I picked up a random book from the bookshelf. After reading a few pages that seemed oddly familiar I realized that I had read this back in my school days and it was one of my contributions to the library. It's a mathy book so it didn't take long to realize:P
The book has some interesting analogies about different ways to think about randomness. I've learned and thought a lot about the random nature of things since I last read this. All sorts of things happen from the everyday to the unthinkable. Some things are expected and some things are a complete surprise. There are all sorts of adjectives that could apply like beautiful, horrible, catastrophic, wondrous, and the list could just go on.
Thinking about randomness and expectation occupies much of my workday. At work, I mostly spend my time thinking about bad things that could happen. I make sure that I spend more time in the day thinking about good things that have happened.
I've come to the conclusion that there's really two main views - thinking things are just random or thinking things happen for a reason. The first thinking is based in part that stuff just happens and there's little to no relationship or meaning. The other end of the spectrum is thinking there's a plan and an order. Things that happen follow a pattern and they are predictable.
No matter what the view the same things happen.
The book has a very illustrative story that helped me to see just how much where a person falls on this spectrum is a matter of choice.
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A person walks past a wall with seemingly random holes in the wall and thinks nothing of it. Another person comes by and draws a target around each hole with each hole as a perfect bulls-eye and then marvels at the wall.
---
I find myself drifting on this spectrum.
When it comes to Zahra, Yusuf, and Nooriya I'm usually the giver of hugs. Today I got random hugs from all of them! That's a bulls-eye.
The book has some interesting analogies about different ways to think about randomness. I've learned and thought a lot about the random nature of things since I last read this. All sorts of things happen from the everyday to the unthinkable. Some things are expected and some things are a complete surprise. There are all sorts of adjectives that could apply like beautiful, horrible, catastrophic, wondrous, and the list could just go on.
Thinking about randomness and expectation occupies much of my workday. At work, I mostly spend my time thinking about bad things that could happen. I make sure that I spend more time in the day thinking about good things that have happened.
I've come to the conclusion that there's really two main views - thinking things are just random or thinking things happen for a reason. The first thinking is based in part that stuff just happens and there's little to no relationship or meaning. The other end of the spectrum is thinking there's a plan and an order. Things that happen follow a pattern and they are predictable.
No matter what the view the same things happen.
The book has a very illustrative story that helped me to see just how much where a person falls on this spectrum is a matter of choice.
---
A person walks past a wall with seemingly random holes in the wall and thinks nothing of it. Another person comes by and draws a target around each hole with each hole as a perfect bulls-eye and then marvels at the wall.
---
I find myself drifting on this spectrum.
When it comes to Zahra, Yusuf, and Nooriya I'm usually the giver of hugs. Today I got random hugs from all of them! That's a bulls-eye.
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