Self-Love : The Economics Perspective

Alright, this is 90% cut and paste work, but it's worth a read.

“Man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favor, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them.

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.

Every individual neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it.

He intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it.”

Adam Smith - Passages from The Wealth of Nations.

Main reason why I'm studying Economics. It justifies all kinds of evil in a logical way.

The Beauty And The Beast

Once, I thought this was beauty.



As I grew up, I felt that this was beauty.



Still, at one point in my life I felt that this was true beauty.



At times I was almost sure that this was beauty.



Then again, at times I felt that this was it.



But at then end of all comtemplations, I stumbled upon a truth. The truth that man sees beauty with the heart, and not the eyes. I come to realise, how volatile beauty is to the eyes alone, that man can choose to see beauty in anything and anyone when he wants to. At the same time, man can choose to not see beauty, at his leisure.

At the end of it, I realised that I still have not found beauty, because I am the contradiction of mankind. The beauty that I see with my eyes alone often stays, but the beauty that I see with my heart, is the beauty that is volatile. It is then that I come upon the conclusion that my heart is volatile, that I can never trust my heart.

And yet, when all else fades, I realise that I have found that beauty after all, where neither my heart nor my eyes cheat me. The beauty that resides in my subconscious. The beauty that is unchanging, in all circumstances. The beauty that is eternal. The beauty that is, love.

I have found you, beauty.



Thank you for your love.

P/S: Happy Birthday, Sis.

Earth To Bella

Before anything else, I just want to wish Mom,

Happy Birthday!

But this is not a boring birthday shoutout post, don't worry. There is so much to blog, but so little space. So many words to type, but so little time. So much thoughts, but so difficult to express. So, take a ride with me.

Many of you must be wondering if Rubella killed me. Well, no. I'm alive, and probably more alive than before. Yes, for those still in the unknown, Rubella struck when I had my Raya break. Basically, it's a holiday gone wrong for me. The only few days in beautiful Ipoh had to be spent stuck in my room, reading Calvin and Hobbes (the only comfort I had). But who could I blame? It's I, who hugged my Rubella stricken friend in the first place and stole the disease from him. It's I, who refused the vaccination provided by my beloved university. In exchange for a healthier body, and a stronger immune system, I chose the road not taken.

The road of Rubella.

Well, in the few days I spent itching, groaning, and cursing Rubella, I could only say I learnt nothing but endurance. It was one of the most torturing diseases one could get. You feel hot, you feel cold, one right after the other. Your throat feels so dry that you need fluid all the time. You can't sleep at night because of the heat from your body and the cold air from the air-cond. Your body contradicts and you suffer the consequences. Not forgetting the lumps, which stiffen the neck and it's painful, for goodness sake. Well, the after-effects couldn't be less worst either. I had a post-viral arthritis syndrome, where all my joints (fingers, wrists, legs) are swollen and they are kinda painful, similar to that of arthritis; the only difference being its temporal nature. Of course, as the rashes subsided, there was the itch which caused me two sleepless nights and thwarted my attempts at catching some afternoon naps. And one of the post-Rubella effects that I'm still wallowing in is dried lips. So dry, that it bleeds for no reason in the morning. The bleeding stopped by the way.

Many of my friends laughed at me, because I was laughing and joking all the time about the Rubella outbreak in my university before this. Some of them laughed, because they felt that I was "stupid" enough to refuse vaccination. But I, I will have the last, and perhaps, the longest and loudest laugh. Because at the end of it, I can point a finger at all of you who have not been through what I have been through and say, I did it my way. I made it, I survived, without man made, artificial immunity, which weakens the body's immune system eventually. I will laugh because all of you laughed at my wisdom which you labelled stupidity. I will live longer than every single one of you. I will be doing your eulogy. Muahahaha.

Hello Blog, Goodbye Blog.

No, I'm not wearing a straight jacket. I'm fine, thank you.

Rubella, Rubella, go away. Come again another day.

=)