Agalia Tan

Their gospel of optimisation ignores the fundamental question: what’s the point of being 10x more productive if we’re not 10x more fulfilled?

The mathematical genius Alexander Grothendieck once had a metaphor for solving problems. He suggested that instead of forcing open an impossibly hard kernel with a hammer and chisel, one should simply let it sit in water and wait. Over time, the shell softens and opens with ease. This is also true in writing; time is the only non-substitutable ingr... See more

People are starving. To run in the dark across grassy fields holding sizzling sparklers up to the stars, dive into the deep cold blue sea, curl up on the couch with a good book, a big mug of tea, and a nest of blankets near a crackling fireplace. Return to the pure presence of childhood. Experiencing for the sake of experiencing. Unaccountable to s... See more

The public like occupied this funny zone where the experience of liking something on social media felt private, but was public. Very VERY few things online are like this. When I toss a double tap to a dank meme from like @da_midwestern_p00syzone while half-watching Netflix’ The Starting 5, I’m mostly not thinking about how it will be perceived, eve... See more

“We find meaning in work that allows us to become enough of an expert that we are able to add our own flavor.”