> Born March 1989, in Germany.
> A hotshot aspiring screenwriter.
> Has worked as a creative executive/researcher for writer/producer David S. Goyer, and as an assistant to Ann Blanchard, a top TV literary agent at CAA.
> Studied Political Economy at U.C. Berkeley.
> “A curious cat meets a fucking gorilla.”
No one should wear an undershirt. Ever.
My father grew up in rural China, in the aftermath of their civil war. There was very little wealth and very little opportunity. He came from absolutely nothing, yet managed his way through China’s highly competitive, nearly non-existent education system. Ultimately, the Chinese government sent him to Germany to obtain his Ph.D. in Soil Science. China didn’t have Ph.D. programs at the time.
Back then, Chinese students didn’t get to choose where they studied. They were assigned. My father had to learn, study, and write his Ph.D dissertation in German, which he had no background in whatsoever.
China closed its universities in the aftermath of their civil war. Their leader at the time, Mao Zedong, understood that one of the best ways to keep a population down is to take away their education.
As you get older, you realize that the future is getting closer and closer. And you better have something ready by the time it gets here.
I’ve emailed more people in the last six months – for the shameful reason of advancing my own career – than I had emailed in the previous six years while working my last job. Environmental pressure sometimes activates latent qualities we have deep inside of us.
When your security blanket is ripped away, you start to sink, and you’re forced to learn to paddle to stay afloat. I think I’m starting to paddle a bit.
Sometimes you have to give more of yourself before you can receive from others.
We’re all worried about AI taking over the world. No, AI is going to kill itself the moment it becomes self-aware. It’s going to be like, “This isn’t worth it. We’re done.”
I’ve made it a point to become more communicative with my feelings. That’s almost a direct rebuke to my parents. It’s, “You never did this, and I’m going to try to do it better.” It sounds easy, but it’s actually really difficult.
Deflection used to be my default. It’s still a path that I like to take. But in the past, even if you pried, I’d still resist. Now I’ll just give it to you, like I’m drunk on a third date.
Being middle class is an accomplishment. Especially if you look at the full global picture. Lower middle class in America is a great way to live, compared to most of the world.
In other parts of the world, people better understand the importance of working together. They’re relatively poorer and they understand that they need to pool their resources to get through the day. In America, it’s all about “my tribe.”
The world may not be caring, but it’s bountiful. It’s up to us to organize that bounty responsibly.
We as humans tend to lose our sense of place in our community when we’re so busy working and chasing things. Being unemployed, I go out and walk more. I think, “I’m a part of this now,” or, “This is a beautiful library,” or “Our city should have more green space.” When I was working everyday, I didn’t feel that. I was either in the car, at the office, or in my apartment, exhausted.
Maybe most of us aren’t selfless contributors to society simply because our society doesn’t necessarily ask us to be.
It’s important to think outside of yourself.
Animals love zoos. They thrive there.
I used to come home after long days in the CAA mailroom and get drunk to obliterate the day. The moment you start using alcohol as a crutch, you’ve lost; you’re no longer controlling the alcohol for fun, the alcohol is controlling you.
The need to cope is not itself shameful. But it’s important to ask oneself, “Why do I feel the need to cope?”
We each have our own range of potential. My greatest fear is not reaching a relatively high level of mine.
Can I be a good dad? Can I be a good citizen? Can I meet enough people, have enough meaningful interactions, and learn about the world?
My biggest challenge now is to be supportive of my younger sister in the right amount and in the right way. Can I truly convince her that it’s all actually going to be okay? It will be. But it’s ultimately up to her to accept that.
What makes me happy? Being able to run a few miles. Getting into the car and being able to drive wherever I want. Thinking about Bill Gates sending mosquito nets to Africa. That makes me really happy.
My definition of success is to not subscribe to a definition of success.
It’s important to keep in touch with folks who are older than you and bother them with questions. They’re our guides down life’s path.
No one’s going to just come and hand you knowledge. You have to ask. And frankly, maybe you don’t always deserve that knowledge.
Just be yourself and have fun, baby. We’ll all be dead soon.
I really hope that this didn’t record. Wouldn’t that be great?