The word planet originates from the ancient Greek term πλανήτης (planētēs), which means “wanderer” or “wandering star.” This term itself comes from the verb πλανάω (planáō), meaning “to wander” or “to stray.”
Historical Context:
• Ancient Greek Astronomy: The Greeks observed that certain celestial objects moved across the night sky in a manner different from the fixed stars, which seemed to stay in a consistent pattern. These moving objects—such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—were thus called “wanderers” or planētai.
• Adoption into Latin: The term was later adopted into Latin as planeta, retaining the same meaning.
• Middle English: From Latin, the term entered Old French and then Middle English in the form of planete, eventually evolving into the modern English word “planet.”
Broader Use:
Originally, the term applied only to the seven classical “wandering stars” visible to the naked eye, which included the Sun and Moon (as part of ancient astronomical classifications). With the development of modern astronomy, the term was redefined to exclude the Sun and Moon, focusing instead on bodies that orbit a star, like the planets of our Solar System.
This evolution of the term reflects humanity’s expanding understanding of the cosmos.
Slavery has existed in various forms throughout human history and across cultures. Here are some notable examples from different periods and regions:
1. Ancient Civilizations
• Mesopotamia (c. 3100 BCE): Early civilizations like Sumer used enslaved people for labor, often prisoners of war or debt slaves.
• Egypt (c. 2000 BCE): Enslaved individuals worked on large-scale projects like temples and pyramids, often captured in military campaigns.
• Greece and Rome (c. 800 BCE – 476 CE):
• In Athens, slaves worked in households, agriculture, and mines.
• In Rome, enslaved people were a critical part of the economy, serving as gladiators, household servants, and laborers.
2. Medieval Era
• Viking Slavery (c. 800-1100 CE): Vikings captured and sold slaves (thralls) in their raids, trading them across Europe and the Middle East.
• Islamic Caliphates (c. 7th-19th centuries): The Islamic world engaged in the trans-Saharan slave trade, capturing and selling Africans and Europeans (e.g., Barbary pirates’ raids).
• Feudal Europe (c. 9th-15th centuries): Serfdom was a form of bonded labor that resembled slavery, where serfs were tied to the land they worked on.
• African Slave Trade: Approximately 12-15 million Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas to work on plantations, primarily producing sugar, cotton, and tobacco.
• Middle Passage: The horrific journey across the Atlantic where many died due to brutal conditions.
4. Slavery in the Americas
• Colonial Latin America: Enslaved Africans and Indigenous people worked in mines, plantations, and domestic settings.
• United States (1619-1865): African slaves were central to the agricultural economy, particularly in the Southern states. The abolition of slavery occurred after the Civil War (1865).
• Haiti (1791-1804): Enslaved Africans revolted against French colonial rule, leading to the first successful slave-led revolution and the creation of an independent state.
5. Asian and Middle Eastern Slavery
• India (Ancient to Early Modern): Caste-based labor and the enslavement of captives in warfare were common.
• China (Qin Dynasty to Qing Dynasty): Enslaved people worked in agriculture, construction, and as concubines.
• Ottoman Empire (1299-1923): Enslaved individuals (often from Eastern Europe and Africa) were used as soldiers (e.g., Janissaries), concubines, and laborers.
6. Modern-Day Slavery
• Indentured Servitude (17th-19th centuries): In the Americas and Caribbean, indentured laborers from Europe and Asia worked under harsh conditions, often akin to slavery.
• Human Trafficking (20th-21st centuries): Modern slavery exists in the form of forced labor, sexual exploitation, and debt bondage, affecting millions worldwide.
• Forced Labor Camps: Examples include Nazi concentration camps, Soviet gulags, and forced labor in contemporary contexts like North Korea.
7. Cultural Practices
• West African Slave Systems: Before European colonization, some African societies practiced internal slavery, where enslaved people were integrated into households or communities.
• Aztec and Inca Empires: Enslaved individuals, often war captives, were used for labor or ritual sacrifice.
Key Takeaways
Slavery has taken many forms, including chattel slavery, serfdom, debt bondage, and modern trafficking. Each system reflects the social, economic, and political structures of its time, demonstrating how deeply ingrained exploitation has been in human societies.
Debt bondage?
Debt bondage, also known as bonded labor, is a system where individuals are compelled to work to repay a debt. This practice has existed for centuries and remains one of the most widespread forms of modern slavery. It traps millions of people in cycles of poverty and exploitation.
