On the Future: Prospects for Humanity (2018) by Martin Rees, Book Review

 On the Future: Prospects for Humanity (2018) by Martin Rees

I enjoy watching the YouTube Originals series on The Age of A.I. eight science-documentary episodes covering the ways how Artificial Intelligence is and will change the world in various fields such as robotics, health, food, space travel, relationships, and others. It is narrated and hosted by Robert Downey Jr. with the vibe of Tony Stark’s coolness and humor (actually it is more interesting if J.A.R.V.I.S. or F.R.I.D.A.Y. be the one who narrated the series). I’m always fascinated by how fast we humans have progressed in terms of knowledge, science, and technology. It is both creates excitement and anxiety. When I watched the series, I realize that the producers want to highlight the wonderful positive aspect of A.I. implementations in many areas of our human experiences, but I still can’t help to think realistically (with a mix of negative thinking), of “what if” this or that happened. What if we create evil Ultron with the good intention to protect ourselves? What if there are powerful but bitter people like Magneto who decided to choose only special people like them to survive? What if there are people with the Thanos ideology that in order to bring peace and order there must be wars and necessary sacrifices needed to be made?

These existential questions and more leads me to this book. Martin Rees, an Astronomer Royal, renowned scientist, and futurist, examines the critical issues that will define the future of humanity on earth and beyond. His insights into cutting-edge science and technology and global trends are very helpful. His main argument is that if we approach the future with short-term thinking, polarizing debates, alarmist rhetoric, and pessimism, we are doomed to extinction (my language). But if we take responsibility for the future NOW with long-term thinking, rational discussions, solution-oriented partnership, globally, collectively, and optimistically, we can flourish. “This book offers some hopes, fears, and conjectures about what lies ahead,” said Martin who doesn’t claim to be a prophet of the future but trying to act like one anyway due to the urgency of the subject at hand. “Surviving this century, and sustaining the long-term future of our ever more vulnerable world, depends on accelerating some technologies, but responsibly restraining others. The governance challenges are huge and daunting.” I agree. As a Christ-follower, I wholeheartedly believe that the future is in the hand of the sovereign God. But from the humanistic perspective, as the author seems to be one (he said he is a ‘cultural Christian.’ It doesn’t matter what he meant, for this book is not a Christian book anyway), the future is in our hands.

Overall, On the Future is an excellent read. The author’s careful and brief treatments on the issues like nuclear threats, eco-threats, climate change, biotech, cyber technology, human consciousness, robotics, A.I., and spaceflight are both encouraging and alarming for obvious reasons. Of course, a book like this is not without speculations such as the possibilities of our dominion outside our planet (for example, colonization of Mars), and the ongoing search for extraterrestrial intelligence. I find that it is interesting when Martin also discusses the limits and future of science. By the way, I want to share one thing that probably going to spark your interest. This book is published in 2018 and about two years after that, in March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. This is a glimpse of one of Martin’s worst nightmares coming true when he wrote: “Pandemics are an ever-present natural threat, but is it just scaremongering to raise concerns about human-induced risks from bio error or bio terror? Sadly, I don’t think it is. We all know too well that technical expertise doesn’t guarantee balanced rationality. The global village will have its village idiots and they’ll have a global range… Bio error and bio terror are possible in the near term - within ten or fifteen years. And in the longer term, they will be aggravated as it becomes possible to ‘design’ and syntheses viruses - the ‘ultimate’ weapon would combine high lethality with the transmissibility of the common cold.” 10 to 15 years, huh? How about 1-2 years?!

After I finished reading this book, I still have the “what if” questions about the future of humanity from the humanistic perspective. The difference is that I have moved from some (Oh, there are many!) of my ignorance to more informed “what if” questions.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #OnTheFuture #ScienceAndTechnology #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

[P. s: Two other issues/topics that are important, in my opinion, that should be covered in a book on the future like this one are cryptocurrency and the metaverse. Check it out!]

