Blog

  • Lidos de 2019

    Ano passado não li muito, a rotina de trampo e estudo tava puxada demais, assim como a vida social. Mesmo assim, olhando agora essa pequena retrosectiva, vejo que minhas decisões do que manter, o que prosseguir e o que criar, de 2019 para 2020, foram muito influeciadas pelas leituras que fiz.

    Os títulos em negrito foram meus preferidos:

    • A morte da verdade: Notas sobre a mentira na Era Trump – Kakutani Michiko
    • A identidade – Kundera
      • Fascismo Eterno – Umberto Eco
    • Digital Minimalism: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world – Cal Newport
    • The year of less: How I stopped shopping, gave away my belongings, and discovered life is worth more than anything you can buy in a store – Cait Flanders
    • Do Less: the unexpected strategy for women to get more of what they want in work and life – Kate Northrup
    • Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
    • Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism and new technologies of power
    • Scrum: a Arte de Fazer Dobro de Trabalho na Metade do Tempo
    • Arriscar é viver – Jim Powell (risos para esse presente de grego que ganhei: um romance sobre um homem de esquerda que aceita a derrota política e abraça as bonanças do novo mundo liberal)
    • O design da sua vida: Como criar uma vida boa e feliz
    • Company of One: Why Staying small is the next big thing for business – Paul Jarvs
  • extreme minimalist living and transition to a tech career

    extreme minimalist living and transition to a tech career

    Alright, it’s official now—I’m wholeheartedly committed to a career transition into the tech industry and, even more so, dedicated to embracing a minimalist lifestyle while pursuing financial freedom.

    A few months ago, I rented a tiny 4-square-meter room with no windows and no wardrobe in a shared apartment with two young doctors. The apartment is conveniently located near the bootcamp-style school where I’ll be studying for the next year.

    The apartment is approximately 100 years old, and most of our neighbors are retired. One day, I borrowed a can opener from my neighbor and felt like I had stepped back in time to the 1950s. I love those photographic projects that capture the essence of living in a building, showcasing the diverse ways people make their homes (example). I wish I could do something similar here.

    Anyway, the apartment is quite spacious. I’m particularly fond of the bathroom tiles and the ones in the kitchen that resemble a weed pattern. The simple yet hipster-inspired decor the girls have put together is charming. This is my second time sharing an apartment with women, and I must admit that, perhaps because I’m older now, it’s been a bit more challenging.

    The two main bedrooms are roomy, but the one I rented is a spare one, and it’s what we’d call here in Brazil “the maid’s room.” It’s a small, windowless room, typically located in the laundry area, where maids used to live in their employers’ homes decades ago—some still do today. (you can check this amazing Ana Muylaert’s movie about this topic)

    I chose to rent it because it’s incredibly close to the technical school where I’m studying. It allows me to save a significant amount of money on transportation and housing costs, which can be the most expensive part of many people’s budgets. I’m currently focusing on investing the surplus money in real estate funds, as I’ve been diving into learning the ins and outs of the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement for almost a year now.

    So, let’s delve into a discussion about architecture, minimalism, my room, and my tech career.

    welcome to my extreme minimalist new life

    This 4sqm room sets me back R$800 a month. To give you some perspective, my previous apartment in São Bernardo, close to the university, had two bedrooms and cost me less than 2k per month, with all the expenses included.

    Now, you might be wondering why I made the switch. Mostly because the cost of commuting does not worth the prize, for my health, neither my pocket, as Mr. Money Mustache already said in the past.

    The room’s most significant advantage is I can skate to school in just 7 minutes, its mere two-block distance from Paulista Avenue and its proximity to the metro.

    This neighborhood is notorious for its high prices. In this context, what I’m paying here is incredibly budget-friendly. Typically, people in this area shell out at least 2k a month for a room.

    While my room lacks windows, upon opening the door, I’m greeted by a relatively large laundry room window. And I love the hardwood floors.

    As you can see, my commitment to minimalism has reached impressive heights. I still keep my blue futon and one of my plants, but I sold that beautiful Japanese clothes chest (remember it?) and bought this nice second-hand desk. Now, checkout the closet, a bit reduced in comparison with the last year ahah The two-door cabinet above this clothing rack constitutes my entire storage solution, aside from the kitchen essentials I’ve brought along.