Characteristics of Debt Bondage
1. Origin of Debt:
• The debt often begins with a loan or advance offered to the worker or their family. These loans are usually for basic needs like food, shelter, or medical expenses.
• High-interest rates or unfair terms make repayment nearly impossible.
2. Nature of Work:
• The laborer is forced to work for their creditor, often under harsh and exploitative conditions.
• Wages are minimal or nonexistent, as most earnings are deducted to pay off the debt.
3. Generational Cycle:
• In many cases, the debt is passed down to the worker’s children, perpetuating a cycle of bonded labor across generations.
• Families may remain in bondage for decades.
4. Power Imbalance:
• Workers often lack the education, legal protection, or social standing to challenge their creditors.
• Debts are frequently manipulated or fabricated to keep the laborer trapped.
Historical Examples
1. Ancient Civilizations:
• In ancient Mesopotamia and Greece, debtors who could not repay their loans were often sold into slavery or forced into servitude.
• Biblical texts mention debt bondage as a common practice.
2. Colonial Systems:
• During European colonization, indentured servants often worked under conditions similar to debt bondage. For example, workers from India and China were sent to plantations in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia under exploitative contracts.
3. Post-Abolition Exploitation:
• After the abolition of chattel slavery, systems like sharecropping in the Southern United States and peonage in Latin America replaced slavery with debt-based servitude.
Modern Debt Bondage
Debt bondage persists in many industries worldwide, including:
1. Agriculture:
• Farmers in South Asia (e.g., India, Pakistan) often pledge their labor in exchange for loans to buy seeds, tools, or food, only to find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of debt.
2. Brick Kilns and Quarries:
• In countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, families are often bonded to work in brick kilns for little or no pay under unsafe conditions.
3. Domestic Work:
• Migrant workers in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions are often bound by debts to recruitment agencies or employers, working under exploitative conditions.
4. Human Trafficking:
• Victims of trafficking are frequently forced into bonded labor to repay their “transportation fees,” often in industries like construction, sex work, or factory labor.
International Response
1. Legal Frameworks:
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) prohibits slavery in all forms, including debt bondage.
• The International Labour Organization (ILO) has conventions specifically addressing forced labor and bonded labor.
2. Modern Challenges:
• Despite legal prohibitions, enforcement is weak in many regions.
• Socioeconomic factors like poverty, illiteracy, and corruption perpetuate the practice.
Key Takeaway
Debt bondage exploits vulnerable individuals by using financial obligations as a means of control. While often less visible than other forms of slavery, it is deeply entrenched in many economies and requires sustained efforts for eradication.
Also- 99% of YouTube videos are fake? Just listen and watch their behavior- it’s like they have a gun to their head forcing them to behave like a wind up Jack in a box haha. Slaves to an audience, but why?
Humans love boxes. We confine ourselves to the four corners of a box, inside of a room, staring at a box, the computer screen, eating microwavable meals from a box, shuffle ourselves into cars, another box, just to arrive at the office, a box, and then to the cubicle, another box. Even the chicken that most people eat was raised inside of a box cage, and not even free range.
Freedom of movement
The reason why I’m such a fan of free range eggs are because the simple fact that they are free. They are free to roam, free to move. This, to me, is the ultimate feeling of freedom, simply having the freedom to move when you please, to go where you like, at your own pace, at your own time. The sad truth is, we have become slaves to time, and lack the freedom of movement. The city is designed as a grid, to keep the individual chicken orderly on the same grid pattern, shuffling perfectly into the cage. When you think about it, nobody is free to move. Everybody is gridlocked. Everybody is a slave to time.
You are a slave
I remember working on the farm in Israel, milking cows, and the system in place to perfectly extract from their udders. I would walk around the cow shit with my big boots on, kicking the cows from behind to wake them up, whistling at them, making noises, and shuffling them one by one in a perfect single file line in between the fence. Once we got them to the milking station, we locked them in their cage, and strapped the machines to the udders, extracting the milk, which transfers to a big vat, and then is shipped and sold all throughout Israel. I feel like most humans, 99% of humanity, are like these cows, just being milked of their time and energy, confined to a box in the fence, shuffling each day to their destination, where they are confined and extracted of their resources.