To read my other book reviews (and articles) based on science, CLICK HERE 


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25 Ways to Win with People (2005) by John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott, Book Review

 25 Ways to Win with People: How to Make Others Feel Like a Million Bucks (2005)
by John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott

I believe in God’s calling in my life. As I reflect, it is impossible for me in the past to have worked in the people business and enjoy it (previously I was working in the cinema management team) and then enter into the people-centered ministry that I’m passionately doing now. Personality-wise, I’m not a people person. I was proud, selfish, and headstrong. But only by the love and grace of God, He slowly shapes my character and continues to teach - and often discipline - me to love others. When God calls, we must respond, then He will equip us. Having said that, loving people is not automatic (in my case, I need a miracle!) but it requires humility, perspective, and practice. But the question is WHY? Why it is important to love people? As Christ-followers, this should be obvious. Look at Christ’s examples and read Christ’s words. But generally speaking, we live with each other, we work with each other, we are dependent on each other, and we always meet each other. There is no such thing as a self-made man. Even Superman needs Louis! As John Andrew Holmes puts it: “It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.”

So, since we cannot avoid people, we might as well learn to love people. And when you try, you will eventually genuinely love them (Yes, some people require more grace from our part. Actually, vice versa). I brought this book back in 2010 because I saw the need for me to learn to develop relationships with my boss, colleagues, and staff to win their hearts. Besides, in the cinema business, I have to deal with many types of clients and customers. I was young and inexperienced but hungry enough to learn from my mistakes and try new things. This book together with John’s larger book Winning with People (2004) and Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936) have been a great help for me. 12 years later, as I read through this book again, I’m amazed by how relevant, important, and simply profound these twenty-five ways are to win with people. There are lots of good stories and I particularly love the “On Bringing It Home” section in every chapter designed to help the readers to put each way/lesson into action. There are lines, highlights, juicy quotes, and personal notes in my copy that bring back good memories.

Ps: One concern that I have with this kind of book is that: we must draw the line (no matter how thin the line is) between influencing and manipulating people. Use it wisely and ethically.

Truth be told, I have become slightly better in my relationships with people. Slowly yet hopeful. Some of these lessons have turned into habits; some I still have to practice; some are a bit more challenging - stubborn! - to implement. When I observe myself, people around me, and how people interact in social media and technologies like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, etc. it reminds me that all the more we have to learn to connect with people effectively as humans, improve our interpersonal skills, breathe encouragements, be genuinely interested with others online and offline, and make the most of every opportunity to “keep winning by helping others win” said John Maxwell. I may forget my own advice or lessons that I learned from this book and realistically cannot win every people I encounter, but Lord, I pray, for me and you, to make a difference at least to one person even with a simple gesture of kindness that we meet TODAY. May he or she says, “I have become better for having known you.”

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #WinningWithPeople #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other book reviews by John C. Maxwell, CLICK HERE

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The Gifts of Reading (2016, 2017) by Robert Macfarlane, Review

In summary, this short essay by Macfarlane, the author of prizewinning and bestselling books about nature, place, and people, is his reflections on the unique emotional resonance of books given and received and how these acts of generosity "incite generosity." He begins by telling how he met his elderly friend, Don, who gave him books and their walks and conversations about their common love for literature. In between the essay, he shared about half a dozen of books that make a difference in his life and others around him, especially, Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts.

"Not all books received as gifts are transformative, of course. Sometimes the only thing a book gives its reader is a paper cut," writes Macfarlane. Funny and true. Then he continues, "But having been given so many astonishing books over the years, I now, in turn, give away as many books as I can. Birthdays, Christmases - I give books, and pretty much only books, as presents."

This reminds me of what I have done joyfully and aggressively in the past. When I first started blogging in 2010 - and I have a pretty good salary back then when I was working in the management and entertainment industry - I used to giveaways 3 to 5 books per month. I lost most of the connections with the recipients now (since I'm not active on social media anymore except for LEGASI.tv) but I do receive some good feedback from them years after that through email and WhatsApp. Their joy (I assume they were rejoicing) when receiving free books and my joy of giving books are interconnected and mutual. Today I still enjoy giving books but not as often as before. Perhaps this is what Macfarlane meant when he explains, "the gift can be transformative and that the act of giving encourages the onwards circulation of generosity."

