery, we are also a bit heavyhearted at times. I know this might be hard to imagine given my mostly (often, sometimes) cheerful disposition. But I think it can be said: We Boersma's are a bunch of pessimists.

My dad with my sister Ayla, pessimists?

Just last week I went out for a very lively and tasty dinner with my dad and I realized that he seems to have given up on the world - in the sense that he cannot see what he could contribute to change course. I had quite recently also almost done so, but have slightly regained faith (because of initiatives such as Your Lab and podcasts like this one by Chris Turner on TVO). To be honest, I am in part to blame for my dad's dark outlook on the future; I gave him 'Guns, Germs and Steel', a book by Jared Diamond describing how humans have been pursuing commercial gain and bringing forth destruction since the beginnings of history. I have not yet read the book - even though every time I see my dad, he tells me to. So, I guess I should. I did already read another book by Mister Diamond and it did not really cheer me up.

Goofy and happy (with drop, THE best Dutch invention ever), yet downright pessimists

While riding my bike home, I realized that yes, the odds seem to be against us as a humankind. We have created islands of plastic, are consuming much more than the environment can handle and have created an economic system that seems beyond repair. Of course, my dad is right in many ways: we cannot all live lavish lives and solve our global issues at the same time. I know he's right about the hypocrisy in me, in so many of us - we do want it all. But, instead of sitting around waiting for the world to end, I would rather do something more fun and rewarding. It could be organizing massive street games so we can go down playing. Or something to try to prevent the end of the world from happening anytime soon.

One of my recurring thoughts is to start a re-fill shop. This would be a place where you can come with your empty bottles and fill them up with shampoo, dish soap, olive oil or soy sauce. You can bring jars and fill them with rice, pasta, salt or dried beans. It'll be a tiny little thing, but heck, it's something. So, let's get to work. Who's with me on the re-fill shop?

Only if you can handle it: Jared Diamond on "Why Societies Collapse?"

Spreading the word: watch these videos!

When I am enthusiastic about something (anything!), I just cannot keep it to myself. This means I sometimes blabber too much, but mostly it means that I quickly spread the word about cool stuff (or well, cool stuff in my world). Often a friend tells me about a book, album or video, I like it and end up telling everyone - as if I was the first one to find out about it. Since I can be quite convincing, many an artist would be happy to have me as a fan (like the Cape Verdian singer Mayra Andrade for instance. I am crazy about her music and have made all my friends listen to it). For the record: Thanks friends, for allowing me to spread your word ;)

It happens (not very often anymore) that I meet people that haven't heard of TED yet. Or they haven't watched the superb videos that are my favorites. So, I figured it was time to put them all together. Not only so you can all enjoy them, but also so that I can always find them when I need them.

Why these particular videos? Well, there are videos that I can just keep on watching over and over again. Every time I do, they will provide me with a new insight, reaffirm a pledge I made to myself - but forgot along the way - or just cheer me up. Some have already been featured in a separate post or deserve to be at some other point in time. The sunscreen song actually doesn't really fit in this list (since it's not a talk), but as it never seizes to make me happy, it's here anyway. Enjoy and let me know which one you like best!

The Sunscreen song lifts a bad mood and makes a good mood last

Read more here

Steve Jobs reminds us to never settle and stay hungry for life

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Marc Bezos urges us not to wait for a big moment to become a hero


Randy Pausch teaches us to dream big

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Neil Pasricha talks about the three A's of Awesome

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Salman Khan inspires us to think outside the box


Philip Zimbardo explains the secrets of time (with great drawings!)

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Alain De Botton shows us what atheists can learn from religion

Awesome

Sometimes dark clouds surround us. Everything seems to go wrong: You're in a hurry and have a flat tire. It rains when you have your best suit on. Your business goes bankrupt. You bite a rotten apple. A heel breaks. Your lover breaks up with you. You miss a flight. A friend falls seriously ill. There a big and small things that life presents us with. How do we choose to deal with these things? Do we let them suck all the light out of our days? Or do we grief and look for the positive?

Neil Pasricha shows in this very funny and touching TED talk that focusing on the latter (and seeking the little awesome things), even when there are only small things, makes you feel better in the end. He talks about what he calls 'the three A's of awesome': Attitude, Awareness and Authenticity. A really powerful talk.



In short, the key points of the talk:

Attitude - Choosing to move forward
'... you always got two choices: One - You can swirl and twirl in gloom and doom forever or Two - you can grief and then face the future with newly sober eyes'

Awareness - Remembering that we saw everything for the first time, embracing the three year old inside yourself

Authenticity - Be yourself and be cool with that!

And of course, live your life now. You will never get any younger than you are today and in a hundred years we will all be dead anyway.

'If you can dream it, you can do it' Walt Disney

As many of my readers know, I am a big fan of TED. Whenever I'm short of inspiration or relaxation, I watch another video. Lately, TED started posting videos from people that have not appeared on TED, but gave a memorable talk elsewhere. One of my favorite talks, the one by Steve Jobs I talked about here, is now also available on TED for instance.

This new feature introduced me to Randy Pausch, a professor from Carnegie Mellon University, who unfortunately passed away in July 2008 of pancreatic cancer. Before his death, he gave two one-hour long lectures; one about achieving your childhood dreams and one about time management. Both talks have truly impressed me. The topics of working hard to achieve your dreams and live with passion have interested me for quite a while, moving from Stephen Covey to Tim Ferris. Randy Pausch however gave a more sympathetic and less 'American: Yeah-You-Can-Do-It' face to it. He explains how you can achieve all that you want and be a good and appreciated person at the same time.

What I'll remember most from both talks is:
* Ask others for help or advice
* Work hard
* Delegate, but do the dirtiest job yourself
* Let people carry out a task you give them in their own way
* Only have meetings with people who want to be IN the meeting
* Thank the people who made a big difference in your life
* Spend time with the people you love
* Never give up
* Have fun (this one works out pretty well thus far)

So, if you can take the time out, watch these videos. More than 11 million people have done it already ;)

How to achieve your childhood dreams
This talk is not only good because of its content, but it's the combination of Pausch using presentation skills and aiming for emotional impact. Very smart how he points out the elephant in the room, sets boundaries on what NOT to talk about, how he tells his own personal (and emotional) story and how he gives out advice on how to live your life!



Time Management
Since Pausch only had a few more months to live, this talk may seem a bit awkward. However, since Pausch thinks these things are important enough to talk about at the end of his life, his messages certainly have more power.

East versus West?

Despite my Indonesian (Sundanese to be exact) roots, the first weeks in Indonesia have mostly made me aware of my infinite Dutchness. I eat rice for lunch, but really need bread for breakfast. I'm pretty laid back when it comes to timing, but if people don't show up for an appointment, I am agitated the rest of the day. With amazement I look at friends that discuss designing and printing 10.000 pamphlets to be distributed all over Indonesia. Before when? Oh, a week from today. Say what?! In the Netherlands we would have packed our bags and gone home (even though distribution "all over" the Netherlands is a whole lot easier). An endeavor like that within such a time frame is bound to fail. Well, not in Indonesia. Here, almost anything is possible. If you just push and shove on the right sides.

This TED India talk by Devdutt Pattanaik talks about these differences of perception. He describes an inherently different way of living. Neither way is good or bad; we just need to realize we have different set of myths we refer to.

Devdutt Pattanaik: East vs. West -- the myths that mystify | Video on TED.com