Where to go next?

 

It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive. — William Bridges

Arun Kumar

“Where to go next?” This question, seemingly innocuous, is a profound inquiry that often encapsulates the human psyche at life’s crossroads when one chapter has ended and the next is yet to begin. It is a question that resonates in the silence of human solitude while navigating through life transitions, bending under the weight of decisions and the possibilities of futures yet to crystallize.

Within this question lies a sense of melancholy, a poignant reminder of the transient nature of existence. It narrates the story of moments of purpose and engagement that once filled our lives but are now relegated to the realm of memory. This question emerges from the ashes of what was a goal once but has now ended. From those ashes, it rises like a phoenix to meet the uncertainty of the future and the possibilities of what we might become.

As we stand on the precipice of an unknown future, gazing at the distant horizon, the question sharpens our senses. Our mortality, always a silent companion, becomes a bit more eloquent. The ticking of clocks sounds louder, each tick echoing the relentless march of time towards our end.

Yet, within this question also lies a spark of hope, a beacon guiding us towards new selves. It is a call to adventure, a challenge to step out of our comfort zones and venture into the unknown. It is an invitation to explore, to learn, to grow. It is a reminder that every ending is merely a new beginning in disguise, a metamorphosis waiting to happen, except for now, that beginning is hidden inside the question “where to go next”.

So, “where to go next?” is not just a question but is at the roots of the continuation of journeys that glue together who we were, and who we will be. It is a question that propels us to undertake hard journeys of self-discovery, of finding meaning in the chaos and mundanity of our daily existence. It is a question that urges us to go beyond the confines of our solitude and seek connectedness with the universe. It is a question that assures us that our journey, despite its inherent uncertainty, always holds promises of growth.

In the end, “where to go next?” is a question that reflects the essence of being human. It is a question that, in its asking, reveals our fears of unknown and hopes of finding something new. It is a question that, while holding regrets of leaving something behind, also carries the ineffable excitement of something ahead.

It is a question that, no matter where the answer might lead us, reminds us of our quest for meaning and purpose. It is a question that, ultimately, connects who we were and who we aspire to become. It is a question that, in its simplicity, captures the beauty and mystery of life itself. It is a question that, in the end, embodies the essence of our journey.

“Where to go next?” is a question that bridges the past and future at certain crossroads in our life.

It is the question I pondered when walking back alone to the hotel on the last day after the conclusion of a successful meeting that I chaired — where to go next?

Ciao.

Natalie asked, where to go next? (2)

 

In hush of dawn, after the wedding’s delight
a celebration that went
late into the night,
the tent, a hollow shell,
stood empty in the early light.

In a corner
stood a riotous assembly of crows
now feasting in a celebration
on the remnants of joy -
crumbs and drumstick -
scattered all over the floor, and cawed 
for more.

The grass,
although trampled, yet resilient,
shimmered with morning dew.

Soon the cleaning crews will descend
to dismantle the wedding tent,
and erase
the traces of joyous, past moments.

Natalie, the wedding organizer
the weaver of dreams
stood in the emptiness and wondered
where to go next?

In the context of evolution, is IQ an optimization problem?

 

Why did the genius bring a ladder to the IQ test?
Because he wanted to reach an even higher level.

Arun Kumar

If you are reading this then the neurons in your brain, the part that sits above your shoulders inside a round cavity of bones, are in a high energy consumption state.

Getting the visual signals through the optic nerve, comprehending, and understanding their meaning based on knowledge learned from past experiences, results in an electric storm of activity from the firing of the neurons traversing the breadth of the brain.

Brain. It turns out the brain is an organ with an inordinately high need for energy.

On average, the brain consumes about 20% of the body’s total energy, despite accounting for only about 2% of the body’s total weight. This high energy demand is primarily because of the brain’s continuous activity, which includes firing of electrical signals, release and uptake of neurotransmitters, and other processes essential for maintaining bodily functions.

The brain is an organ that is constantly receiving sensory data about the environment its host body is in. From that sensory data it is constantly weighing the pros and cons and deciding on what to do next.

The role of the brain is often equated with a prediction machine that takes in the data, evaluates it in the light of past experiences and decides on options for our well being in the near future.

Another basic function of the brain is to keep all the cells in the body functioning. To do that it constantly monitors inputs coming from all over the body and takes corrective actions as needed.

For all the work the one hundred billion neurons in the brain do to coordinate and manage trillion of cells in the body and maintain homeostasis so that small perturbations do not become major crises, comes at cost.

The price of all this work is its energy demand.

