The key ingredients of happiness could not be material or aesthetic, but must always stubbornly psychological.

At a restaurant do you order what you know is great， or do you try something new？ Do you make what you know will sell or try something new？ Do you keep dating new folks or try to commit to someone you already met？ The optimal balance for exploring new things vs exploiting them once found is: 1/3. Spend 1/3 of your time on exploring and 2/3 time on deepening. It is harder to devote time to exploring as you age because it seems unproductive， but aim for 1/3.

"To write a biography is to walk in another's shoes, to see the world through their eyes."

一个好的侦探既听噪音，也听沉默。

艺术应该让舒适的人不安，让不安的人舒适。

The rise of a new great power is always a cause for concern among existing powers, as it threatens the existing balance of power.