Topics this week include Earnestness, the World’s Deadliest Pandemic, Explore of Exploit, holiday ideas and more…

Earnestness – Another interesting article by Paul Graham where he discussed the importance of being earnest (with due respect to Oscar Wilde).

History’s Deadliest Pandemic – 2020 is undoubtedly the year of the Pandemic. But while there is possibly some light at the end of the horizon for the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to realise that there are deadlier ones still active and impacting some of the world’s poorest peoples. This insightful video throws light on one such Pandemic.

How To Choose New Opportunities – This article explores the Explore vs Exploit algorithm as a basis for certain types of decision making. It’s worth thinking over the concluding line – Exploration is necessary in order to exploit and enjoy the knowledge hard won along the way.

Bombay Or Mumbai? Perfectly Schizoid – I am a Mumbaikar by heart, so articles on the Maximum City always have a fascination for me. But, even if you do not have any particular affinity for this fascinating city, you might find this particular piece of writing interesting.

Hygge themed Holiday Ideas – I do hope that many of you will be taking some time off towards the end of the year. This article provides some interesting ideas to take the mind of what’s been a very stressful year and just unwind.

And that seems to be a good way to wish all my readers a happy and relaxing holidays! Take care, stay safe!

A few articles from diverse topics make up this week’s reading list.

The Great Dispersion – I have been reading (and recommending) Prof. Scott Galloway’s articles for some time now and, more often than not, I find them insightful and thought-provoking. In this article, he discusses the potential impact of the increased ‘dispersion’ due to the pandemic on society.

How To Think For Yourself – Another person from the field of business whose articles I enjoy reading is Paul Graham. In this long article, Mr. Graham talks about the concept of ‘independent-mindedness’ (as opposed to ‘conventional-mindedness’) and ways in which we can make ourselves more independent-minded.

The Future of Online Journalism? – Everyone knows and would agree that Media is one of the industries that has been most affected by the increased popularity of the Internet (along with Travel Agents, in my opinion). Recently though, a ‘start-up’ has been making waves in this field. Will this be the saviour of Online Journalism?

After Centuries, a Seemingly Simple Math Problem Gets an Exact Solution – On the face of it, the problem doesn’t seem very complex.  Imagine a circular fence that encloses one acre of grass. If you tie a goat to the inside of the fence, how long a rope do you need to allow the animal access to exactly half an acre? Read the article to find out why this problem is so complex.

The 10 best countries for working remotely – If you are one of the ‘lucky’ ones to have the freedom (and luxury) to work from anywhere in the world, then you might find this article by Lonely Planet very informative. For me, it was interesting to see that the second parameter on which the countries are judged, after cost of accommodation, is the local cost of coffee!

The last month of the year is (finally) here! Here are some articles for you to peruse as we start counting down to 2021…

Can History Predict the Future? – Thought provoking from researcher Peter Turchin following his application of mathematical modeling to the field of human history. One of the key factors driving social violence? ‘Elite overproduction‘.

Why cities are not as bad for you as you think – Popular belief has it that living in cities is not great for your health and living amidst wide open spaces with less population density is better than living in urban areas. But does the data support this view? Read this article to find out.

Mental Models for Career Changes – Making a career change can be a daunting task. This article explores certain mental models once can adopt for help with making such a decision.

All change: India’s railways bring back tea in clay cups in bid to banish plastics – This topic periodically pops up in the news. As anyone who have traveled by Indian railways would attest to, the sight of plastic waste lining the sides of the track is a depressing one. Let’s hope this initiative gains traction and can be sustainable.

Get to Know India’s Forgotten Heritage Structures – India is very fortunate to have a rich architectural heritage. Unfortunately, many heritage structures suffer from a lack of attention, protection and care. There are many organisations traying to play a role in heritage conservation. This article looks at one of them that is trying to tackle this issue through citizen participation.