Interesting clip

Recently I've watched a lot of videos on dimensions, especially those in the "imagining 10 dimensions" series. There are a lot of ideas involved, a truly enriching experience. Although there are some questions which popped up in my head whether the 4th dimension is time or spatial, because after the 10 dimensions time is still added, making it 11 dimensions (?) Also, how do we base higher spatial dimensions on a time dimension? Nevertheless, the video does have a clear way of explanation and visualisation. Although I got lost somewhere at the 7th, the ideas are really interesting.

So here is a collection of the entire series. The individual ones are linked in the video annotation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg85IH3vghA&list=TL3FEFQTvfuBbXSQfz0TBs8p292UzuyLnU

Sadly embedding is not allowed.

And I also came across this awesome acapella on string theory. This guys just got his master degree in physics (I believe) and he made awesome acapella science videos. Yay this one can be embedded.

I can't wait to learn about quantum physics, relativity and string theory! I may not have what it needs to understand, but please give me a chance to learn.

Purpose of life?

It suddenly occurred to me that there seems to be two fundamental purpose of our lives as humans. To think, and to love, in which both qualities are not commonly found in other parts of nature.

Well we do observe love in animal, but that is more of a natural instinct compared to the level of sophistication we have developed it into.

And thinking? As far as we know, only human beings have higher order thinking.

So yeah, the true achievements of your life will boil down to these two. Note that these are the fundamentals, but the display of these two can be in various forms.

Thinking and loving, that's what make us human

A really philosophical post

I'm so sorry for the ultra-long post before this. Until now I'm still unsure if I'm an INTP or INTJ but it doesn't matter now. I had just recently came to the conclusion that everyone is living life with a huge uncertainty and we just have to deal with it.

Now I know that it's very cheeky to call yourself philosophical, because real philosophers obviously don't call themselves philosophers. They prefer big names such as profound thinker or seeker of the greater truth. But that's not important. Below is just, again, coming from a secondary four student who has not reached full maturity in thoughts, therefore don't set your expectations too high.

I have been thinking of this issue recently: what is reality? To some of you this may seem like duh, but with closer examination you will realise that what you perceive as reality in everyday life may not be real. The possibility exists, and there is no way that you can prove that something is real with concrete evidence. Now this, is a truly frightening thought. I almost couldn't sleep the other night. What if, everything around us is not real? You see colours, hear sounds, taste food, feel coldness, but all of these sensing could be a trick to our brain. In fact the whole notion of having a physical world and body can be false. What if they are just created like a stimulation to feed our conscious?

It seems now, that only the "spiritual" you is real right? The only thing you can be sure of is your own conscious. Not anymore. How do you know that your conscious is yours? When you make a decision, is it truly you who make it? When we make decisions, we take various factors into consideration, and the various factors are coming from the environment. Therefore, if the environment is false, then is our conscious false? What if we are just making decisions based on sound judgement (what we think is sound) coming from our previous experiences? Then a modification in our environment will change our conscious, so is it ours then, or is just a programme ran based on complex formulas? And though we assume that we are the master of our thoughts and actions, what we are actually doing can be just based on some laws?

Crisis, crisis indeed. Maybe this sounds rubbish to you, maybe you feel that I'm thinking too much, maybe you thought that I took drugs. Well, if you have a solution, please please write it down as comments or in the chat box, because the level of uncertainty is overwhelming now. It appears to me as though I can never be sure of anything. This uncertainty really bugs me.

After this horror I tried to regain faith by thinking of things that cannot be false. I tried and tried but to no avail. Only when I came to mathematics did the solution appear.

1 is 1, 2 is 2. 1+1=2. This seems to me that there's no way for it to be false. Maybe it can be, just that I don't know. But all these mathematical formulas, they feel very real.

Then I thought of some others. Feelings. What you feel at the present moment, it feels real. When you get angry, you really do. Is there a way for feeling to be false? I mean, false not in the sense where you purposely conceal it, but as to how YOU feel. Feeling is a irrational thing. Can it be false? Can what you feel at the present moment be false? I can't think of a possibility where a feeling can be false, at least, it appears to be more real than what you touch and eat.

Thinking along this line, lots of things popped up. Things such as harmony and love become very real. We can't materialise these ideas, but we know that they are there. Maybe there is a world which these did not exist, but those concepts, they are very very real.

As Linying has neatly summarised for me during our discussion at assembly today,  what is really real are actually the abstract things.

I still can't be sure. I can never be 100% sure. To be 100% sure I need the proof that there are no alternatives. Obviously such proof do not exist. As long as the possibility of a counter-example holds, uncertainty prevails.

I know it will be very nice to just end-off at the previous paragraph, but it brings about another issue which I've been thinking of recently. Well, since you already read half-way, may as well continue.