The entire world are slaves to the United States, and the power of paper, bureaucracy, and the dollar. I love the symbol of America, the eagle. When the eagle kills its prey, all it has to do is swoop down to the side of the cliff and nudge the goat off of the side, strategically using less effort to execute his hunt. Once the goat topples down and smacks against the ground below, the eagle swoops down and feasts. The question is, would you rather be the eagle, or the goat?
School is prison
I’ll never forget the public school education I had here in Philadelphia, and how I had to walk through a metal detector every single day, sending my bookbag into a fucking x-ray machine. The doors were all locked, you’re not allowed outside, security walked through the halls, and you had to prove yourself through fighting just to get by, like a prison. Just think of prisoners, and how they go into gangs, and clique at the different lunch tables. I was actually threatened with a knife in high school, just like a prison shank! It’s not until you fight back, beat somebody up, that they finally stop and leave you alone. True story. The system is designed to keep you a slave.
Become a lion
A lion is untamed. A lion is strong, relaxed, and simply uses its dominating presence to rule its kingdom. I think that we forget us humans, we too are animals. We’re the king of the Animal Kingdom. It took us thousands of years of domination, crafting tools, bows, arrows, using gunpowder, crafting boats, and sailing across seas, conquering new lands, paving roads, building railroads, to get to the point that we are today. Don’t be a docile donkey. Be a lion. Zoom out from your eagle. Look at the world from my vantage point that is higher and more elevated, lofty. Stop thinking so base level, at the ground, like a goat, waiting to be eaten like prey.
Break free
So let’s say that we’re all prey, we’re cows in a big cow farm, being milked by our udders each and every day. Are you going to allow the milking to continue? Are you going to keep eating the grass, shitting everywhere, and sitting around being farmed? Or are you going to bash through the fence, and get out of that cage? If you knew with 100% certainty that the United States dollar is the current reason why you are being milked, being drained of all your energy, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to be the 99%, the slaves, that are all asleep to the fact that the system is working against them, or be the 1%, the eagle, flying above the entire system, free as a bird?
The Tao Te Ching, attributed to Lao Tzu, is a foundational text of Taoist philosophy. It is a collection of 81 short chapters that provide profound insights into the nature of existence, the Tao (the Way), and how individuals can align themselves with it.
Key Concepts
1. The Tao (The Way)
The Tao is an eternal, indescribable force that flows through all things in the universe. It is the origin of everything and the ultimate reality.
“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.”
Key points:
The Tao is formless and beyond comprehension.
Aligning with the Tao involves simplicity, humility, and harmony with nature.
2. Wu Wei (Non-Action)
Wu Wei refers to effortless action or action in harmony with the natural flow of the universe.
“The sage acts by doing nothing, and nothing is left undone.”
Key points:
Avoid forceful actions; let things unfold naturally.
True power comes from being adaptable and yielding.
3. Yin and Yang
Balance is central to the Taoist worldview. Yin and Yang represent complementary forces in the universe.
“Under heaven, all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil.”
Key points:
Opposites define and complete each other.
Harmony arises when these forces are in balance.
4. Simplicity and Humility
Lao Tzu emphasizes the importance of living simply and embracing humility.
“I have three treasures: simplicity, patience, and compassion.”
Key points:
Simplify desires to find peace.
Humility leads to strength and wisdom.
Notable Chapters and Insights
Chapter 1: The Nature of the Tao
“The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth. The named is the mother of ten thousand things.”
This chapter introduces the ineffable nature of the Tao and its role as the source of all existence.
Chapter 8: Water as a Metaphor
“The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things and does not compete.”
Water symbolizes adaptability, humility, and the ability to nourish without conflict.
Chapter 33: True Strength
“He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty.”
Self-mastery is more valuable than external victories.
Practical Applications
Meditation and Mindfulness
Contemplate the Tao’s principles to cultivate inner peace.
Practice wu wei by observing and aligning with the natural flow of life.
Living in Harmony
Embrace simplicity in daily life.
Seek balance in relationships, work, and personal pursuits.
Leadership Lessons
Effective leaders inspire without dominating.
Lead with humility and compassion.
Reflection Questions
How can you apply the principle of wu wei to challenges in your life?
What aspects of your life can benefit from greater simplicity?
How do you cultivate balance between opposing forces (e.g., work and rest, ambition and contentment)?
Study Tips
Read one chapter at a time and reflect on its meaning.
Journal your thoughts and how the lessons can apply to your life.
Discuss the text with others to gain diverse perspectives.
