Avid reader. Aspiring writer.
Theoretical malcontent.
Abridged background
A few years ago I had a debate with a friend. I shared a political opinion with almost everyone I knew—except for this dissenting friend. After follow-on research, I realized I was wrong. Completely wrong. This meant that everyone I knew was also wrong. This was a mind-warping experience. How can so many people be so mistaken, and how did they drag me along with them?
I began to question everything else. My opinions on almost every topic changed. Sometimes they flipped, other times they became more nuanced. I became acquainted with the concept of first-principles thinking.
This site is to help me collect tools for thought so as to best avoid such missteps in the future. I have always held truth and reason as my lodestar, but failing to question assumptions led me astray. Here, I will intend to dismantle my own psychological biases, and learn to think from scratch. Hopefully you can find such a resource useful as well.
To friends and family
Due to the nature of my job, I am unable to publish much of what I write. I have a significant number of private articles that I have hidden from the general public. Contact me if you are interested to read more.
Tools for Thinking
In order to help me think constructively, I’ve aggregated dozens of mental models from numerous books, podcasts, and some as creations of my own. Mental models attempt to codify the complex landscape of the world. They are tools for understanding.
I’ve also created a number of what I call “action models.” Action models describe how to navigate this complex landscape. They are tools for action.
I’ve built these as resource and reference for myself. I hope they will be useful for you as well.
Latest posts
Welcoming Armageddon
What is our appetite for the end of the world? My lunch hour was spent debating solo against five coworkers on whether Russian-Ukrainian peace terms were an acceptable concept to even consider. It is a foregone conclusion to them that any concessions to Russia are inconceivable. When asked about how they saw the war ending,…
Life and Death: The Difference Between Groups and Individuals
Should people die for the sake of equity? This week, the hot-button news item was that the CDC included race-based criteria for adjudicating who would get the first wave of vaccinations for COVID-19 (Ref. slides 6, 9, 31, 32, 33, and especially 34). The controversy, in short, was that minorities were overrepresented in the young…
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
Naval is one of those internet voices who I’ve come across intermittently on a podcast, on Twitter, and by third-party reference. He was not someone I was supremely familiar with, but who, every time I heard him speak, said something of interest. I picked this book up to see if the goods were really there.…
Casabianca
I’m not sure where I first saw this poem; it just resurfaced as I was digging through the files of my computer. I remembered it on sight for how powerfully I was originally struck by the power, dignity, and integrity of the little boy. The boy, Giocante, was charged to stand a post by his…
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Personal Poetry
I don’t write poetry often. I intend to only share it if it’s worth reading. Take one minute to read my newest poem, The Man.
Request for Editing
This site is a one-man show. If there are typos or errors please let me know. Additionally, contact me if you would like to be an editor for some robust essays I have in the works.
jasperburns.org 