Into the World:
The Random Thoughts in My Mind

Spending years in "basic" education from elementary all the way to high school can give students an absolutist view of right and wrong. In math and the sciences, answers that adhere to the principles of existing "laws of nature" and rules of computation are correct. In humanities, those that align with historical precedents and the opinion of "expert" teachers are not to be questioned. Such thinking promotes the idea that there is always a right answer, and that answer can be reached by reading books, asking teachers, or conducting research with experts.

The attack on Israel by Hamas is the literal definition of terrorism. After breaking out from heavy defensive barriers separating Gaza and Israel, Hamas fighters explicitly targeted civilians for murder and abduction, with the equally explicit goal of capturing attention. In causing terror and getting global recognition for it, Hamas has certainly achieved its objectives loud and clear: a world that has only been weeks ago absorbed in the war in Ukraine has almost shifted attention to the Middle East overnight. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, dormant as a political issue for years, suddenly reappeared as a global agenda.

Japan is full of foreigners. With COVID letting up, plenty are making their way to the country as tourists eager to see its sometimes exotic culture. Some are even attempting to establish themselves as workers in its economy and members of a growing migrant community. Yet, despite there being so many foreigners, it is very easy for the average Japanese to avoid contact with foreigners. Besides curt interactions with staff members at convenience stores and restaurants, the vast majority of the Japanese population need not meet foreigners to live out their daily lives.

Shopping for groceries in a Japanese supermarket can be surprisingly time-consuming. No, this is not because of operational issues. Japanese supermarkets are generally structured for convenience, with wide passages through aisles of goods labeled and grouped in categories for easy finding. Rarely do shoppers need to interact with the staff to locate commonly purchased products. The large number of aisles and checkout lanes also ensure that customers can grab what they need to buy and immediately get ready to exit.

College admissions consulting has a straightforward premise: those who are experienced in the admissions side (through a combination of getting into top universities themselves and years of experience helping others succeed) provide expert advice to high school students who are going through the process for the very first time. In any conversation, who is the teacher and who is the student is supposed to be very clear. The high school student, or more precisely, their parents, is paying for the time to be taught how they are supposed to present their near future in a way that is attractive to university admissions officers.

Several years ago, this blog concluded in a post that the meaning of a doctorate is related to a particular career option, not a reflection of the Ph.D. holder's intellect. The time was my early days of coming back to academia, right after a couple years in the East African outback for an American non-profit. The idea of getting back into the books after two years in the maize fields still felt new and exciting. Being an academic was still a viable option, made worthy of consideration when thinking about the joy of doing fieldwork in countries around the world.

Walking down the street, having lunch by oneself, staring at the sky...life is full of moments that seem to be in between more important events. Yet, even as one physically takes a break in between those important events that require full concentration, one's mind never really does. The mind always wonders, for a purpose if needed, and aimlessly, when there is no particular urgent need. Some would define aimlessness as boredom, and try to find some aim to end the boredom. Scrolling through social media on the train, knitting a sweater at night, writing this blog...they can all constitute intentional attempts to be productive.