https://makwaijun.com/tags/philosophy/ Recent content in philosophy on Introspections in Bytes Hugo -- gohugo.io en-us © 2020-2024, Wai Jun Mak Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post140/ Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post140/ As I enter mid-life, and found a brief moment in the sea between Bintan and Singapore. Where the stakes are higher, the responsbility immense. I was reading the Wikipedia article on the Spanish war of succession, left beind on a forgotten Chrome tab. And, despite a time when defence stocks are at an all time high. I did notice, there was an inherent trend towards unification. After all these years, all these times. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post137/ Sat, 09 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post137/ I was introduced to Agency as an idea. This was well explained in the article. A fun read, accompanied by memes and graphic accompaniments. Its a concept that acts well as an intermediary between the idealist notion of absolute freedom, and the practicalities of life. For we can’t control everything, nor can we find perfection in maximising anything. But preserving a degree of element of choice and control within the world’s constraints is something that i find is: https://makwaijun.com/blog/post136/ Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post136/ Likely written around 3 June (while somewhere in Italy) This post was inspired by an article i read, published in early March 2025. There was an elegance (Simple principles, ugh, so gooood) in two fundamental, and somewhat opposing needs of 1) Connection and 2) Autonomy “These needs reflect two key goals our distant ancestors had to achieve: to bond with others for their mutual protection, and to develop personal skills to make them valuable to their group and potential mates. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post125/ Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post125/ On Fear and Death The sort of post that anyone who thinks too much for their own good, must eventually tolerate and write. It was warm, friendly, if slightly unfamiliar setting; the scent of cheese and red wine, good conversations and banter. Rather Jovial. Up until, someone probed - on what one’s greatest fear could be. Common fears bandied around the table included death (which was later clarified as the awareness of death), insignifiance (or legacy, as I term it), loneliness (which again, was discussed under the context of the solitude and highly individualised experience of one’s own death) https://makwaijun.com/blog/post115/ Sat, 09 Mar 2024 14:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post115/ I finished the book Old Path White Clouds. Can’t say I’ve been reading too much these days, but it was leant by someone else, and I had intended to return it. He is someone kind in his demeanour to faces old and new. A silent gravitas in patience and experience. Non judgemental. Not really a close contact, nor an acquaintance. A figure assoicated with fishing. There isn’t too much to this post, other than it being a cheat sheet for future reference. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post108/ Tue, 26 Dec 2023 18:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post108/ Housekeeping: Defining “Labour vs Career” This post continues to explore the interelation between the nature of work and human nature at a time when the notion of Work is being questioned. I recognised that I’ve embarked on two separate threads delving into the Philosophy of Work: One labelled “Labour” and one labelled “Career”. As a broad framework, the series on Career will refer to guiding principles and frameworks that have helped me, as an individual assess and determine where to work; https://makwaijun.com/blog/post107/ Sun, 01 Oct 2023 19:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post107/ Preamble I’ve started to largely take each of these “-isms” continues to be a thematic way to think about matters philosophical. But as I write these “philosophical” posts, I often teeter on the moods of equal part disgust and equal part lascivious joy, for I currently pride myself in the “getting my hands dirty” phase grounded in reality and the world; while at the same time, I simply cannot help myself from digesting my thoughts and dumping these onto an online Canvas. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post103/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 20:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post103/ Sometime, in April 2023 I sit, at a Sue Hsiao Liu Dim sum restaraunt. Comfortably, I am reassured that Alipay could infact work with a foreign card. I sit as a ethnic homogenous but an outsider foreigner, betrayed by the lack of language, in what is technically my ethnic roots (although arguably my ancestors probably didn’t come from Shanghai necessarily). But as I sit, bravely and alone out of my comfort zone - I catch myself often reminding myself of what the discomfort is for, and how being up to a challenge can be managed. