I would have liked to present you with a smorgasbord of data from my life in 2023 instead I have a few words, a few pictures, and a few lists. I hope you enjoy them.
But first, a big shout out to my most favorite person in the world - my wife Dr. Ruth Nekura. She is the most amazing human being I know and I am so grateful to have her in my life. She is the reason I wake up every morning and the reason I am able to do what I do. I love you babe.
Books
A lot of wonderful books spoke to me this year. Some I repeated, some I discovered for the first time. Here are some of my favorites:
"The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year-Old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and
Happiness at Every Age by Dr. Gladys
McGarey
Dr. Gladys McGarey, a centenarian still-consulting doctor and the mother of
holistic medicine, reveals “a story that teaches as much as it inspires” (Edith
Eger, New York Times bestselling author), filled with life-changing secrets for
how to live with joy, vitality, and purpose at any age.
"The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity" by David Graeber and
David
Wengrow
A dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most
fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of
agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and
inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.
"Mere Christianity" by C.S.
Lewis
Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis's forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian
belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three
separate books — The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond
Personality — Mere Christianity brings together what Lewis saw as the
fundamental truths of the religion.
Podcasts
I have been listening to a lot of podcasts this year. Here are some of my favorites:
Huberman Lab
Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience — how our brain and its connections with the
organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. The
show is hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a tenured Professor of Neurobiology and
Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan
Chatterjee
“Health has become overcomplicated. I aim to simplify it” In this podcast, we
hear stories from leading health experts and exciting personalities who offer
easy health life-hacks, expert advice and debunk common health myths giving you
the tools to revolutionise how you eat, sleep, move and relax.
Novara Media
Novara Media is an independent media organisation addressing the issues—from a
crisis of capitalism to racism and climate change—that are set to define the
21st century.
Articles / Research
Inspired by my wife, I have been reading a lot of research papers this year. I have been particularly interested in the intersection of technology and social justice. Here are some of my favorites:
Open Letter from a group of Jungians on the question of Jung's writings on
and theories about
‘Africans’
An open letter from a group of Jungian analysts, clinicians, and academics
addressing the issue of Carl Jung's writings and theories about Africans. It
references a 1988 paper by Dr. Farhad Dalal, which criticized Jung as racist.
The letter acknowledges Jung's colonial and racist ideas, their impact on
communities of color, and the lack of an adequate response from the Jungian
community. It calls for responsibility, change, and engagement with communities
and colleagues of color, emphasizing the need for diversity, social justice, and
inclusion in Jungian practices. The letter also expresses regret for the delayed
response to these issues.
Decentering technology in discourse on
discrimination
Grown from conversations at a workshop entitled ‘Intersectionality & Algorithmic
Discrimination’ this article examines the role of technology in discrimination
and seeks to shift the focus towards broader issues of social justice. It
explores how European civil society views and deals with data-driven
discrimination, highlighting the importance of considering discrimination within
larger systems of institutionalized oppression. The study is based on interviews
with civil society representatives, analyzing themes like misrecognition,
maldistribution, the harms of context-ignorant systems, and the impact of
automation on marginalized groups. It emphasizes the need for a nuanced
understanding of technologically mediated discrimination in the context of
existing social inequalities.
Identifying barriers to the production and use of routine health information
in Western Province, Zambia
This article presents a qualitative study focused on the challenges in producing and
utilizing routine health information in Zambia. The study analyzes interviews
with 37 health and social sector professionals at various levels (national,
provincial, district, facility) to understand the barriers in using data from
the Zambian health management information system. Key challenges identified
include governance and health system organization, geographic barriers,
technical and procedural barriers, and issues with human resource capacity and
staff training. The study emphasizes the need for clear expectations for
information use at each health system level and further research to enhance the
use of health management information systems data.
Videos
Antifragille: Things That Gain from Disorder
What is Scientific Racism?
LEADERSHIP LAB: The Craft of Writing Effectively
Music
Spotify Wrapped aside, here are some of my favorite songs from 2023:
Apps
Other than the usual suspects, here are some of my favorite apps from 2023:
- Notion - I was initially skeptical of Notion, but after using it for a few months, I am hooked. I use it for everything from note taking, to journaling, to project management, to writing. It is a wonderful tool.
- ChatGPT v4 - I have been playing around with GPT-3 for a while now and I am amazed at how far it has come. ChatGPT v4 has been a worthwhile investment. Particularly as a copilot for writing code and writing in general, and thinking through ideas.
- Duolingo - Commutes are a wonderful time to learn a new language. I have been learning a couple of different languages and the friend quests have been the best part of it all.
Movies / Shows / Documentaries
"A Man Called Otto"
Tom Hanks is Otto. Devastated and lonely, a widower decides to take a drastic step. However, his plans are disrupted by a lively family that moves in next door. If you have watched Ground Hog Day or Forest Gump, you will not be disappointed.
"Upload"
Set 10 years from now, in the year 2033, people have the ability to upload themselves to a virtual world after their death. Nathan chooses to live in the virtual Lakeview after his unexpected death.
"Beckham"
A chronicle of David Beckham's rise from working-class beginnings to global soccer stardom.
Places
Lamu Old Town is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, retaining its traditional functions. Built in coral stone and mangrove timber, the town is characterized by the simplicity of structural forms enriched by such features as inner courtyards, verandas, and elaborately carved wooden doors. Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century, and has become a significant centre for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures.
Looking forward to 2024
I am looking forward to 2024. I am excited about the possibilities that the future holds. I am excited about the people I will meet, the places I will go, and the things I will learn. I am excited about the things I will unlearn. I am excited about the things I will build and the things I will break.
My top wishes for 2024 are:
1. More time with more family
Family; those who we are born into and those who we choose. I am looking forward to spending more time with family in person and virtually. More phone calls, more video calls, more visits, more hugs, more kisses, more love. And not just those I know now but those I also hope to meet in 2024.
2. Less echo chambers
With the rise of more sophisticated algorithms, I find myself in a bubble of content that I like. I hope to be more intentional about stepping out of that bubble and engaging with content that I don't necessarily disagree with, but that would not easily come up in my feed.
3. More writing
2023, particularly in this last quarter, has been a great time for my writing. I hope to write more about the interesting things I am learning and the interesting things I am building. I hope it makes for enjoyable and insightful reading.