    And actually, here are my 2 favorites for the moment:

    • This silicone device is a practical way to make popcorn from corn in the microwave (amazon link)
    • And this little Moka pot, the Italian coffee maker, always reminds me of my grandma (though she has, of course, the large version of it) (amazon link)

    the maid’s room

    The residences in Brazil, mainly in São Paulo, featured maid’s rooms due to both social and gender issues. After the abolition of slavery, domestic labor in Brazil underwent transformations, with a new family structure emerging, where unpaid domestic work was primarily performed by women. This change resulted in the creation of the maid’s room, combining the living and working spaces. The bedroom often served as a space for sleep, clothing, and meals in exchange for the maid’s service and obedience to the lady of the house.

    here an example from arch daily

    The 1988 Constitution further reinforced principles of gender equality in Brazil, and there are even more specific rules governing domestic maids, such as…

    1. Law No. 5.859/1972: This law, enacted in 1972, specifically addresses the profession of domestic employees and outlines the rights and responsibilities of both employees and employers.
    2. Constitutional Amendment No. 72/2013: This constitutional amendment, implemented in 2013, marked a significant milestone by equating the rights of domestic employees with those of other workers. It extended various benefits, including overtime pay, the right to the FGTS (Fundo de Garantia do Tempo de Serviço or Severance Indemnity Fund for Employees), unemployment benefits, and other labor rights.
    3. Complementary Law No. 150/2015: Commonly referred to as the “Domestic Workers Law,” this legislation, enacted in 2015, serves as a comprehensive regulation of domestic workers’ rights. It specifies working hours, overtime rules, break times, paid weekly rest, night shift bonuses, and various other aspects of domestic employment.

    While legislation improved domestic workers’ rights, the maid’s room are still perpetuated in the design of new apartments, so it continues to persist in social customs and some architectural projects, serving as a reminder of historical inequalities.The maid’s room, often overlooked in discussions of modern architecture, carries a profound historical significance

    transition to a tech career

    Finally, but not the least, after years of contemplation, I’m taking the plunge and putting my ideas into practice by embarking on a career transition into the tech industry.

    I’ve enrolled in a school that functions similarly to a boot camp. If I successfully pass the project test we’re currently working on during this first semester, they’ll assign me to one of the program’s partner companies.

    It’s a full-stack project for a team of five, in addition to individual assessments. The group project itself is an extensive undertaking – a complete application integrated with an Arduino board, encompassing hardware connections, database management, back-end and front-end development.

    I’m now in my late 20s, and I haven’t pursued what most people would call a ‘traditional career.’ I’ve worked as a yoga teacher, spent time volunteering with NGOs, and held various odd jobs like working as a public server in a school, handling administrative roles in real estate, and even being a vendor during the bustling Christmas season in shopping malls.

    While many of my friends are now married, have children, and have built stable careers or started their own businesses, my cousins have secured positions in large companies as engineers, economists, or in administrative roles.

    To some, my choice to reside in this modest room and embark on a journey of learning something entirely new might seem unconventional or even eccentric. Dealing with the judgments of others is not easy.

    But I have no regrets about my unique path.

    I believe it’s essential to emphasize that there isn’t just one to five universally applicable narrative for success that fits every corner of the world. I find it hard to swallow the idea that we must conform to a singular notion of success, and I can’t respect those who look down on people for not following a predetermined path.

    True success should lead to a broader perspective on life and a more empathetic way of viewing others. It’s the kind that contributes to a polarized world.

    btw this almost-2-million-views video never gets old

    After this rage, I must say that these have been the challenges so far have been sharing apartment with people I just met and working side by side with very young people at the bootcamp.

    The parts I thought would be harder are actually the most rewarding.

    For instance, living with so little has allowed me to save a substantial amount of money (keeping in mind my middle-class circumstances here). Learning highly technical skills has brought me a sense of flow that I haven’t experienced in a long time. Dealing with the judgments of others has been shaping my world perspective and my values.

    I believe that I would never have experienced these feelings so profoundly if I hadn’t immersed myself experientially in this lifestyle. For that, I owe a debt of gratitude to the principles of Buddhism and yogi philosophy I’ve been studying for years, as well as the influential insights shared on the internet by individuals like Cait Flanders, Fumio Sasaki, and Youheum.

    That, in and of itself, answers the common question, “Is it too late to enter the tech job market?” I believe you can attempt any career at any age, but it’s crucial to be realistic about our unique circumstances.

    Our positioning in each situation plays a vital role.

    It took me a long time to consider entering the tech job market because I thought I would die on the beach, “morrer na praia” (a Brazilian expression that means coming close to success but failing right at the end), especially during job interviews. I’ve always struggled with them, and it has been the primary obstacle I’ve faced in my entire career search.