Is there such a thing known as the "absolute truth"? Meaning, it is true in all circumstances.

Things such as mathematics and moral ethics seem to suggest that there is. For example, mathematical laws are almost unshaken, they appear to be always right. We, as humans, also seem to know that there is such a thing known as "the right thing to do". We feel that there is some virtues with the halos and all and people should all strive to achieve them because they are absolutely right.

I'm not going to offer my opinions on this because I'm really uncertain of this and there are no good insights which I can offer. All I know is that if there is an absolute truth, then humans may tend to it almost infinitely close, but they will never reach it, because humans are imperfect.

On the other hand, there can be no absolute truth, because everything is relative to each other and they may break down when things outside our sphere of knowledge appear and disprove. For example, the earth revolves around the sun, it is thought to be an absolute truth. Yet, maybe in a different dimension, I have no idea how, the earth is seen as stagnant to the sun. Then is this still an absolute truth? An absolute truth is something that is true no matter what, so it is not.

The second case is pretty scary. That means everything we have established so far can be false, and we have to start over. Just like how discovering distant galaxies and stars helps us to shape our models of the universe, imagine we suddenly discovering a totally badass galaxy that does not follow some of the laws of physics as we have formulated. Though extremely low, the possibility exists. If the second case holds true (haha note the irony), everything "true" breaks down, and we will cry.

In all cases I wish it is the first one. Although we may never get it, the assurance that the truth does exist makes me feel better.

P.s. after writing this long post I went to search on the web and some interesting arguments come out. Here's the links if you have time:

http://www.gotquestions.org/absolute-truth.html
http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2012/is-there-an-absolute-truth/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-backman/absolute-truth_b_2573546.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality
http://www.newscientist.com/special/reality
http://www.peterrussell.com/SCG/ideal.php

A lot of them are religion-related, which I'm not going to discuss here. Not only because it is an ultra big topic that I have almost no knowledge of, people's spit could drown me.

The true disaster comes when the two questions are integrated--is there absolute truth even when there is no reality? How can we tell if there is an absolutely truth when "truth" are based on our perceptions and our perceptions are not necessarily real?

I'm not sure if this is beyond the capability of the human brain, if you have answers, or any personal insights, do comment. Please.

Identity Crisis!

When I first took the Jung typology test at humanmetrics.com, I was pretty sure I'm an INTJ. Now, I'm not. In fact not long after I took the test I started pondering whether I'm an INTP, because the descriptions of an INTP suit me as well. And so I struggled to differentiate the two apart and try to identify which one I am, which proved to be the most challenging task I've ever encountered this year. I went to do the test on two other websites and one showed that I'm an INTP while the other, still INTJ. Then I went to google the difference between the two and this somewhat useful yet pretty useless website tells me that"Many INTPs test as INTJ, whereas the opposite phenomenon is less common."  and "As mentioned, it is comparatively rare for INTJs to test as INTP, although it does happen, particularly when the INTJ lacks structure in their environment." So now, I'm really really confused. Of course I tried to do research for both personality types but the contents that came out just don't make a lot of sense to me (like The dominant function of the INTP is Introverted Thinking. This function is supported closely and importantly by the auxiliary function of Extraverted Intuition. Extraverted Intuition perceives the world and sends information into the psyche, where it is processed by Introverted Thinking. An INTP who uses their Extraverted Intuition function in a diminished way is one who perceives information for the sole purpose of feeding Introverted Thinking, rather than taking everything in objectively. They are less concerned with understanding something for the sake of understanding than they are with feeding a piece of data into their Thinking function.)

Okay, let's first talk about the similarities between the two types. They are both very logical thinkers. Quoting from http://mbtitruths.blogspot.sg/2012/08/intj-vs-intp.html, "Both are likely to be socially awkward, physically clumsy, and have messy rooms. They will share the qualities of being scholarly, intellectual, reserved, nerdy, and intelligent. INTJs and INTPs will be determined when it comes to their personal goals, but unmotivated in fulfilling routine tasks." Okay yeah totally describes me, so how do we tell them apart? The website say "Thus, the only clear way to tell them apart is by examining their functions." This is where the problem comes in, because I cannot understand the functions at all. From http://intjcentral.com/intj-vs-intp/ I get this table:

INTJ	INTP
Cognitive Functions: Ni, Te, Fi, Se	Cognitive Functions: Ti, Ne, Si, Fe
Gain knowledge so it can be applied. Once the knowledge is applied to something that works, INTJs may lose interest in gaining additional knowledge on the subject.	Knowledge is the end goal. It doesn’t have to be applied to be worth pursuing, and INTPs usually don’t want to bother “applying stuff” anyway.
Explores possibilities and finds potential (Ni) then interacts with the environment to realize those possibilities and potential (Te)	Pieces information together and draws conclusions (Ti) then interacts with the environment to find additional possibilities (Ne)
Perfectionists of action.	Perfectionists of thought.
Desire to control the world around them	Spontaneous and adapt to the world around them

