Posts Tagged: Reflections

Configurations exist to allow a program to behave differently without modifying its code. You have a program, you configure it, run it, and it behaves accordingly. In a way, they are like function inputs, but at the application level. They tend to reflect and affect how a system works under the hood. This also makes them closely related to the complexity of our applications. Thinking this way, I cannot think of configurations as just simple inputs. That is why I wanted to think about this topic a bit more and write down some thoughts.

Some people think having an organized environment is the result of frequent organizing. My personal journey of becoming more organized actually makes me question this belief. Yes, we can organize things at fixed intervals. However, in practice, I find it too difficult to make this effectively work. To me, the fixed intervals approach associates organizing with costs. You now have a new chore to remember when the time comes. You also keep letting disorder build up until it’s time to clean. So the work sucks more when the time comes and you become more likely to say things like “I’m so tired from work right now, I should rest and put this off.”

I think “Fake it till you make it” is very poor advice if you read it literally, and otherwise, it is simply badly phrased advice. If you take it literally, it encourages people to present themselves as something they are not. If you don’t see any problem with this, then why not phrase it more directly as: “It’s OK to manipulate others until you get what you want?” At least that wording captures the Machiavellian intent.

I can’t remember when I truly realized the power of writing. But as far as I remember, I’ve been trying to use writing as a tool for putting order to the chaos in my mind since high school. Currently, I have a diary with about 325 pages (assuming each page consists of 500 words). And there’s probably at least an equal amount other writings I wrote for different purposes but deleted in the end. The first entry dates back to 2017, meaning I’ve been writing regularly for around 8 years. That’s a lot of time, but I don’t regret a single moment. Because I know for sure that the positive impact writing has had on my mind far outweighs the effort.

Most well-known living philosophies -such as Cynicism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, Buddhism, and Sufism- advocate some form of Asceticism. This could involve various acts such as fasting, deliberately confronting personal fears, or even something as subtle as choosing not to pour salt on food. But regardless of the specific way that these practices are pursued, the main goal remains the same: Strengthening your body and mind to make yourself indifferent to and indifferent from the things that are outside your control. That is to say, turn yourself into someone who can handle hardships with as few possessions as possible.

When we encounter new information that conflicts with our current beliefs, we typically follow one of the preceding options: Ignore the new information. Place it into your existing belief system, regardless of whether it is consistent with your other beliefs. Create an ad hoc explanation to keep our beliefs intact. Adjust or revise our existing beliefs. Since the last option is typically the most demanding, and humans are programmed through evolution to conserve energy, people usually choose the first two options unless the information is crucial to their survival.

A significant amount of my time of the day is spent interacting with computers and cell phones. Some of these are due to habits (like having a feeling of missing out), some are due to reasons related to dopamine (like watching movies, tv-series or content which are supposed to be fun), and some are related to work (software development) or productivity (writing, communicating, researching). So, I am regularly exposed to all kinds of stimulants that are available on the internet.

I usually enjoy listening to certain types of ambient music or sounds when doing repetitive tasks or even when meditating. In the comment section of these kinds of videos, there are often people spreading love and writing nice things to each other. After consuming so many videos of this kind, I’ve started to predict that these kinds of comments would be present in a video even before opening them. Sometimes, it felt like I was reading those comments without even opening them.

This essay was originally written for the ‘Introduction to Philosophy I’ (PHIL103) course at Bilkent University, where we delved into various branches of philosophy, including consciousness. It reflects some of the thought processes that arose as I grappled with these philosophical questions. It’s important to note that this essay is not an exact reflection of my personal beliefs, but rather an exercise in argumentation. Despite this, I believe the arguments presented in this essay hold value and are worth exploring. My hope is that this essay provides you with insight and provokes thought, and that you find value in engaging with the ideas presented here.