Almost time to wrap up

It’s crazy to think that 2022 is almost over.

This year has been particularly eventful for me not only because I switched jobs but also because I continued to commit to the OMSCS program (I’ve recently completed my 5th class and so I’m now halfway through the program) and I was able to experience and reflect on a bunch of things.

These post-pandemic years still hit quite differently, as it feels like there’s so much still hanging in the air (metaphorically but also figuratively speaking 😬) and the dooming sensation of something catastrophic always lurking in the background is always one step away.

Anyhow, what I think is crucial in these times of uncertainty is to not lose sight of our inner eye, the often forgotten consciusness that we constantly try to numb with constant stimuli coming from our addicted and dopamine-seeking brains.

The remedy is to look inward. To pause. To reflect.

Sometimes taking a break is exactly what you need, even if you reckon that your pace is not straining you to the point where you feel like you’re on the verge of burnout.

But taking that moment to evaluate with clarity where you stand and what’s motivating (or not motivating) you at a certain point is crucial to assess the path you need to follow.

I’ve recently finished a rather enlightening book by Paul Millerd which is entitled “The Pathless Path” and it really made me look at things from a different perspective.

He talks about the fact that the modern idea of a job is just a recent construct that emerged as a result of the Industrial Revolutio and that, prior to that, the concept of individuality was not under attack in the way that it is right now.

So much of our identities is attached to our professions, and if those professions all have to stay within the limits of very strict and immutable paths there is not much room for creative endeavors left.

Creativity is such a core part of what makes us human. And living in a world where there’s a perpetual association of creativity with uncertainty (and unemployment) makes pursuing creative endeavors much harder especially when we’re being told that a cushion 9-5 job is the most desirable (and socially acceptable) destiny/outcome in our lives.

I really want to explore creativity a lot more in 2023, but I need to figure out a viable way to do so. I don’t want to overthink it too much though, as it would defeat the whole purpose of this resolution. I wish creativity would flow naturally as a state of being, but I feel like much of what we absord externally is somehow orchestrated by so many forces that we don’t have the power over, which makes it hard to be conscious observers of reality.