Regular Reveries 30: Earthquakes, Rails, Ordinary Life and Mortality
Unfortunately, Croatia got hit by a new series of earthquakes this week. I am lucky since it didn’t affect me much, but people closer to the epicenter lost their homes and family members. This was a weird year, and I hope the next one will be better. The bar is set pretty low.
This week’s article
I’ve published a technical article about the somewhat surprising behavior with using decorators and transactions in Rails.
Content candy
The best piece of content that I’ve consumed this week is not an article, but a Youtube video by Alain de Botton. It’s a critique of modern society that tells us that being ordinary is not enough.
Most people are taking time off for holidays, and some have problems relaxing. They feel guilty when they are not productive. It’s helpful to remember that we don’t have to be productive all the time and that too much ambition can hurt us and prevent us from living a good life.
Jed McKenna’s quote perfectly explains our dissatisfaction with the ordinary: “The belief that something is wrong is the fire under the ass of humanity.” It’s easy to forget how much ordinary citizens’ lives have improved compared with not so distant past. It’s easy to start thinking that we need to be exceptional in order to have a good life and turn life into a constant pursuit for more.
Something to think about
“All men think all men are mortal but themselves.” — Edward Young
Question for you
What’s the best article or book you’ve read this year?