Further Exploration
For deeper understanding, consider exploring commentaries on the Tao Te Ching or comparing it with other philosophical texts, such as the works of Confucius or Buddhist sutras.
The Tao Te Ching offers timeless wisdom. Its teachings encourage us to flow with life, embrace simplicity, and seek harmony in all things.
The Crime Writer includes a critique of thriller authors:
“Exploitative bastards who feed on fears.”
Hurwitz’s Response:
Writes with underlying themes and ethics.
Balances suspense with moral and emotional depth.
Building Tension: The Role of Stakes
Components of Suspense:
Stakes: Introduce risks and dangers that escalate.
Layers: Combine physical threats, psychological dilemmas, and thematic questions.
Example:
Opening of Orphan X:
“After picking up a set of pistol suppressors from a nine-fingered armorer in Las Vegas, Evan Smoke headed for home in his Ford pickup, doing his best not to let the knife wound distract him.”
Key Elements:
Questions: Who is Evan? Why a knife wound?
Intrigue: A nine-fingered armorer?
Result: Immediate reader engagement.
The Twist: A Powerful Narrative Tool
What is a Twist?
A twist is a narrative surprise that changes the story’s direction or meaning.
Types of Twists:
Plot-Driven: Big surprises (e.g., The Usual Suspects).
Emotional: Subtle, character-focused revelations.
Example:
Sweet Girl (film by Gregg Hurwitz):
Features a dramatic twist that redefines the story.
Tips for Using Twists:
Foreshadowing: Lay subtle clues.
Fairness to the Reader: Ensure the twist feels earned, not random.
Balance: Use sparingly to avoid over-reliance.
Practical Tips for Suspenseful Writing
1. Create Intriguing Openings
Example: Start with action or mystery.
Orphan X opening: “A nine-fingered armorer…”
2. Use Misdirection
Example: Distract readers to hide clues.
Hurwitz: A refrigerator magnet becomes a key clue, buried in the description.
3. Layer Perspectives
Vary narrative distance:
Third-person, free indirect discourse, or first-person.
Maintain clarity to avoid reader confusion.
4. Build Suspense Gradually
Example: Hitchcock’s “ticking clock” under the table creates anticipation.
5. Respect the Reader
Avoid deus ex machina endings.
Build a narrative that rewards close reading.
Study Questions
How does momentum differ between literary and commercial fiction?
What role do stakes play in building suspense?
How can misdirection enhance the reader’s experience?
What are the key elements of an effective twist?
How does Gregg Hurwitz balance moral depth with suspense in his stories?
Final Thought
Suspenseful writing is not just about thrilling action or shocking twists. It’s about crafting narratives that sustain momentum, intrigue, and emotional resonance. By understanding and applying these principles, writers can create stories that captivate and engage readers from the first page to the last.
do not speak to anybody for the first hour of the day
go for a long walk in nature (maybe it’s better to just walk to work even if it’s far away?)
read a book, write, prayer, or just make some photos
keep your phone on do not disturb or airplane mode
quit social media, news, etc. just don’t consume anything from the modern world?
Also, if you work a job that allows you to listen to something passively while working, I highly suggest educational podcast or lectures. I joined the Peterson Academy (currently in beta) and I highly recommend it. I have no idea why anyone would spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on education when you can access some of the best lectures, and are always being updated every month, for $500 a year… I’m currently taking the course on the art of storytelling.
It’s actually difficult for me to remain disciplined to NOT make videos or photos… I have to discipline myself to NOT make anything. The easy part is to go out there in the world and produce the work. The difficult part is remaining disciplined to go through the work. I think in order for me to remain disciplined to go through the work, I actually have to remain disciplined to stop producing work. I am learning that I can’t simultaneously do both at the same time. Yesterday felt like the first day I walked around without taking pictures in my life and it felt so weird… I don’t like it haha
The word yoga originates from the Sanskrit root “yuj” (युज्), which means “to yoke,” “to join,” or “to unite.” It conveys the idea of bringing together or harmonizing various aspects of existence, such as body, mind, and spirit, or the individual self with the universal consciousness.
Historical Context
In the Vedic texts, yoga was associated with discipline and practices related to achieving union with the divine or cosmic order.
In the Upanishads, yoga began to take on philosophical dimensions, emphasizing self-realization and the connection between the self (atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman).