    Now, I believe I’m well-positioned for success since the school itself will place me in a company without requiring an interview—although I should note that these first six months serve as a significant interview process in their own right.

    Let’s see how the next chapters unfold 🏊

  • Lidos de 2018

    • Catástrofe contemporânea – Caio Colombo
    • Hiperconsumo comunicação, condicionamento e compras; das décadas de decisão à década de descontrole Caio Colombo
    • Fome – Knut Hamsun
    • How to break up with your phone: the 30 day plan to take back your life
    • 21 lecciones para el siglo XXI (acho que nenhum livro do Yuvah vai bater o Sapiens, mas esse foi ótimo também, ainda mais pra treinar o espanhol rs)
    • Will I ever be good enough? Healing daughters of narcissistic mothers (e mais uns 5 outros livretos sobre essa temática que assombrou meu ano)
    • 12 regras para a vida (sentimentos controversos em relação ao Jordan Peterson)
    • Cultura, Consumo e Cidadania – Gisela Tascher
  • An Insight into Fumio Sasaki’s Journey into Minimalism and the Power of Habits

    An Insight into Fumio Sasaki’s Journey into Minimalism and the Power of Habits

    Fumio Sasaki, a Japanese a single salaried editor in his thirties, embarked on a transformational journey into minimalism that not only reshaped his life but also captured the interest of a large audience. His story is a testament to the liberating potential of a minimalist lifestyle.

    Fumio, like many of us, accumulated an array of possessions over the years, including notebooks, musical instruments, cameras, games, books, and more. He held onto various items for “supposed future hobbies,” but these items collected dust as he rarely engaged with them. Instead, he would come home from work, crack open a beer, turn on the TV, and the cycle would repeat.

    But Fumio decided that he wanted to make a change.

    Introduction to Minimalism

    He initiated the process by decluttering his home, parting with unused possessions, and working toward a healthier life, which even led him to quit drinking. This personal transformation journey took over a year, as he had many items to sell or give away, and changing habits was no easy feat. Of course, he documented this transformation on a… blog.

    Minimalism.jp, the blog, attracted a significant following. Fumio ended up speaking to the Japanese Society in New York in 2017. During his talk, he showcased before-and-after photos of his minimalist journey.

    Matt D’Avella is always around anything minimalist related 😂

    Fumio believes that parting with unused items goes beyond simplifying housekeeping—it’s a philosophy of life. He authored two books to explain his philosophy: “Goodbye, Things” and “Hello, Habits.

    In “Goodbye, Things“, Fumio shares the methods and techniques he used to become a minimalist, encouraging readers to explore minimalism as a liberating lifestyle. The book offers a step-by-step guide with many tips for decluttering.

    “Minimalists can distinguish between what they need and what they want for appearances’ sake, and they’re unafraid to cut out everything in the latter category.”

    Besides addressing material possessions, the author emphasizes the importance of reducing distractions. He points out how the internet is a source of information overload, leading people to buy unnecessary items and make poor decisions. In the past, without newspapers and rapid news updates, people lived with limited information. Is living in the “here and now” easier?

    Understanding Human Nature

    Fumio reminds readers that human beings still possess a nervous system similar to that of hunter-gatherers, with brains that haven’t evolved much in 5,000 years. The overwhelming influx of information can interfere with daily activities and unknowingly affect emotions and decision-making.

    “We can buy anything online, from anywhere in the world. We can watch shows from foreign countries, not to mention overseas radio. It’s as if all my friends have become article writers, gourmet reporters, or perhaps foreign correspondents, given all the global news they send me via Twitter, Facebook, and LINE.”

    Constant connectivity leads to continuous comparisons between countless references, ideas, possibilities, people, and personalities. After Fumio started minimizing these external stimuli, he noticed: “I don’t have an apartment with a high city view. I don’t have any of the things I always thought I wanted.” Once he began questioning himself and feeling his own emotions, with fewer external interferences, he realized he didn’t want everything he thought he did. He managed to distinguish between his true desires and external influences.

    This newfound clarity brought him peace, and he began to assert that, even if people conform and follow trends, they will remain unsatisfied. For instance, many individuals opt for botox injections, silicone implants, spending thousands, and still wanting more. Fumio’s point is that seeking external validation doesn’t lead to lasting contentment.

    “You’re not the only one concerned about your appearance—we’re all aging.”

