This Exquisite Loneliness by Richard Deming

Loneliness is a bit confusing. Not because it has negative connotations but because how it can be defined by and for different people. Loneliness epidemic is a new word because there are more research in identifying the people's mental state in a disconnected world. However, the world is not really that disconnected but a lot of people get lost in the modern way of meeting people. Anyone who can't connect in that way may end up being lonely.

But is being lonely that bad a state? Finding peace is one of the most common modern mantra. It looks like that people want the relationship or companionship which happens one way. It doesn't accommodate the needs of other people. It hopes to treat people on a drop of a switch. If only they could on and off people in their lives as they want.

This book is more positive. It brings the story of people who not only appreciated but used the loneliness as an opportunity. The stories of artists, philosophers, writers etc and how they dealt with their loneliness. It does lead to some negative aspects of life like depression, addiction which comes with it.

One point which might have been missed was that in all the stories, the loneliness happened by choice or by chance. And even if it led to some good things but everyone had that longing of being around people.

Humanity doesn't grow in isolation, which is why it is important that in a changing world, people are equipped to be a part of society in a better way where we can differentiate our condition as isolated, lonely or disconnected.

Peace

Invention and Innovation by Vaclav Smil

The gap between the invention and its widespread application is something that only time can fill or leave empty.

History is full of innovations which never felt like one until it reached at an adoption level that it became a part of civilization or changed the human perception. This book has the example of innovations which were amazing in the beginning and claimed to be bringing a new world order but couldn't stand the test of time. Other innovations which just failed, and the last which are still in progress and may or may not succeed to deliver what they promise now.

There is no point in listing these innovations here but the one thing that was missing in this book was the affect of these innovations on the environment and human behaviour. One can easily see that some of the innovations which eventually became successful were not successful for all, and it wrecked havoc on the ecology. The benefits of these innovations were limited to a set of people, and were cashed out blatantly in the name of innovation.

The whole idea of competition deriving the innovation was used so crudely while it actually meant that anything that could make the human life better was monetised. And if that was not enough there has been regular outcry against the regulations which define the ownership or responsibility of some innovations gone wrong.

There is nothing wrong in innovation. In fact, this is something that life forms, human or otherwise, thrive upon. But what do we do when the innovations do more harm than being beneficial. And the onus is not only on the innovators but also on the stakeholders who monetise it.

The book doesn't really provide a lot apart from the writer's own views on innovations. Nothing much to be missed here.

Peace