Ramanujan Redux

Sometimes I think we get phrases wrong.

Remember when we were kids? Wide-eyed? Wondrous of discovery and the backyard, of new things and new places? Then we get older, believe in burdening ourselves with reponsibility and shackling ourselves to the yolk of adult life? So we use phrases like “Live every moment like it’s your last one?” to get us through the day, to energize us to getting things done, to maintain the idea that we’re working hard in the face of our eternal damnation of expiration?

There’s a fatalist and depressing feeling to these sort of pronouncements, isn’t there?

Our first moments are the ones we should channel. Ones where we’re surrounded by playmates and family, where we’re able to freely experiment with what we want and find what stimulates us. Death may be a powerful motivation tool to keep us productive, but it leaves us grimmer, distraught, and morbid that it might close in us at any moment. Surround yourself with life and things will become easier for you. At least that’s how I feel complete.

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War illustrates many an interesting point, but there was one thing that comes to mind—the easy path never looks like the right one. When attacking, the easy thing to do is attack head-on—it’s also the easiest way to get lit up like a Christmas tree. When defending, the easiest thing is to hunker down, don’t move—but eventually you’ll be overrun, overwhelmed, and someone else will take the place in the bunker. What is it about taking the hard path that makes it the right way to survive the longest? And why do many of us decide to choose the easy path even if we know what would make us happy?

“Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.” Again, the easy thing is to repeat is what is successful right? But what is successful today will not necessarily be successful tomorrow. One must retool, reorient himself to his surroundings, and adapt to the situation in the proper way. This is hard. But it’s necessary.

“According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans. “ Again, not easy to change in the moment, especially if one is set in their ways. We can think of this in business with the Entrenched Player’s Dilemma. How does one leave what they know works for them right now? Isn’t it difficult to sever ties with someone you know very well, even if this person adds nothing to your life? Nevertheless, the right choice remains there for us to accept–that our time and effort is too valuable to be spent on petty squabbles. Think of the big picture. There will be more people to meet and connect with. The time you lose in the meaningless battles you fight you will never get back.

Fight smart. Don’t just fight hard.

What are your own thoughts and elucidations on these quotes?