[AKN #43] Confessions of an Optimale, bad Jeopardy answer, and cricket bat production
another krappy newsletter #43
Sup homies?
Another Tuesday in the books! But before the clocks change to Wednesday, here I am sliding into your inbox with another edition of the newsletter.
Exciting news: California announced we will open up fully on June 15th thus ending the pandemic lockdowns. Woooo!
This date is of course tied to nothing. Like there is legitimately no data that backs up our decision to remain closed for the next 20 days. But whatever. It is finally looking like we are going to put this madness behind us and this newest absurdity is a good chance for me to practice empathy and forgiveness…lol. JK I harbor a lot of resentment towards the California government and it isn’t going to change due to my persistent character flaws.
Speaking of unresolved personal conflict…
On to the newsletter!
LIVE: Confessions of an Optimale
For the last 10 years, I belonged to an Internet cult.
A cult focused on the optimization of everything that falls under the umbrella of "personal development."
Time management. Energy management. Learning how to learn. Diet. Muscle gain. Making money. Saving money. You name it. We optimize it.
I jokingly call the group "The Optimales."
The Optimales are a decentralized group of not so self aware 20-35 year old tech savvy (mostly) men that live in a coastal city. They listen to Tim Ferriss, spend an insane amount of time reading about the theory of habit change, and wax poetic about esoteric topics like ketones and cryptocurrency. The cult has no headquarters nor official registered members. Dues are paid in the form of buying the next hottest book on mental models.
I love and hate being a part of this group.
On one hand, I feel like I know a secret few others know. By being a part of this community, I learned to lose weight, get a better job, automate my finances, and start a newsletter. Now, people come to me and I am able to teach them how to do all of those things! This community has undoubtedly changed my life for the best.
On the other hand, the focus on optimization can leave me feeling not good enough as I am constantly paying attention to what I don't have. In fact, that sense of lack is why I joined this group in the first place. I get the feeling like I am not alone. Many people who are drawn to this type of Internet group do so because they are seeking to plug a hole in their life with the achievement of some goal. But it never works.
For example, about five years ago, I went through a diet experiment and got myself down to a weight that was shockingly skinny. People showered me with praise for my accomplishment. But looking back, the reality is what propagated out to the world as "biohacking" would clinically be described as "a psychological disorder." I was bobbing for meaning and trying to fill a hole in my life by showing the world what I could do. However, when I got to the goal, there I was. Nothing changed.
I shouldn't have been surprised. The Optimale book of the month covered how fulfillment is not realized through achievement. But what the fuck did that guy know?Sometimes you need to figure out these things on your own. Especially when you aren’t ready to hear the message.
Today, I try to maintain a balance between my natural inclination to pursue getting better at something whilst attempting to cultivate a sense of being OK with how things are right now. Which is hard and involves a lot of journaling and meditating. But at the end of the day, it feels worth it. Because you can become stronger/faster/ smarter, but you are always going to be you. So why not enjoy the ride?
LAUGH: Bad Jeopardy Answer
I rewatched this one a couple times because it’s so amazingly bad.
A better answer would have been pizza pockets which absolutely reach an internal temperature of 800 degrees.
LOVE: Handmade cricket bats
I have a fascination with how things get made. It is why I chose to pursue a career in hardware engineering.
One thing I have written about before is that most people don’t understand how much of manufacturing is still done by hand. Every time you think there is a machine making something, it is better to assume that 20 people do it instead. How these cricket bats get made is an example of this phenomenon.
What do you think of the new format of the newsletter? Email me or leave a comment below. Promise to hit you back with an artisanal, hand-crafted response.
Closing time
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are strictly my own. Who else’s would they be?
ILY,
K. Rapp