Brain Dump #1
Everything I have read recently and I think you will enjoy it too.
I used to write my Friday Musings every week ages ago, but like many things, I couldn't stick to it. Now, under some serious peer pressure—and the threat of my other hobbies being sidelined—I'm back at it. I clearly have a thing for trends and have always wanted to do the "dump" trend. However, my gallery is mostly filled with screenshots of payments or proof for customer service disputes—not exactly Instagram-worthy. So, here I am, doing my "dump" on Substack instead.
Happy Reading!
Like everyone else, I got swept up in the Olympics buzz at the start of the month. This time, I refused to let my heavy eyelids win, pulling a classic Tom & Jerry move to keep them open just to witness the legendary Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. There were plenty of memorable moments, but the one that really stuck with me was the new twist on the march of champions—a cruise down the Seine on a Bateau-Mouche. I decided to keep things interesting by guessing the country flags before the names were announced. Spoiler alert: I was hilariously wrong most of the time because so many of them looked almost identical! But hey, turns out I’m not a total flag-flunkie. Who knew so many countries had similar flags? The history behind them is actually a surprisingly fun rabbit hole to dive into.
Did you know that most flags of African countries are based on the Ethiopian flag?
Why do most of the Scandinavian/Nordic Flags have a very similar design?
My history books were packed with tales of Indian empires and, of course, India’s struggle for independence, but they were practically empty when it came to anything else. If you asked me to name the greatest empires in history, I’d probably mention British colonialism or Alexander the Great. But there’s another empire that stretched from Central Asia to Spain—one I only learned about very recently. I’m talking about the Umayyad Empire. I had never heard of it until just a few weeks ago when I came across the story of Spain’s ‘Excalibur’—a 1,000-year-old sword found buried upright, a symbol of the region’s rich Islamic history. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but that’s the truth. P.S.: The best way for me to learn about something new is to gobble up a Wikipedia article or dive down a Reddit rabbit hole, so please don’t yuck my yum!
At first glance, mixing virtual reality with philosophy might seem a bit unusual—right? But think about it! In his fascinating new book, Reality+, David Chambers dives into the intriguing idea that virtual realities could soon feel just as real as our everyday lives. He takes us on a journey to explore how these digital realms are reshaping our understanding of reality and consciousness.
Chambers asks the big questions: Could we actually be living in a simulation? And what can the world of techno-philosophy teach us about the very nature of our minds? It’s a thrilling blend of tech and thought that challenges everything we think we know about what’s real!
You can listen to his podcast here or go down a Reddit rabbit hole or read this interview.
This week felt like a heatwave combined with a pop quiz—I’ve absorbed so much information that my brain might be on overload! I’ll spare you the info dump for now, but don’t worry, I’ll be back soon with more fun and interesting reads. Just remember, if I start sounding like a textbook, it’s not my fault!
-Tanvi
I can always count on you for interesting reads I wouldn’t have come across otherwise. Thank you, excited to get reading 💜