Beyond its basic functions to keep an organism alive in a hostile environment and to enhance its chance for survival and reproduction, the brain also engages in cognitive excursions that although do not seem to bear a direct relation with its basic function but are still entertained. It is safe to assume that those cognitive excursions would also entail some energy cost.

Thinking about whether there is free will or not? That is going to cost me some additional calories.

How vast is the universe; what was there before the Big Bang; what is the meaning and purpose of my finite existence; what happens after my death are all intriguing questions. However, they are not of primary importance for survival and reproduction, and yet, are entertained at the expense of needing additional calories.

The point is that it is plausible that cognitive processes are not a free lunch and increase the brain’s energy consumption.

Following the same reasoning, it is also plausible that a brain with higher Intelligence Quotient (IQ), by carrying additional cognitive load, requires more energy for its sustenance.

In other words, it is plausible that a higher IQ will (or should) relate to a brain with higher metabolic rate. Would Michael Phelps of the IQ world need eight thousand calories a day to sustain peak performance of their brain.

If so, it presents an optimization problem for evolution to solve.

Higher IQ and intelligence that likes to grapple with weighty philosophical questions, which may have a questionable relevance for survival and reproduction, may be a waste of energy resources.

On the other hand, having a certain level of IQ is required for survival and reproduction and having a little bit of more than absolutely necessary will not hurt either.

And do, neither too much IQ nor too little may be good in the context of natural selection.

Is there an optimal level of intelligence and IQ that the process of evolution will prefer and aims for?

Or put differently, in the context of evolution is IQ an optimization problem? Too little is not good for survival, and too much shall require additional energy for its sustenance, energy that has to be obtained from external sources that are being competed for.

It is a plausible proposition.

I do not know about you, the cognitive process to write this makes me feel burned out. It is time for an energy drink.

Perhaps Mango Lassi, I would reach for (that is Yoda Speak).

Ciao.

Note:

If you think I am making this up then it is not entirely a segment of my imagination. A Google search for “IQ and relation with brain metabolic rate” did bring in interesting suggestions on the subject, for example,

- Study: Brain metabolism linked to intelligence in young adults
- Intelligence and the brain’s energy consumption: what is intelligence?
- The relationship between intelligence and anxiety: an association with subcortical white matter metabolism

Winter Solstice - A Day of Hope

 

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” — Edith Sitwell

Arun Kumar

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, marks the day of the winter solstice, which is also the official start of winter in the US.

As a first-generation immigrant living here, it initially made little sense to me. I had been braving the cold since mid-October, and yet, winter is only just beginning. It felt as though those months of cold did not count.

But for me, the winter solstice is not the start but the end of winter.

The idea that winter starts on the day of the winter solstice is tied to the fact that the coldest days and months are still ahead. For some, it signifies the need to brace for visits from the polar express, blizzards, ice storms, and a twenty-day stretch of fog.

Besides gloom and doom of weather ahead, the arrival of the winter solstice is still day of hope for me. It is an important psychological landmark that from this day on, the length of daylight WILL NOT BE GETTING ANY SHORTER. I could not have said it any louder.

From this day forward, the length of daylight will creep upward by a few minutes a day initially, and then, at an ever-accelerating pace. About forty days from now by the end of January the length of daylight will be forty-nine minutes longer. For me, the prospect of longer days is a much more cheerful thought and holds the strength to overcome the negativity of coldest days being still ahead of us.

Winter solstice is a symbol that the worst is over. It symbolizes that we hit the bottom, and although the journey to the surface would be slow, and the sense of the comfort of days with longer duration of daylight will take a while to set in, the universe is now moving in the correct direction.

The winter solstice also brings with it the promise of another spring down the road, and universe willing, I will be around to enjoy the freedom of summer once again.

It is not that I do not like winter. I do. Winter is a wonderful time for introspection. It is a time when by the time December 21 arrives, the sun is already setting behind the bare trees by 5 pm and as the darkness sets in, it feels like I am safe inside the cocoon and the safety our home has to offer.

There may still be three more months of winter, and I may have to shovel snow, a task I’m not particularly fond of, but on the winter solstice, I know that each day will bring additional minutes of daylight. That thought alone is enough moral support to get me through the next three months of colder temperatures, gray days, and snow.

I hope you do not think I am odd for suggesting that today, rather than marking the start of winter, symbolizes its end. But if I do come across as such, I hope that somewhere in your mind, you can appreciate the psychological significance of the winter solstice and relate to my perspective.

Winter solstice is the day when being in the depths of darkness, the only way forward is towards more light. For what more one can hope?

Ciao.