TinyChan

LESSONS

Reading history teaches you that events are cyclical. Most problems, confusion, and fear come from people who haven't learnt this yet.

The days, weeks and even months go by slowly. But the years go by fast. Before you know it you'll be dead or 60.

Humans are almost as impulsive as dogs. Don't keep a cupboard full of snacks.

If you're a non-conformist in thought, be a conformist in dress. Offset one with the other.

Listen to your favourite music regularly. Your soul needs it.

Bathrooms are more dangerous than you think. They're slippery and full of hard surfaces – be careful.

The time is going to pass anyway, so why not live well and be happy?

There’s a reason most religions and cultures built fasting and renunciation into their traditions: the power isn’t in avoiding bad things, but in the exercise of restraint itself. Willpower is a muscle, and abstinence is the gym.

Seek not just knowledge, but the wisdom to question it. Challenge what you read; think, debate, and write to refine your beliefs. Learn to recognise biases and errors in thinking. Opt for reasoned understanding over mere information consumption.

Stock picking is gambling light. Do it in small amounts, for fun, knowing you'll eventually lose.

The wealthy utilise debt to make more money. The poor abuse debt to lose money. Taking on debt can be a useful tool, but outside of large essential purchases like homes and cars or for sensible business investing, it’s best avoided.

Don’t be tricked or sucked in by the fact that “candidates for political for office with obvious character flaws seen more real than bureaucrats with impeccable credentials” ("Skin in the Game"). People will vote for awful politicians with big mouths because they “tell it like it is” and “at least they’re honest”. Don’t be fooled — boring, considerate politicians are a good thing.

People are naturally peculiar and often their actions defy explanation. Unless they're harming themselves or others, learn to accept their inherent oddities. Trying to get to the bottom of quirks is a maddening exercise. Avoid it.

Eating meat is quite clearly immoral. Unless it will be detrimental to your health, eat as little as possible.

Any well-functioning society should have optimistic young people, and cynical old people. If it’s the other way around, something’s wrong.