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post101/ Sun, 14 May 2023 19:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post101/ This post and topic of choice sounds so so terribly pretentious, but I hope to absolve this with thoughtful content. Intellect in a time of AI Intelligence and intellectualism is a salient topic today. Though some points of this post was drafted quite some time ago, the recent release of generative AI has spurred concern around job anxiety (once again) - as we question our own roles and relevance (in specific areas). https://makwaijun.com/blog/post97/ Sat, 15 Apr 2023 09:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post97/ I recently revisited sthe concept of intuition. I’ve been holding on to a strong belief that intuition comes with a certain wisdom. I’m not saying that intuition is better than logic per se. But I believe there’s a natural progression where people transition from idealistic logic to a matured form of quality “intuition”. Just like wine, I see the complexity and irrationality (difficult to describe) as a natural conclusion for people who start to make sense of things but ultimately realise that our minds are simply unable to comprehend and decide across spectrums and the myriads of possibilities https://makwaijun.com/blog/post92/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 22:50:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post92/ This was written on a return plane ride from a Hong Kong work trip to Singapore around 10 Feb 2023. A philosophical post as a I find myself, tired, occupied and worried over numerous journeys in the last week. Being out of one’s homeland, being out of one’s comfort zone, being forced to deliver and achieve (but by whom - is yet another philosophical question). This post was spurred once again by my good friend, my best friend. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post79/ Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post79/ Inequality is real and everywhere. Inequality begets privilege. In my thinking, I define privilege with an emphasis on inheritance - for example a superior position bestowed upon people brought up or born into positions of above average wealth, of no effort of their own. Merely through birthright and luck. I’ve felt its mostly a blessing and a little bit of a curse. Don’t get me wrong - it is objectively better to be privileged, but I’d add a consideration that being privileged could lead to greater expectations are more to lose. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post78/ Sat, 10 Sep 2022 22:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post78/ This post will be a story; and a story of a young man’s internal conflict. On Accidental heroism, and the vanity of it all. I remember it vividly. I remember it well. It was a gray morning. I remember it as a hefty sense of morning tiredness - Bleary eyed, I had gotten off the bus, sauntering towards work. There was a long day ahead of a visit programme with a client, and much to do and be mindful of. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post77/ Thu, 08 Sep 2022 23:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post77/ Across my life, and as much as I stray away from people and am happily writing this while under quarantine in Shanghai, I come across specific individuals, which for a lack of a better word, are fascinating. I’d be lying if this fascination didn’t stir up an obsession akin to the “curiosities” in the 19th century. There are plenty of people in the world with rather brilliant minds. Rarer though, are those who can blend in multiple dimensions but fit into a complete package. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post76/ Thu, 08 Sep 2022 22:00:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post76/ Like many topics in this blog, I enjoy contemplating the big unifying theories. Pervasive topics with elusive truths - the sort that if I could merely glimpse a semblance of an answer for it - would help me to rationalise the world on a meaningful scale. I find solace in thinking and intepreting what this means to me, my world view and eventually thinking “yea that makes sense” when aliens invade one day. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post66/ Mon, 16 May 2022 22:30:00 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post66/ Its time for…yet another post on existence and being! A more reflective/philosophical post (ugh love these sort of things over drinks). What is the meaning of life? perhaps not meaning per se - but something more deliberate. I recall one of my earlier posts, focused on survivalism and the like. But after some light brushes with religion, I had started thinking again around this topic. I first feel that there is an innate struggle of man to overcome our animalistic survival instincts in favour of peace and acceptance. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post15/ Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:23:55 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post15/ TLDR Above all else, life is about surviving; Cycling can be used as a metaphor for the expected bumpiness of life Do we Survive to Live or Live to Survive? omgdeep Philosophers across the millennia have always sought to answer life’s most pressing meta question. WTF IS LIFE To act virtuously cries Aristotle and his students on a Greek hillside in their fancy robes and whatnot. https://makwaijun.com/blog/post12/ Thu, 02 Jul 2020 00:24:08 +0800 https://makwaijun.com/blog/post12/ TDLR: Conceived from random shower thoughts - I propose two principles to live by: Increase your engagement with the world. You’ll feel better Aspire to make the world less sweaty (with caveats). The world will feel better. A rough pen down of thoughts today - not intending this post to be too polished. A former (fantastic) manager once told me that he would annually scan through and review a book by the late Clayton Christensen on How Will You Measure Your Life?