Just in case you don't know, i=introverted, e=extroverted, N=intuition, T=thinking, F=feeling and S=sensing. The descriptions of all these functions confuse me a great deal, and I really can't comprehend them. I try to read the other differences, and I don't really know either. For some I relate to both while for others I relate to none. I'm completely unaware of how I gain knowledge from the environment, and I also don't know whether I'm more interested to put the knowledge to use or the process of gaining the knowledge itself. I mean, I have not yet reached the age when I can even put my knowledge into use! What I know now is really pathetically little. I like theories, that's all I know. I also have no desire to control the world around me in general, but if something around me goes horribly wrong I'll be very pissed and wish for a change. I feel that there is a 50% chance of me make the change myself and another 50% prompting others to make the change. And I'll be very spontaneous if I'm in a very relaxed mood or around people whom I'm comfortable to be with. However once I'm in an unfamiliar environment I'll become very different, very rigid and hoping that my existence will not be noticed. From the blog there's a very interesting paragraph at the end, which says "If you don't have time to discover an INTx's functions, here's a quick and easy way to tell them apart. The communication styles result from their differing Thinking functions.

Woman: "Do you think I'm fat?"
INTJ: "Based on the BMI scale, your weight is above the acceptable range for your height, and you're not pregnant. So yes, you are fat."

INTP: "Well, the contours of your body resemble those of an average hippopotamus in shape and slope. So I'd say you're fat." ". Again, I feel that I'm likely to say both (although I'll try to not offend people--I'm a nice INTX) and the outcome is completely random aka depending on my mood and the person whom I'm speaking to. If I happen to have a  very friendly maths teacher (which is like the square root of -1) asking me this, I'll probably respond like an INTJ. However, if my best friend who always teased me asks, I'll respond like an INTP.

Okay sorry for making this such a long post because I'm now going to quote the descriptions of INTJ and INTP. Pardon me. I'm going to use the analytical skills that I learnt in the critical thinking and inquiry course to close read these two, hoping that I can find clues to my confusion. 

