Josh Allred's Blog

If we surrender ourselves to the label that “this is who I am,” we are saying we cannot change.

This presents a problem.

On one hand, by saying this part of me needs to change, we are admitting we are not happy with ourselves. And how can one find peace within themselves if they cannot love themselves completely?

On the other hand, if we surrender to the label, we are saying that we are fixed. We cannot learn, experience, or grow. We ultimately surrender our agency.

Perhaps the answer lies in our intent in conducting growth. If we accept self-love while simultaneously walking the path of enlightenment, maybe these parts we are not in harmony with slip away.

If economies depend on growth, what are the consequences of that one decision?

But more than just a discussion of intended or unintended consequences, I think the more interesting discussion is about the consequences we cannot even predict. Whats happening right now that we can’t even see that will be a problem further down the road?

Therefore, the focus isn’t on how to solve problems efficiently but on how to become more resilient.

The dead internet theory is that bots engage the algorithm to manipulate people for profit. It was originally a bit of a conspiracy theory that seems to become more true every day.

We know now that results are not in a question/answer format with Google or social media. But it is now designed to keep users on the hook.

I’m still firm that AI will eventually break the internet, which will be good because the internet, in its current iteration, is mostly junk food media at this point.

I’m mostly using AI these days and have a few I really suggest trying out:

– Grammarly: Feels difficult to write without it anymore. From emails to books, it has made my writing better.

– Perplexity: Google searches without the Google algorithm. Cites the sources. And does a good job just giving me answers without the cruft. And most important, avoids the pay for clicks model. This has become my favorite AI tool.

– Claude by Anthropic and ChatGPT by OpenAI: Both have its uses and limitations. Anthropic seems better for content creation while OpenAI feels better for more technical.

When you hear something that doesn’t resonate with you, your first gut reaction may be to say, “How can anyone say something that stupid?”

That’s because we make the mistake of thinking you are the target audience.

My take: If you hear something during political theatre that you do or don’t like, try to take emotion out of it. Understand that what is said is not the same as what is done. These are two different things.

We create tension by waiting to make a decision about something we don’t want to proceed with.

We then make the tension worse, waiting for an inevitable outcome.

So the question is: what are you waiting for?

At the end of Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin is getting ready to start school and becomes sad that he won’t be able to play with his animals as much.

Winnie the Pooh says, “So, they went off together. But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest, a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.”

As we age, we work to justify our existence and forget the value of play. We work so hard that we sacrifice memories with those we love.

Many know how to work hard but have forgotten to play hard.

You can go out and be set to change the world only to be disappointed it didn’t happen.

The easier change is to change yourself.

You can’t change the whole world but you can change your part in it.

The thing about Eddison is that he didn’t discover electricity; he invented the first long-lasting incandescent lightbulb.

Columbus certainly didn’t discover America when so many had previously inhabited it.

The Wright Bros. didn’t invent physics but were able to create a vehicle that harnessed aeronautical engineering.

Inventing is to discover. And to discover is to invent.

The interesting thing is that when we discover something in ourselves, we also need to invent ourselves going forward. It also works the other way around.

One of humans’ unique characteristics is their ability to anticipate the future. This ability is what keeps humans alive on the Savvanah. If we could predict if a sabertooth tiger was around the corner, we would increase our chances of survival.

Today, we certainly do the same. Instead of focusing on animals, we look at people and situations similarly. As a result, lump danger all together in one category. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing until we are looking at Twitter from the comforts of our own homes or looking at a name on a resume.

These snap judgments are riddled with bias. And while it can still keep us alive when driving down the freeway, it isn’t that valuable in extending the benefit of the doubt when talking about conflicting ideas.

It’s easy to find in others because look how someone is behaving compared to you.

It’s easy to find fault in ourselves because we look at all our mistakes.

It’s easy to find fault in the world. Because everyone knows its not perfect.

The bottom line is that it’s always easy to find fault in people or situations. It’s not easy to be patient in casting judgment, especially when we don’t have all the facts or context.