The Bhagavad Gita (circa 2nd century BCE) further elaborates on yoga as a multifaceted path to spiritual realization, including karma yoga (the yoga of action), bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion), and jnana yoga (the yoga of knowledge).
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (circa 2nd century CE), yoga is defined as “citta vritti nirodhah”, meaning the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind, aiming to achieve clarity and enlightenment.
Modern Interpretation
In contemporary usage, yoga often refers to the physical postures (asanas) and practices, but its etymology and roots emphasize a much broader spiritual and holistic practice of union and harmony.
So what is its original meaning?
The original meaning of yoga, derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj”, is “to yoke,” “to join,” or “to unite.”
At its essence, it signifies union or integration—the act of bringing together disparate elements into a harmonious whole. This union can be understood on multiple levels:
Physical and Mental: Uniting the body and mind through practices like breath control (pranayama) and physical postures (asanas).
Individual and Universal: Aligning the individual self (atman) with the universal consciousness (Brahman).
Inner Harmony: Achieving balance between thoughts, emotions, and actions.
In its earliest Vedic context, “yoking” often referred to harnessing horses or oxen to a chariot, symbolizing control and direction—ideas later applied to mastering the mind and senses to achieve spiritual focus and liberation.
So, in its original sense, yoga is about connection, discipline, and harmony—a method for achieving a profound state of unity.
I thought it always just meant stretching haha
That’s a super common thought these days! In modern times, yoga is often equated with stretching and physical exercise because of its association with asanas (postures) in fitness and wellness culture. But as you now know, the original meaning of yoga is much deeper and broader than physical poses.
The physical aspect—asana practice—is just one of the eight limbs of yoga as outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The other limbs include ethical disciplines, breath control, meditation, and achieving a state of blissful absorption (samadhi). The stretching and flexibility benefits we associate with yoga today are almost a byproduct of the ancient discipline, not its core purpose.
Still, no harm in starting with stretching—it’s a great gateway to exploring yoga’s deeper roots if you’re curious! 😊
Can you link me the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali?
Certainly! Here are some reputable online resources where you can access the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:
Project Gutenberg: Offers a free eBook version translated by Charles Johnston.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a foundational text of classical yoga philosophy, outlines a comprehensive framework for achieving spiritual liberation and self-realization. It consists of 196 aphorisms (sutras) divided into four chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of the yoga path.
1. Samadhi Pada (On Contemplation)
Focus: Explains the nature, purpose, and goal of yoga.
Key Ideas:
Yoga is defined as “citta vritti nirodhah”—the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.
Highlights the importance of abhyasa (consistent practice) and vairagya (detachment) to still the mind.
Describes various types of samadhi (meditative absorption), leading to profound clarity and connection to universal consciousness.
2. Sadhana Pada (On Practice)
Focus: Details the practices required to purify the mind and body.
Key Ideas:
Introduces the Eightfold Path (Ashtanga Yoga):
Yamas (ethical restraints): Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, moderation, and non-possessiveness.
Niyamas (personal observances): Cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self-study, and surrender to the divine.
Asana (posture): Physical postures for stability and ease.
Pranayama (breath control): Regulating life force through breath.
Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses): Turning inward to focus the mind.
Dharana (concentration): Sustained attention on a single point.
Dhyana (meditation): Continuous focus, leading to stillness.
Samadhi (absorption): Complete merging with the object of meditation.
3. Vibhuti Pada (On Powers)
Focus: Discusses the supernatural abilities (siddhis) that can arise through advanced yoga practice.
Key Ideas:
Highlights the power of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi when practiced together, known as samyama.
Warns against becoming attached to these powers, as they can distract from the ultimate goal of liberation.
Explores extraordinary abilities as milestones on the path, not ends in themselves.
4. Kaivalya Pada (On Liberation)
Focus: Describes the state of liberation (kaivalya) and the dissolution of the ego.
Key Ideas:
Liberation is achieved when the mind’s fluctuations cease, and the self is free from worldly attachments.
The individual realizes the true nature of the self as pure consciousness, distinct from the mind and body.
Explains the law of karma and how breaking free from it leads to ultimate freedom.
Key Takeaways
Yoga is more than physical postures; it is a holistic path to self-realization.
The mind, body, and breath must work together to still the mind and attain liberation.
Liberation (kaivalya) comes from understanding the self as distinct from material existence and uniting with universal consciousness.
The Yoga Sutras provide timeless wisdom for spiritual growth, encouraging both practical discipline and profound introspection.