Portrait of an INTJ 

---

The Scientist

As an INTJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in primarily via your intuition. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things rationally and logically.
(don't understand the above at all)
INTJs live in the world of ideas and strategic planning. They value intelligence, knowledge, and competence, and typically have high standards in these regards, which they continuously strive to fulfill (True) . To a somewhat lesser extent, they have similar expectations of others.(Maybe, when doing projects.)
With Introverted Intuition dominating their personality, INTJs focus their energy on observing the world, and generating ideas and possibilities. Their mind constantly gathers information and makes associations about it. They are tremendously insightful and usually are very quick to understand new ideas.(True) However, their primary interest is not understanding a concept, but rather applying that concept in a useful way.(This is the part where I'm unsure) Unlike the INTP, they do not follow an idea as far as they possibly can, seeking only to understand it fully. INTJs are driven to come to conclusions about ideas. Their need for closure and organization usually requires that they take some action.(Hmm this is the part which I disagree...I will like to fully understand an idea first because not understanding something fully bugs me. However I also like to draw conclusions because without conclusions all the thinking will be quite pointless)
INTJ's tremendous value and need for systems and organization, combined with their natural insightfulness, makes them excellent scientists. An INTJ scientist gives a gift to society by putting their ideas into a useful form for others to follow. It is not easy for the INTJ to express their internal images, insights, and abstractions. The internal form of the INTJ's thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not readily translatable into a form that others will understand.(True) However, the INTJ is driven to translate their ideas into a plan or system that is usually readily explainable, rather than to do a direct translation of their thoughts. They usually don't see the value of a direct transaction, and will also have difficulty expressing their ideas, which are non-linear.(Don't quite get this part) However, their extreme respect of knowledge and intelligence will motivate them to explain themselves to another person who they feel is deserving of the effort.(True)
INTJs are natural leaders, although they usually choose to remain in the background until they see a real need to take over the lead. When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things which aren't working well. They are the supreme strategists - always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against their current strategy, to plan for every conceivable contingency.(Really unsure about this part, I don't think I can lead at all. However I do respect competent leaders and will take on the role of a leader if the subject is something that I'm extremely confident in--only if no one wants to be the leader. And I'm not sure if I can strategize well)
INTJs spend a lot of time inside their own minds, and may have little interest in the other people's thoughts or feelings. Unless their Feeling side is developed, they may have problems giving other people the level of intimacy that is needed.(quite true. I'm not really interested in other people's feelings, and also sometimes have difficulties understanding them) Unless their Sensing side is developed, they may have a tendency to ignore details which are necessary for implementing their ideas.(not very true...I do notice details)
The INTJ's interest in dealing with the world is to make decisions, express judgments, and put everything that they encounter into an understandable and rational system.(True) Consequently, they are quick to express judgments. Often they have very evolved intuitions, and are convinced that they are right about things.(no not really, sometimes I can be really uncertain) Unless they complement their intuitive understanding with a well-developed ability to express their insights, they may find themselves frequently misunderstood. In these cases, INTJs tend to blame misunderstandings on the limitations of the other party, rather than on their own difficulty in expressing themselves. This tendency may cause the INTJ to dismiss others input too quickly, and to become generally arrogant and elitist.(Totally not true I don't usually express my thinking and I'm certainly not arrogant)
INTJs are ambitious, self-confident, deliberate, long-range thinkers.(Lacking the ambition and confidence) Many INTJs end up in engineering or scientific pursuits, although some find enough challenge within the business world in areas which involve organizing and strategic planning. They dislike messiness and inefficiency, and anything that is muddled or unclear. They value clarity and efficiency, and will put enormous amounts of energy and time into consolidating their insights into structured patterns.(rather true, but my room is messy as hell. Yet I do categorize things or it will be very troublesome. And I'm neutral about inefficiency I guess...I put more value on productivity and quality than on efficiency)
Other people may have a difficult time understanding an INTJ. They may see them as aloof and reserved. ( :( )Indeed, the INTJ is not overly demonstrative of their affections, and is likely to not give as much praise or positive support as others may need or desire. That doesn't mean that he or she doesn't truly have affection or regard for others, they simply do not typically feel the need to express it.(very very true) Others may falsely perceive the INTJ as being rigid and set in their ways. Nothing could be further from the truth, because the INTJ is committed to always finding the objective best strategy to implement their ideas. The INTJ is usually quite open to hearing an alternative way of doing something.(True)
When under a great deal of stress, the INTJ may become obsessed with mindless repetitive, Sensate activities, such as over-drinking. They may also tend to become absorbed with minutia and details that they would not normally consider important to their overall goal.(True but I don't drink lol)
INTJs need to remember to express themselves sufficiently, so as to avoid difficulties with people misunderstandings. In the absence of properly developing their communication abilities, they may become abrupt and short with people, and isolationists.
INTJs have a tremendous amount of ability to accomplish great things. They have insight into the Big Picture, and are driven to synthesize their concepts into solid plans of action. Their reasoning skills gives them the means to accomplish that. INTJs are most always highly competent people, and will not have a problem meeting their career or education goals. They have the capability to make great strides in these arenas. On a personal level, the INTJ who practices tolerances and puts effort into effectively communicating their insights to others has everything in his or her power to lead a rich and rewarding life.(well hopefully)

Okay now moving on to INTP:

Portrait of an INTP 

---

The Thinker

As an INTP, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you deal with things rationally and logically. Your secondary mode is external, where you take things in primarily via your intuition.(Again this sounds rubbish)
INTPs live in the world of theoretical possibilities. They see everything in terms of how it could be improved, or what it could be turned into.(Not sure what it means) They live primarily inside their own minds, having the ability to analyze difficult problems, identify patterns, and come up with logical explanations. They seek clarity in everything, and are therefore driven to build knowledge. They are the "absent-minded professors", who highly value intelligence and the ability to apply logic to theories to find solutions. They typically are so strongly driven to turn problems into logical explanations, that they live much of their lives within their own heads, and may not place as much importance or value on the external world.(Hmm...) Their natural drive to turn theories into concrete understanding may turn into a feeling of personal responsibility to solve theoretical problems, and help society move towards a higher understanding.
INTPs value knowledge above all else. Their minds are constantly working to generate new theories, or to prove or disprove existing theories. They approach problems and theories with enthusiasm and skepticism, ignoring existing rules and opinions and defining their own approach to the resolution. They seek patterns and logical explanations for anything that interests them.(Very true except for the constantly working. Sometimes when I venture into lalaland I think about random things and not necessarily present theories) They're usually extremely bright, and able to be objectively critical in their analysis. They love new ideas, and become very excited over abstractions and theories. They love to discuss these concepts with others.(True but cannot find anyone to listen:( ) They may seem "dreamy" and distant to others, because they spend a lot of time inside their minds musing over theories.(I'm not very distant but sometimes I tell my friends some weird theories that somehow popped up in my mind and they wonder if I'm on drugs) They hate to work on routine things - they would much prefer to build complex theoretical solutions, and leave the implementation of the system to others. They are intensely interested in theory, and will put forth tremendous amounts of time and energy into finding a solution to a problem with has piqued their interest.(Very true. I hate troubleshooting (esp. for maths), and repetitive technical stuff)
INTPs do not like to lead or control people. They're very tolerant and flexible in most situations, unless one of their firmly held beliefs has been violated or challenged, in which case they may take a very rigid stance. The INTP is likely to be very shy when it comes to meeting new people. On the other hand, the INTP is very self-confident and gregarious around people they know well, or when discussing theories which they fully understand.(This is so so so so so true)
The INTP has no understanding or value for decisions made on the basis of personal subjectivity or feelings. They strive constantly to achieve logical conclusions to problems, and don't understand the importance or relevance of applying subjective emotional considerations to decisions. For this reason, INTPs are usually not in-tune with how people are feeling, and are not naturally well-equiped to meet the emotional needs of others.(very true)
The INTP may have a problem with self-aggrandizement and social rebellion, which will interfere with their creative potential.(don't quite understand but I think it sounds quite true)  Since their Feeling side is their least developed trait, the INTP may have difficulty giving the warmth and support that is sometimes necessary in intimate relationships. If the INTP doesn't realize the value of attending to other people's feelings, he or she may become overly critical and sarcastic with others. If the INTP is not able to find a place for themself which supports the use of their strongest abilities, they may become generally negative and cynical. If the INTP has not developed their Sensing side sufficiently, they may become unaware of their environment, and exhibit weakness in performing maintenance-type tasks, such as bill-paying and dressing appropriately.(I don't think I have this problem)
For the INTP, it is extremely important that ideas and facts are expressed correctly and succinctly. They are likely to express themselves in what they believe to be absolute truths. Sometimes, their well thought-out understanding of an idea is not easily understandable by others, but the INTP is not naturally likely to tailor the truth so as to explain it in an understandable way to others. The INTP may be prone to abandoning a project once they have figured it out, moving on to the next thing. It's important that the INTP place importance on expressing their developed theories in understandable ways. In the end, an amazing discovery means nothing if you are the only person who understands it.(very true)
The INTP is usually very independent, unconventional, and original. They are not likely to place much value on traditional goals such as popularity and security. They usually have complex characters, and may tend to be restless and temperamental. They are strongly ingenious, and have unconventional thought patterns which allows them to analyze ideas in new ways.(True) Consequently, a lot of scientific breakthroughs in the world have been made by the INTP.
The INTP is at his best when he can work on his theories independently. When given an environment which supports his creative genius and possible eccentricity, the INTP can accomplish truly remarkable things. These are the pioneers of new thoughts in our society.

Okay now back to my blog post, after this analysis I think I'm more inclined towards INTP. I'm not as leader-like and mean as an INTJ, but also not as taken away from reality as an INTP. I do take note of practicality of things like INTJ and is also unconventional and creative as INTP. Which type am I? I feel that taking the INTJ approach to life is easier--order, efficiency, clarity, but the INTP approach is more interesting, yet harder. Sometimes when I think too much my head will explode and I will feel feverish for the entire day and things like that.And sometimes when you get very confused and can't grasp an idea no matter what is a truly depressing thing. For me at least. So am I an INTP or an INTJ? I really don't know. And thinking about this is making my head explode. Ahh I hate this feeling why can't I just lead a normal life and don't think so much. Really sorry for this long post. But I think people won't really care about the problems of me anyway...so thank you if you actually read all these crap. As a reward I'm going to put a picture in the end.

 

Yeah I like sheeps.

Humanity and the world today

Okay I know that I've been blogging really frequenly recently. But there is this sudden realisation that strike me so I have to write it down somewhere.

History tells us whenever a civilisation start to flourish--when the basic needs of the people are met, people generally do not have any problems with satisfying the needs of the physical--that unique cultures are developed, philosophy and the sciences start to take tremendous progress. This can be seen in many cases--the ancient civilisations, notably the Greeks who have came up with so many philosophical ideologies that still hold their places today, ancient Rome which left us Latin, the ancestor of English and is still used widely in the academia. Moving to the more modern ones, we have the age of enlightenment and the industrial revolution. (Pardon me if I make any mistakes or give bad examples--not a history student here) However, as we move closer and closer to the present, we realise that the quality of life of the people are improving, yet the intellectual and cultural pursuits of the people are declining. Looking at the world today, people are "overly fed", both physically and mentally. Most people are enjoying a convenient and hedonistic life (most people as in those who can see this blog). Most people have great food to eat, good sanitation, excellent healthcare, abundance of recreational activities, basically all that is needed physically of that of a human being. However, the level of satisfaction is way lower than what it should be.