    How to Achieve This

    Fumio believes it’s essential to value oneself for who they are and appreciate their current life, without adding or subtracting from it. This perspective reduces the desire for more and more, as well as the need to seek new things to alleviate boredom.

    “We can do anything without a dose of narcissism. It’s not wrong to think we are valuable. In fact, it’s necessary. The problem lies in how we convey our value to others.”

    Nurturing a sense of being enough and believing that one’s existence is inherently valuable reduces the impulse to consume. Consuming to fill a void created by what’s lacking in the present opens the door to a deeper personal and global transformation. It’s not about having but about being. It’s a shift in the understanding of reality, departing from the modern capitalist cultural logic.

    Danshari, the art of decluttering, is the tool Fumio found to save money, foster a healthy body, enhance relationships, discover new hobbies, and heighten awareness of thoughts and energy.

    Relationships

    Decluttering wasn’t easy for Fumio, similar to Cait Flanders, who noted that the fear of regret often prevents people from parting with items. The fear of regretting letting go. To mitigate this fear, Cait photographed all the possessions she decluttered at the beginning of her challenge. If she ever missed something and contemplated repurchasing it, she had photographic evidence. However, she asserts that she never needed to revisit those photos.

    Another fear was the judgment of others. Fumio states, “I no longer feel embarrassed about doing anything. From now on, I simply do what I want.” Cait Flanders also addresses this in her book, noting that the fear of people thinking you’re downsizing because you’re broke or that you’re a bore because you won’t go out for drinks, for example.

    “Clinging to things of the past is the same as clinging to an old image of yourself. If you’re even slightly interested in changing something about yourself, I suggest you be brave and start letting things go. Keep only what you need for your next move.”

    Fumio noticed that he stopped judging others based on their possessions or jobs. It became less challenging for him to explain that he was “experimenting with new ways to be happy” and that he respected their choices, even though he was on a completely different path.

    Second Book – Habits

    About two years after his first book, Fumio wrote “Hello, Habits“, an excellent introductory book about forming habits. It provides numerous real-life examples and descriptive accounts of overcoming mental and physical difficulties when establishing new habits.

    In the book, Fumio challenges the prevalent notion of successful people having a specific set of habits. He believes it’s crucial to create your own habits. Instead of prescribing a ready-made list of good habits for readers to follow, he encourages them to ask questions and reflect, guiding them to discover their own habits that align with their unique circumstances.

    The author emphasizes that every person has a unique value system and a highly individual starting point. Therefore, their life experiences determine what brings immediate pleasure and what they are willing to wait for or make an effort to achieve delayed gratification.

    “People find it challenging to imagine that others have different ‘reward systems’ than they do.”

    Fumio’s point is that forming a habit is about overcoming the initial awkwardness. The time it takes for this phase can vary, spanning days, months, or even years. Habit formation means consciously repeating an action until your memory acknowledges the reward that follows. It’s about educating the brain that it’s not a promise of a reward, but a certainty.

    For instance, when you haven’t exercised for a long time, the process is uncomfortable. Your body aches, you sweat, your heart races, and it feels exhausting. How do you become accustomed to exercise? Fumio provides examples, even mentioning professional athletes who, despite years of practice, sometimes think, “I don’t want to train today.” Yet they train anyway.

    Establishing a habit means rewriting the reward system in your brain. As long as the immediate sense of satisfaction and euphoria surpasses the subsequent one, you’ll postpone challenging tasks in favor of easier ones. Repeated actions result in the dendritic spine, connecting synapses in the brain, growing larger.

    “It’s not that attractive things in front of you vanish. But when you keep getting bigger rewards in the future, the reward in front of you (the one that comes faster) becomes boring.”

    The same applies to breaking habits. The less you engage in a particular behavior, like watching pornography, the weaker the reward synapses for it become, entering a dormant state. The urge for immediate rewards is linked to the primal nervous system, and as you cultivate habits—one at a time—you rely less on your instincts.

    Motivation

    Fumio highlights two primary motivators: social acceptance and self-identity, the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. It’s essential to utilize these factors to your advantage. Instead of fearing how people might react to your changes, focus on those who embrace your choices. Recognize that someone out there will appreciate what you’re doing, just as someone else won’t want it. Concentrate on the positive side of the equation.

    To maintain her motivation during her year of not buying, Cait remembered the possessions she already had at home and those she had let go of at the beginning of her challenge. Many of the items she bought were for her “ideal self,” and the things she desired to purchase likely served the same purpose.

