Our Digital Legacies

At the risk of sounding morbid and stating the obvious, all of us will die one day.  But assuming there’s no apocalyptical event that wipes out humanity, or more accurately its technology, then the digital records of ourselves will essentially last forever.http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/resource/rosetta.gif

This has huge implications. In the past only a miniscule number of people gets remembered by history, while hundreds of billions lived, died, and were forgotten.

But in the future, people can form a much clearer and sharper impressions of us through our photos, videos, and writings.  Social networking sites such as Facebook makes this archive especially easy.  We slowly accumulate a digital record of our lives that will be here forever…  How will we be judged?  Tragically wasted, or full of life?  And are we recording our real selves, or merely a carefully crafted image presented to the outside world?

Pictures and videos are great for immortalizing our appearances & actions.  But what about our thoughts?  Unless we take the time to write them down.  No one will truly know who we really are. 

So start writing.  And imagine yourself as a recorder of history.  Because in a very real sense, you are.

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Minimize Distractions

Life is full of distractions that prevent us to do really meaningful things.  The distractions are usually entertaining, enjoyable and easy, whereas the meaningful things usually take a long stretch of uninterrupted time.  But the latter has the most impact on our future.  I made this observation about my own life, and realized that I needed to cut back on certain activities, such as playing games, watching movies, and dancing.  I will still do them occasionally to relax, but only after the more important things in my life are taken care of, such as family, relationships, and health. 

I will audit my time more frequently to ensure that I’m on track.

Offending People Needlessly

Consideration for other people’s feelings and perspective is an hallmark of empathy.  The lack of which often piss people off.  In my early 20s, I gave a speech in front of my Toastmasters group about how our society seems to place importance on youth, and how people would go to great length to hide signs of aging, like dying their hair.  Coincidentally there was a woman in her 50’s with jet black hair.  I remembered vividly seeing her facing muscle twitched as I mention that point.  She probably thought that I was singling her out.  Even though it was just a matter of not thinking before speaking.  Afterwards in the parking lot, she seemed livid and was complaining to another attendee.  I didn’t think much of it at the time.  But thinking about it now, she probably hated the sight of me afterwards.

These days I make an effort not to offend people needlessly.  Now sometimes there are positions where I’m passionate about and I will take a stand.  But even then I try to be diplomatic instead blunt.  I don’t always succeed, but at least I make an effort.  I think pissing people off needlessly is really stupid. 

On the flip side, People have done or said stupid, rude, or insensitive stuff in front me.  Most of the time I let it go like water off the the duck’s feather.  I think sooner or later, Karma will catch up to them.  I do however try to learn from the situations, and avoid doing the same when I’m with others.  For examples, 1) Don’t walk away when someone’s talking with me.  It’s just plain rude.  2) When taking pictures in social gathering, make an effort to get everybody.  Otherwise when you leave someone out, especially consistently in multiple gatherings, it sends a message that you don’t think of them highly…

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