Perhaps it is due to a lack of higher pursuit. We are definitely nothing compared to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Look at our so called "pop culture" today. It holds little quality and depth. The ancient civilisations left us with great ideology and inventions. What can we leave for our future generations? Lady gaga? We do have a diversity of newly formed cultures of today, but they hold no value. Most of them are created purely for entertainment and will be soon forgotten, rendering their short existence meaningless but to make a few people laugh. The problem I find with the world today is that our physical needs are certainly fulfilled, but our culture is not flourishing, nor is our intellectual pursuit. Instead, we are trying to ruin the already well established ancient cultures by adding in trashy stuff, instead of building on them.

Also, the fast pace of the modern society has not allowed people to think. People are overly fed mentally as well. Everyday we perceive too much information for our brain to precess and filter, let alone create. We all know that it's only when we get bored does our brain start to fill us with fantastic ideas and inspirations. However, in the modern society there seems to be this fear of boredom. It is as though boredom is a furry little monster that must be kept at bay. When we get bored we must find something to do, it is a duty that we must oblige. Last time when people take long train rides they read their books in leisure or gaze out of the window and simply let their minds go empty. That's why so many ideas were generated on trains. Today, you take a subway ride that stops every 2-3 min with annoying announcements and talking passengers. You, you are furiously scrolling through your social media and feeds trying to get the hottest topic in town. No more ideas will be generated in such a medley environment.

And people think less too, because information is too readily available. People go to that holy site for all their answers in life: Google, and for all the information they missed during lectures because they are sleeping: Wikipedia. I highly suspect that the world will not be able to function properly the day Google breaks down. (Hey that sounds like a great idea for a movie) Basically, people don't undergo the amount of rigour of thinking they are supposed to undergo in order to reach the expected standard of that field of knowledge they are to have last time. When can we ever have our next Einstein? The world now is full of smart people, but they put their intelligence into things such as scoring full mark on a test, finding the right information from the internet and presenting their findings in an interesting way. People who study philosophy, literature and pure mathematics have difficulty finding jobs. The world has turn to a horrible horrible place. People are too short sighted only to fight for their survival or maybe the survival of the future generation. No one actually cares whether the present generation will leave something of value for the future of mankind. That, is a truly sad thing.

(The above whatever is only coming from a viewpoint of a random secondary 4 student studying in a random school in Singapore. Her view may be highly skewed due to lack of exposure to the outside world. Hence, do not fret if you find any sentence in this article untrue. Just wait for her to grow up and she will understand.)

Our class' performance for TDC!

So since it's our last year, our class wants to do something special for our wonderful teachers and we decided to perform for Teachers' Day Concert this year! I have to say our class did an awesome job, and I'm the slacker who only come out at the end :P I'm really amazed by some of my classmates' ability to act. Anyway, our performance turned out great and all our efforts paid off. Without further blabbering here is a video of our performance:

I'm really proud to be in 404! Sadly we only have around a months' time with each other, but these awesome people will stay in my memory.

Derping around

In case you are wondering why I'm not asleep and doing don't know what in the middle of the night, that's because

1. I'm an owl
2. I don't like to sleep early
3. Sleep is for the weak
4. I was downloading random fonts and exploring with them

okay this font thing is a random discovery. It all started when people on my class whatsapp group are discussing what fonts to use for the word nygh. Therefore, I went to google for fonts, and found this website that has so called 1001 fonts. I'm too lazy to count to verify. Anyway, I browsed through some of the fonts and downloaded a number of them. Okay a lot of them like 20+. After which I spent some time to unzip all the files and install them into word.

So mow, my awesome word has dozens of new awesome fonts! Cheer for me!

And also I deleted some fonts which people never ever are going to use. I wonder what are some of the fonts there for. They are so ugly that using them will be an insult to the reader.

After looking through all the fonts, I saw this special font that has arrows in the words. Then I think of direction, then I think of lost.

And so I started to waste my time efficiently on doing a art word thing on the theme lost. Remember that I'm doing with Microsoft word, so I have to shift all the text boxes, adjust the width of words, adding in colours etc. which is a total pain. However, after hours of meaningless hard work this is what I finally got:

Okay I know the colours may seem cluttered and not very in harmony, but it's not bad for a first timer right? :D This is my first time in attempting this kind of word art. And it may seem a bit messy, but messiness is part of the intended outcome.

Hmm maybe I can tone down on the colours of the word colours.

Haha I'm so proud of myself :DDDDDD

And to end off this post I shall insert a random emoticon. ヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ

kthxbye

Suddenly remembered

Oh yeah I suddenly remembered what I wanted to say in the previous post! Never mind no harm in starting in a new post, since the two are completely unrelated.

I have been studying this Jung's personality typology model. It categorizes people into 16 types, in which the personality must be between two types in the four indicators.