Macfarlane ends his essay by telling how he and Don always wrote and sent books to each other after their farewell. One day, Don wrote to say that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and a year or so later, Don died. Rachel, Don's daughter, wrote an email to Macfarlane telling him about the news and letting him know that "reading kept [Don] alive right till the end." I closed the book and walked toward the glass window facing a peaceful lake outside Pustaka Negeri Sarawak library and whispered a thanksgiving prayer: "Thank you for the gifts of reading, Lord. Amen" 

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheGiftsOfReading #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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In the Distracted World, Cultivate These Superpowers #LeadersAreReaders January 2022

I was with a student-turned-friend when I asked my usual question, “What book are you reading now?” He said with a sound of disappointment, “I haven’t read any book consistently since last year.” I raised my eyebrows to signal him to say more. He continued, “I have been very busy with my works, and I’m addicted to social media and games too.” He needs encouragement. So I tried to spark his interest, “Do you know that there are two superpowers that are very valuable today?” (I use the word superpowers because we just came back from watching the Spiderman movie). Actually, I asked intending to answer my own question: “Focus and depth.” I told him since most people are easily distracted, if he wants to be different, he must learn to improve his focus and sharpen his attention. And since the major outcome of continuous distraction is shallow thinking, he needs to strive not to be a zombie but a person of depth, especially as a Christ-follower.

“There are various ways to exercise these superpowers,” I said as I concluded our lengthy discussion from the rise of TikTok to the Facebook Metaverse controversy to spiritual disciplines with now a friend-turned-student again, “and one of it is by cultivating the habit of reading widely and deeply.” Almost every time I asked my usual question to a student or a friend (last week was with my friend, George), it will lead me to this one passion: promoting literacy and fostering a love for reading, especially, the Scripture.

I see the urgent need to encourage our young people today - and you! - to redeem and use these superpowers (we called graces) in a distracted world for the glory of God. It's not just about our minds but also our souls. May this encourage you to think about all these things... Please consider this message ya #ServeToLead #Focus #APersonOfDepth #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my book reviews of #LeadersAreReaders JANUARY 2022, CLICK THE TITLES below:

1) Education, Free & Compulsory (1999) by Murray N. Rothbard

2) The Lord from Heaven (1958, 1974) by Leon Morris

3) The Notebook: A Novel (1996) by Nicholas Sparks

4) Cracking Philosophy: You, This Book and 3,000 Years of Thought (2016) by Dr. Martin Cohen (this not a review but more to an encouragement to study philosophy)

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Cracking Philosophy: You, This Book and 3,000 Years of Thought (2016) by Dr. Martin Cohen, This-Is-Not-A-Review

Why Learning Philosophy Is Important?

In 2014, the late Dr. R.C. Sproul’s book Everyone’s a Theologian was published. He argues that any time we think about God and/or the teaching of the Bible and strive to understand it, we are engaging in theology. “No Christian can avoid theology,” he said, “Every Christian is a theologian. Perhaps not a theologian in the technical or professional sense, but a theologian nevertheless. The issue for Christians is not whether we are going to be theologians but whether we are going to be good theologians or bad ones.” In the same way, I think, everyone is a philosopher. We might not be a formal one or called as one but we are a philosopher nevertheless. If you ask questions or think intentionally about specific problems and ideas or engage with others on particular issues or challenge assumptions and concepts to generate new perspectives, you’re a philosopher (philosophy comes from the Greek roots Philo- meaning “love” and Sophos- meaning “wisdom” and so is defined as “the love of wisdom”). If you philosophized, then, you’re doing philosophy. Or to put it generally, no one can avoid it because everyone has a life philosophy. However, in the same way, similar to what Dr. Sproul said about being a theologian, the issue is whether we are going to be good philosophers or bad ones.

There are many things in life - or the universe, seen and unseen - that are yet to be discovered. As Christ-follower and Bible-believer, the essentials like who is the living God are already settled in my mind and heart. Faith in Him triumphs all my doubts about Him (see, I’m philosophizing here). Unashamedly, I’m very close-minded in this matter. But in almost everything else, I remain curious and open-minded. That’s why I love science because science is about discovery. Yet it has its limit. As scientific knowledge and discoveries grow rapidly, it is impossible to know what to do with them without reflecting on what they mean to us and how to use them for the greater good rather than for self-destruction (as predicted by Ultron in MCU’s 2015 Avengers movie). From the humanistic perspective, answers to all these questions depend on what conception we have of ourselves as human beings and what we think that means for the best way to live. None of these issues are questions for science but for philosophy (I wanted to write “philosophy and theology” but I’m still struggling with the relation between these two. But to limit the scope of this short article and to show the importance of philosophy, l will just focus on one). Science gives us facts but philosophy gives us reasons. Science can create robots but philosophy makes us humans. Science deals with cause and effect but philosophy deals with ethics.

