Why don’t we___?

Why do we produce luxury cars while people are dying in poor countries?

Why do we work on missions to Mars while our own planet has problems?

Why is Starbuck’s revenue is 26,5 billion dollars, while malaria would cost 8.5 billion dollars to eradicate?

Why do we worry about climate change if nuclear weapons are a more immediate threat?

These trick questions see humanity as one entity.

There are almost eight billion people on Earth, each with their own thoughts and skills, and interests. And we should pursue those interests and ideas, whether they’re ground coffee from Seattle or putting people on Mars.

Ground coffee leads to cafés and exchanging of ideas, and putting people on Mars may make our lives better on this planet too. Possibly every step required to put people and materials on Mars is directly useful for figuring out how else we might live on Earth too.

Latest

Kunshan Diorama

Kunshan Diorama

Today, I’m visiting Zhengyi Old Street (正仪老街) in Kunshan — a city wedged in between Suzhou and Shanghai. This old street is like a leftover slice in between other parts properly planned by the city. On the horizon, I can see construction cranes, as if they are threatening the area; ‘we are coming to you […]
January 17, 2026
Hyperreality

Hyperreality

It’s 06:30 in the morning and I’m driving to the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles. I’ve been trying to sleep after an exhausting week at CES, but I’m too excited for this hike and can’t wait to depart the Airbnb we’re in. Every visit to the United States is an adventure. The most […]
January 15, 2026
In Praise Of Writing (And the Case Against AI)

In Praise Of Writing (And the Case Against AI)

If George Orwell, one of the best essayists, were alive today, he’d be firmly against AI. Not because of 1984 or ‘Big Brother’, but because in ‘Why I Write’, he listed four motives for writing; Historical impulse Political purpose Aesthetic enthusiasm Egoism   Neither of these motives survives if you let AI do the writing […]
January 14, 2026
Secret Listening #6

Secret Listening #6

This series is called ‘Secret Listening’, from the Chinese word 偷听Tōutīng. I know this can be — and should probably be — translated as ‘eavesdropping’, but secret listening captures it better and adds a bit of jest. These little stories or remarks stood out to me, and show a more personal side of China away […]
December 27, 2025