Extrovert vs. Introvert

Extraverted (E) Extraversion is a preference to focus on the world outside the self. Extraverts enjoy social interactions and tend to be enthusiastic, verbal, assertive, and animated. They enjoy large social gatherings, such as parties and any kind of group activity. Extraverts are likely to enjoy time spent with people and find themselves energized by social interaction. Extravert Characteristics Gregarious Assertive Talkative Social/outgoing Likes groups, parties, etc. Energized by interaction Expressive & enthusiastic Volunteers personal information Distractable Has many friends Easy to approach

or

Introverted (I) Introversion is a preference to focus on the world inside the self. Introverts tend to be quiet, peaceful and deliberate and are not attracted to social interactions. They prefer activities they can do alone or with one other close friend, activities such as reading, writing, thinking, and inventing. Introverts find social gatherings draining. Introvert Characteristics Energized by time alone Private Keeps to self Quiet Deliberate Internally aware Fewer friends Prefer smaller groups Independent Not socially inclined Enjoys solitude Thinks before speaking

Sensing vs. iNtuition

Sensing (S) Sensing refers to how people process data. Sensing people focus on the present, they are "here and now" people, who are factual and process information through the five senses. They see things as they are, they are concrete thinkers. Sensing Characteristics Concrete Realistic Lives in the present Aware of surroundings Notices details Practical Goes by senses Factual

or

Intuition (N) Intuition refers to how people process data. Intuitive people focus on the future and the possibilities. They process information through patterns and impressions. They read between the lines, they are abstract thinkers. Intuitive Characteristics Future-focused Sees possibilities Inventive Imaginative Deep Abstract Idealistic Complicated Theoretical

Thinking vs. Feeling

Thinking (T) Thinking refers to how people make decisions. Thinking people are objective and make decisions based on facts. They are ruled by their head instead of their heart. Thinking people judge situations and others based on logic. Thinking Characteristics Logical Objective Decides with head Wants truth Rational Impersonal Critical Thick-skinned Firm with people Driven by thought

or

Feeling (F) Feeling refers to how people make decisions. Feeling people are subjective and make decisions based on principles and values. They are ruled by their heart instead of their head. Feeling people judge situations and others based on feelings and extenuating circumstances. Feeling Characteristics Decides with heart Dislikes conflict Passionate Driven by emotion Gentle Easily hurt Empathetic Caring of others Warm

Judging vs. Perceiving

Judging (J) Judging is the preference outwardly displayed. Judging does not mean "judgmental". Judging people like order, organization and think sequentially. They like to have things planned and settled. Judging people seek closure. Judging Characteristics Decisive Controlled Good at finishing Organized Structured Scheduled Quick at tasks Responsible Likes closure Makes plans

or

Perceiving (P) Perceiving is the preference outwardly displayed. Perceiving people are flexible, like to keep their options open and think randomly. They like to act spontaneously and are adaptable. Perceivers like to keep things open ended. Perceiving Characteristics Adaptable Relaxed Disorganized Care-free Spontaneous Changes tracks midway Keeps options open Procrastinates Dislikes routine Flexible

(Information taken from http://www.mypersonality.info/)

Okay, so after this test I was trying to observe people and categorize into the 16 types of personalities. I took the test and the descriptions of my personality are VERY accurate. I was amazed and thought: oh my someone finally knows me!

Just in case you wonder, I'm an INTJ. Actually I'm wondering if I'm an INTP, because sometimes I can get very disorganised and I'm a big procrastinator. But the test suggest otherwise and I think the descriptions of an INTJ suite me very much as well. It is also a very rare personality! Statistics say that only 0.8% of females in USA have this personality. Well, this may explain why I feel so different from the people around me. Anyway, these are some descriptions of my personality:

I – Introversion preferred to extraversion: INTJs tend to be quiet and reserved. They generally prefer interacting with a few close friends rather than a wide circle of acquaintances, and they expend energy in social situations (whereas extraverts gain energy).

N – Intuition preferred to sensing: INTJs tend to be more abstract than concrete. They focus their attention on the big picture rather than the details and on future possibilities rather than immediate realities.

T – Thinking preferred to feeling: INTJs tend to value objective criteria above personal preference or sentiment. When making decisions they generally give more weight to logic than to social considerations.

J – Judgment preferred to perception: INTJs tend to plan their activities and make decisions early. They derive a sense of control through predictability, which to perceptive types may seem limiting.

INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake ... INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait of combining imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority come into play. Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel ... This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals ... Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense.

—Marina Margaret Heiss^[12]

INTJs are analytical. Like INTPs, they are most comfortable working alone and tend to be less sociable than other types. Nevertheless, INTJs are prepared to lead if no one else seems up to the task, or if they see a major weakness in the current leadership. They tend to be pragmatic, logical, and creative. They have a low tolerance for spin or rampant emotionalism. They are not generally susceptible to catchphrases and do not readily accept authority based on tradition, rank, or title.