Again, everyone is a philosopher. So don’t be a bad one. Learn and study philosophy. Of course, not everything can be solved by philosophy (in fact, sometimes it can make things more complicated) but since we are philosophized about everything anyway, why don’t be a better one at that? Philip Strokes, author of Philosophy 100 Essential Thinkers, says it best in the introduction of his book: “Since philosophers are engaged in exploring every avenue of thought, it should cause no surprise that many of their conclusions strike us as unacceptable in some way or another. At least one of the merits of such work is that it can indicate what we should NOT believe. But it should be equally appreciated that the conclusions of philosophers have also had profound effects.” Yes, the ripple effects of philosophy from the dawn of civilization to the present day cannot be undervalued and overlooked. That’s why I appreciate Dr. Martin Cohen’s Cracking Philosophy very much. He provides a good introduction to the subject in a very easy-to-read format (I do not imply that it is easy to understand though), written in somewhat chronological order and filled with amazing illustrations from start to end. I have to admit that I’m not good at remembering the terms and names mentioned in the book. So Google and Index are my constant companions. The 3,000 years of the history of thought is divided into ten (10) chapters, namely:

1. Mysteries and Wondering: Where It All Started - The First Philosophers
2. The Golden Age of Philosophy
3. Seeking Wisdom Through God
4. The Renaissance and the Triumph of Reason
5. Enlightenment, Philosophy, and the Rise of Science
6. Sniffing Out Empiricism with Locke, Berkeley, and Hume
7. Capitalism and the Rational Man
8. A Fork in the Road: Philosophies of Romanticism and Human Striving
9. Language, Truth, and Logic
10. Beyond Science: Philosophers Still Searching for Wisdom

☕ #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #EveryoneIsAPhilosopher #CrackingPhilosophy #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Notebook: A Novel (1996) by Nicholas Sparks, Book Review

 The Notebook: A Novel (1996) by Nicholas Sparks

I love reading romantic novels by Sparks since A Walk to Remember. I’m not saying that novel is my favorite genre or I’ve read every book by him (I heard his latest novel, The Wish, is very good) but those that I do read, I love them all. Like one of the reviews said, Sparks “generates authentic emotional power.” I say, he always sparked the emo in me. I enjoy watching the movie too. Ryan Gosling as Noah, Rachel McAdams as Allie, and other cast members acted very well and almost as good as I imagined the novel could be. But, like many readers who watched their favorite novel turn into movie adaptation would say - the novel is better. There is… more. Only true readers will understand why. I’ve created the scenes in my mind. I’ve invested my precious time and emotions in the story. I’ve made some of the words, conflicts, and thoughts mine (or read mine into them). When the story so gripped you, someday you will wonder, as you forget that you have read it somewhere before, are these memories belong to me or someone else? Or a mix of both like cocktails? Whatever it is, you will hold tight to the sweet ones but the sad ones will always haunt you. Yet, the memories never let you stop believing what’s possible. That's what love does.

Truth be told, The Notebook is a bit cliche and in case you forget that it’s a fictional story - some of the details are unrealistic. When I first read it many years ago, I can very much figure out how it will end. But what makes me always come back to Nicholas Sparks’s novels (I’ve read Message In a Bottle, Safe Haven & The Best of Me too) is because he is very good with words - lyrically romantic, a gifted storyteller, and heart-touching genius. Let me quote one short paragraph among many that I’ve underlines like a textbook. A dialog. Hope this can encourage you to read The Notebook for yourself. This is what Noah said to Allie when she asked him to pick one moment he remember most from the summer they spent together:

“Poets often describe love as an emotion that we can’t control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. That’s what it was like for me. I didn’t plan on falling in love with you, and I doubt if you planned on falling in love with me. But once we met, it was clear that neither of us could control what was happening to us. We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has happened only once, and that’s why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I’ll never forget a single moment of it" ❤☺

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LeadersReadNovelToo #NicholasSparks #TheNotebook #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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