Hello folks,

I imagine a lot of people open and read newsletters - like the one you're reading right now - to briefly escape their monotonous reality which regrettably involves a lot of online meetings these days. Yes, sadly, from what I see in the news, we are far from returning to the old ways of existing at least based on where I live (hopefully I'm wrong!).

Personally, a lot of my days, lately, feel the same way. Yes, the date on the calendar has moved but everything else remains the same. Same chair. Same white walls. Same clothes. Same success stories of people who are seemingly doing better than... everyone else!

That's why, a lot of times during my waking hours I find myself wishing, begging even, my phone to make noises. I long to receive a new email from a stranger hoping that it will somehow transform my default reality into something less repetitive and more exciting. To get some sort of evidence that things can be better, and they will be better. And usually, the more you consume those, the more you become addicted to their contents and increase in frequency (leading probably to wildly and uncontrollably subscribing to a bunch of newsletters). 

If this happens, you then start to rely heavily on someone else, or something else outside yourself (books, games, movies, etc.), to help you get through the day. 

But even when a new letter arrives, it quickly loses its charm - regardless of how well-arranged and inspiring the words inside are. 

Pointlessness once again consumes the body and returns the recipient to the same yearning condition for something new and exciting to happen. However, this cycle never ceases. You get something fresh that feels good for a while but a few short minutes after, depress mode is back ON. 

My latest article addresses the meaninglessness in the world and aims to help the reader create a personal storyline that is less dependent on outside sources. Hopefully, it will motivate you, not the other way around. 

(If for some reason your email client decides to clip the email, click here to see the full content).

• [NEW] Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse: In a world where winning by obtaining a prize is considered the final, most-desired destination, it’s hard to imagine that there is an alternative. In this book, however, James P. Carse argues that for a person to become a true Master Player, he should not play for the purpose of winning. He should play for the purpose of continuing to play. Finite and Infinite Games is a manuscript full of short, but extremely powerful timeless aphorisms that can completely revamp the way we look at life.
• Everything is F*cked by Mark Manson: In this book, Mark Manson gives us never-heard-before life tips that can upgrade your physical being so you can stop obsessing over quick wins. Along with the you-definitely-need-to-read advice, he presents us with a way to find meaning in this world of a never-ending stream of unnecessary information.

Support my work: My newsletter is sponsored by my dearest members. If you want to support my work and to get access to the whole library of summaries on my site, you can consider becoming a member yourself. 

Interesting books I recently added to my reading list (and hopefully will read at some point):

• How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton: Alain de Botton, the founder of the famous online and offline educational organization, The School of Like, makes a compelling case for celebrating and learning from an unlikely teacher: Marcel Proust. Here is one of the tips inside the book: Live passionately because we might die any time.
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk: The author of this book wants to change our understanding of traumatic stress and reveal how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring - specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust.

Interesting words from books and around the web:

• Concupiscentia [noun]: From Latin, it basically means strong desire. Especially, an ardent, usually sensual, longing. Concupiscence is seen as a desire of the lower appetite contrary to reason.
  
• Copacetic [adjective]: Copacetic is an adjective that means "fine," "OK," or "satisfactory." When things are going well, they're copacetic. The adjective copacetic can describe the general mood of a group or gathering, a relationship between two people, or even the harmonies in a piece of music, with a meaning ranging from "just fine" to "excellent."
• Dynamism [noun]: The quality of being characterized by vigorous activity. Continuous change, activity, or progress. In philosophy and metaphysics, is a word that explains the universe by an immanent force.

From around the web:

• Social Status: Down the Rabbit Hole: "Today I'm offering a red pill (of sorts): an eye-opening account of social status. I won't say there's "no turning back" after reading this — but I've seen down the rabbit hole, and it's indeed as deep as advertised." An amazing piece of content about social status from the author of The Elephant in the Brain.
• Living Like It's 99: No Social Media, No Smartphone: "At the time of writing this article, I’ve been living without social media for 3 years and without a smartphone for 2 years. Everything started as an experiment motivated by my privacy concerns. I ended up living like that for an entire different reason: peace of mind." A how-to guide on how to ditch modern technologies. (Highly recommend!)
• How to Not Get Left Behind: The difference between people not progressing and people moving up in the world "appears to be a driving curiosity about anything and everything."

This is exciting: You can virtually visit the Louvre and explore the fine art inside the place.

I especially enjoyed the paintings section.

Regards,

Ivaylo Durmonski