INTJs are strong individualists who seek new angles or novel ways of looking at things. They enjoy coming to new understandings. They tend to be insightful and mentally quick; however, this mental quickness may not always be outwardly apparent to others since they keep a great deal to themselves. They are very determined people who trust their vision of the possibilities, regardless of what others think. They may even be considered the most independent of all of the sixteen personality types. INTJs are at their best in quietly and firmly developing their ideas, theories, and principles.

—Sandra Krebs Hirsch^[13]

Hallmarks of the INTJ include independence of thought and a desire for efficiency. They work best when given autonomy and creative freedom. They harbor an innate desire to express themselves by conceptualizing their own intellectual designs. They have a talent for analyzing and formulating complex theories. INTJs are generally well-suited for occupations within academia, research, consulting, management, science, engineering, and law. They are often acutely aware of their own knowledge and abilities—as well as their limitations and what they don't know (a quality that tends to distinguish them from INTPs). INTJs thus develop a strong confidence in their ability and talents, making them natural leaders.

In forming relationships, INTJs tend to seek out others with similar character traits and ideologies. Agreement on theoretical concepts is an important aspect of their relationships. By nature INTJs can be demanding in their expectations, and approach relationships in a rational manner. As a result, INTJs may not always respond to a spontaneous infatuation but wait for a mate who better fits their set criteria. They tend to be stable, reliable, and dedicated. Harmony in relationships and home life tends to be extremely important to them. They generally withhold strong emotion and do not like to waste time with what they consider irrational social rituals. This may cause non-INTJs to perceive them as distant and reserved; nevertheless, INTJs are usually very loyal partners who are prepared to commit substantial energy and time into a relationship to make it work.

As mates, INTJs want harmony and order in the home and in relationships. The most independent of all types,^[14] INTJs trust their intuition when choosing friends and mates—even in spite of contradictory evidence or pressure from others. The emotions of an INTJ are hard to read, and neither male nor female INTJs are apt to express emotional reactions. At times, INTJs seem cold, reserved, and unresponsive, while in fact they are almost hypersensitive to signals of rejection from those they care for. In social situations, INTJs may also be unresponsive and may neglect small rituals designed to put others at ease. For example, INTJs may communicate that idle dialogue such as small talk is a waste of time. This may create the impression that the INTJ is in a hurry—an impression that is not always intended. In their interpersonal relationships, INTJs are usually better in a working situation than in a recreational situation.

Dominant: Introverted intuition (Ni)

Attracted to symbolic actions or devices, Ni synthesizes seeming paradoxes to create the previously unimagined. These realizations come with a certainty that demands action to fulfill a new vision of the future, solutions that may include complex systems or universal truths.^[16]

Auxiliary: Extraverted thinking (Te)

Te organizes and schedules ideas and the environment to ensure the efficient, productive pursuit of objectives. Te seeks logical explanations for actions, events, and conclusions, looking for faulty reasoning and lapses in sequence.^[17]

Tertiary: Introverted feeling (Fi)

Fi filters information based on interpretations of worth, forming judgments according to criteria that are often intangible. Fi constantly balances an internal set of values such as harmony and authenticity. Attuned to subtle distinctions, Fi innately senses what is true and what is false in a situation.^[18]

Inferior: Extraverted sensing (Se)

Se focuses on the experiences and sensations of the immediate, physical world. With an acute awareness of the present surroundings, it brings relevant facts and details to the forefront and may lead to spontaneous action.^[19]

(The above is take from Wikipedia)

And if you want to see more, you can go to here.

However I do know of some cases of people who don't fit into this system of classification. For example, Yun Si got a 1% for feeling vs. thinking, thus she has so called "no preference". That means this system cannot very accurately describe her. Hence don't trust this 100%. However if you get over 70% for your type (like me), then it is most likely true.

Well, have fun exploring. I think this is a great way to understand people for an INTJ like me :)

P.s. INTJs are awesome!

(MAJOR EDIT: After a period of identity crisis I now identify myself as INTP. The two are extremely similar hence the confusion. Please refer to later posts for further info.)

Phantom of the Opera

Hehe just returned from the Phantom of the Opera. It is awesome, as expected. Very emotionally filled and the music are epic as well. Totally worth it!

And, as you may expect, another spam of poto music again.

This is a full recording of the 25th anniversary poto. Sorry for the bad quality.

A few notable pieces:

And lastly, it's this dude again!

I actually wanted to write about some other things too, but after watching all these videos I suddenly forgot what I was about to say. Never mind leave it to next time then.