Every few months I like to add new things that I’ve learned to my Personal Bible. Here’s the latest document [in PDF].
Today there are two items: a NYT article about what it’s like to be in your 40s (it’s always good to be prepared :-), and some highlights from James Clear’s highlights of the sweeping book The Lessons of History.
How to Survive Your 40s by Pamela Druckerman
- But the number 40 still has symbolic resonance. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Muhammad was 40 when the archangel Gabriel appeared to him. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years
- The seminal journey of the 40s is from “everyone hates me” to “they don’t really care.”
- At 40, we’re no longer preparing for an imagined future life. Our real lives are, indisputably, happening right now. We’ve arrived at what Immanuel Kant called the “Ding an sich” — the thing itself.
The Lessons of History by Ariel and Will Durant
- People like to think they are a little special. Without this bit of vanity, we might find it harder to push forward. In a way, delusion is a motivator.
- By and large, the poor have the same impulses as the rich, but with less opportunity or skill to implement them.
- The hero is just the product of a situation. Not the other way around. If it were not for the situation, we never would have heard of the hero.
- Morals are the way society exhorts behavior from its members.
- You want to reign in your impulses and weaknesses to the point where they are useful, but not excessive.
- There is no example in history of a society maintaining moral life among the masses without religion as a force for binding people together.
- The most valuable talents and skills are confined to a few people, which means the most valuable wealth is confined to a few as well. This pattern shows up again and again.
- All consuming toil is usually the price of genius.
- Do not feel depressed that life may only have meaning insofar as man puts into it. It is remarkable that we can put any meaning into life at all.
- Every religion should preach morality, not theology.
- Cooperation is the ultimate form of competition.
The “Bible” has grown to 44 pages — it was just a couple pages when I started. At some point, I will probably filter and remove some content to keep it manageable and to reflect what I need most at that time.
You can download the latest here.
Thanks for reading! Here are prior updates [1, 2], and here’s a longer explanation for why I do this.