    In 29 years, Cait says she bought and kept most of her possessions to fit the mold of the “ideal version of herself.” With time, she realized that she was happier when she didn’t fixate on what she could have or what she should be. She decided her values shouldn’t be based on material desires, began to find more value in herself as she was, and internalized that she owed nothing to the world. Doing what she wanted was sufficient. Women, in particular, often grapple with the feeling of never being enough and the belief that they must do more to be valid and accepted.

    “The hardest part of not being able to buy anything else wasn’t giving up new things—it was physically feeling the pull of my triggers and changing my reaction to them.”

    The book makes it clear that Cait started to reinterpret many aspects of her memories. She believes that the stories people tell themselves are vital for maintaining their goals. Changing your life or adopting minimalism or any other intentional lifestyle may lead to losing friends and feeling isolated.

    Dangerous Habits

    Lastly, as Fumio noted, he doesn’t provide a standard list of habits. He argues that eating healthily, exercising, and sleeping well are key habits that ensure the smooth functioning of other aspects of life. He doesn’t prescribe a specific diet or exercise routine but contends that basic physiological needs are often neglected in our work-oriented culture.

    He points out that there is a stereotype of writers or artists as unhealthy, unathletic individuals who indulge in excessive drinking and smoking. He questions whether it’s worth sacrificing fundamental aspects of life. Fumio also highlights the corporate culture that encourages people to work excessively, resulting in inadequate sleep and unhealthy eating habits. For these individuals, he says:

    “People who are encouraged by companies to work excessively may experience a euphoria from self-sacrifice. Working too much is acknowledged by peers, so their pain becomes its own reward (social approval). Even if they want to get out of this situation, it can be difficult to isolate themselves from the corporate community.”

    Fumio Sasaki

    If you found Fumio’s ideas appealing and want to read his work directly, his first book is an excellent guide to revisit, here are the Amazon links: “Goodbye, Things” and “Hello, Habits.“.

    In addition to his books, Fumio occasionally posts on his blog, minimalism.jp, which he maintains with a friend. You can translate the entire page from Japanese to Portuguese using Google’s translation tool by pasting the link into the translation area. (Please note that the translation from Japanese might seem a bit peculiar.)

    “When given too many choices, people tend to worry that there’s something better out there than what they decided on.” – Fumio Sasaki


  • Lidos de 2017

    Lidos de 2017

    • Nove Vidas – Em busca do sagrado na Índia moderna (Ganhei antes de viajar pela India, amei muito, muito. Da uma perspectiva muito mais diversa sobre como a religião permeia o país.)
    • Essencialismo: A disciplinada busca por menos
    • Trabalhe 4 horas por semana (fui lá ver o porquê Tim Ferris é tão bombástico)
    • Para poder viver (maravilhosa história de uma desertora da Coréia do Sul, porém meu livro preferido sobre a temática ainda é “Nada a invejar” da Barbara Demick)
    • Outliers: The story of success (leitura fácil, algumas partes são bacanas)
    • How to Bawse: a guide to conquering life
    • A sutil arte de ligar o f*da-se
    • A Metamorfose do Kafka
    • You are a badass: how to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life
    • Goodbye, Things: The new japanese minimalism (meu livro preferido sobre minimalismo)
    • #Girlboss (Tão marromenos quanto a série)
    • Lifelines – Farah Ghuznavi (Durante minha viagem à Índia este ano, uma italiana que trabalhava em uma ONG sobre direitos das mulheres em Delhi me emprestou este livro maravilhoso. Ele contém histórias/contos sobre mulheres indianas que me marcaram bastante, especialmente a relação delas com a educação e o quanto sofrem com as crenças patriarcais… Ele está disponível na Amazon e eu recomendo muito!)
    • Vida e Thangka: Em busca do conhecimento através das artes sacras do Tibete – A história é sobre uma brasileira que aprende a arte milenar do desenho tibetano. Encontrei esse livro por acaso no Kindle, e ele também me acompanhou na minha viagem pela Ásia <3 Quando fui a Sarnath, o logar onde Buda deu seu primeiro descurso após atingir a iluminação, me hospedei em um templo com essas pinturas e foi ainda mais especial depois de ter lido o livro. Aqui está um trecho:
    • 44 cartas do mundo líquido moderno (papi Bauman, sempre maravilhoso)

    esse ano também viajei para a China e lá, em Ruian, tirei essa foto de um garotinho lendo na rua <3