When I stand at the end of 2024 and look back on this year, what will I say to myself? This question has been occupying my thoughts lately, and after much reflection, one truth resonates deeply:
The meaning of life isn't found solely in pursuing grand ideals, but also in embracing the beauty of our ordinary, everyday existence.
This year has been transformative for me, for Jayz, and for our family. Through our experiences, we've come to understand a shared truth: while we may not have the power to change everything around us, we do have the ability to choose how we live in the present moment. It's about making meaningful choices within the circumstances we're given.
Immigration
In September, Jayz and I moved to Lisbon, leaving our parents behind to start a new chapter of our lives. While the transition hasn't been without its challenges, we've gradually adapted to our new home.
Life in this historic city has surprised me – it's remarkably similar to China in terms of lifestyle and dietary structure. The main difference lies in the sense of freedom and openness here. As long as you respect the law and local customs, there's a genuine space for personal expression and choices.
This geographical distance has given me a new lens through which to view China – its politics, society, and human nature. I've always disliked politics, believing it shouldn't dominate our daily consciousness. Yet, despite having relocated, Jayz and I find ourselves keeping a mindful eye on our homeland's situation, primarily because our parents continue to live there. This connection keeps us anchored to a reality we'd prefer to distance ourselves from, yet cannot fully ignore. This lingering necessity to stay informed deeply unsettles me, and I look forward to the day when such concerns no longer cast a shadow over our new life.
Learning Portuguese has proved more challenging than my experience with English. The language's complex verb conjugations and mood systems present a unique set of challenges. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is keeping up with local speech patterns – Lisbon natives speak quickly, and Portuguese words tend to flow together. Without a solid foundation in grammar and vocabulary, following conversations can feel like quite a task.
Fortunately, the Portuguese people have shown incredible patience and kindness. They often adjust their speaking pace or switch to English to help bridge the communication gap. What's particularly striking is that I've never encountered any discrimination – whether related to language or otherwise – since arriving here.
My Portuguese is now approaching A2 level, and I'm looking forward to improving further in the coming year.
Change
The most significant change in my life this year has been a deliberate shift in my information consumption habits, a transition I began in early 2024. This explains why I haven't published my usual blog posts about recommended information sources this year.
This decision emerged from my experience using Perplexity for research, which revealed concerning levels of information distortion, particularly in humanities-related content. While I understand the underlying political motivations for controlling public discourse to maintain stability, this approach essentially creates an isolated information silo.
I'm not suggesting that English-language sources are inherently more reliable or authentic. However, I've found that they generally align more closely with my observed reality and lived experiences.
Chinese characters hold a special place in my heart – they embody the spirit and wisdom of a civilisation spanning millennia. It's disheartening to see how these beautiful characters, which should serve as vessels of knowledge and cultural heritage, are sometimes misused to shape narratives that diverge from truth.
Another significant shift this year has been in my approach to understanding the world around me. While I had intellectually grasped the importance of prioritising lived experience over grand narratives years ago, 2024 was when I truly put this principle into practice.
Take, for instance, my approach to understanding economic realities. Rather than relying solely on published statistics, I've learnt to trust my direct observations of price changes and daily economic patterns. When evaluating the cost of living, my personal experience at local markets and shops has become more valuable than abstract economic indicators.
This shift in perspective has, at times, left me feeling somewhat disconnected from mainstream discussions. For a period, I questioned whether I was falling victim to observer bias or confirmation bias – seeing only what I wanted to see. However, conversations with several experienced individuals who have witnessed similar patterns over the years helped validate my observations. Their insights confirmed that my perceptions weren't merely personal biases but reflected genuine patterns in our changing world.
Since October, I've made another intentional change: taking my notes in English and Portuguese rather than Chinese. This practice has proved invaluable, as it encourages me to think through different cultural lenses. It's not just about language acquisition; it's about understanding different ways of structuring thoughts and perceiving the world.
However, as mentioned earlier about my deep connection with Chinese characters, I still maintain Chinese as my primary language for notes related to Chinese culture and society. Some concepts and nuances are simply untranslatable – they carry layers of cultural and historical meaning that can only be fully expressed through Chinese characters. This selective multilingual approach to note-taking has become an unexpected tool for both broadening my perspective and preserving the depth of cultural understanding where it matters most.
Creating
This year has seen a noticeable decrease in my blog posts and newsletter frequency compared to 2023. This shift stems from two main factors: a natural ebb in my desire for expression, and a growing awareness of the responsibility that comes with sharing ideas. I've come to realise that publishing thoughts before they're fully developed risks spreading incomplete or potentially misleading information.
A significant example of this concerns LifeOS, my attempted comprehensive personal management system that encompassed knowledge, information, and document management. Many readers have requested more detailed content about this system, specifically asking for manual-like instructions. However, I've come to realise that LifeOS, despite its ambitious scope, became too cumbersome in practice and ultimately strayed from its original purpose.
In light of these reflections, I would encourage readers to shift their attention to the CETDE framework – a model I've previously written about extensively. Compared to LifeOS, CETDE offers a more focused and practical approach to personal knowledge management, while maintaining the philosophical depth that initially inspired these systems.
This experience has taught me valuable lessons about content creation. It has led me to adopt a more measured approach to writing, ensuring that what I share is not only well-thought-out but also practically valuable to readers. Sometimes, simplicity and applicability are more important than comprehensive complexity.
Since April, I've immersed myself in the study of AI aesthetics, seeking to position myself at the intersection of technology and humanities. AI has become a crucial component in my workflow, and this deep integration has led me beyond viewing it as merely humanity's latest technological achievement. This daily interaction has sparked new questions: Can humans create beauty through AI? Can AI itself generate aesthetic value? And more profoundly, can AI contribute to enriching our humanistic values? While I haven't published blog posts on AI aesthetics after May, the insights gained from exploring these questions have subtly influenced my perspective and writing across various topics.
Looking ahead to 2025, I plan to focus more intensively on the intersection of technology and humanities, exploring how these seemingly distinct domains can enrich and inform each other. This exploration will likely shape both my personal growth and my future writing.
Prospect
As I prepare to step into 2025, my path forward is becoming clearer. The experiences and changes of 2024 have laid a foundation for what I hope to achieve in the coming year.
My focus will centre on three main areas. First, deepening my integration into Portuguese life and culture. While I've made progress with the language, reaching A2 level is just the beginning. I aim to achieve B1 proficiency by the end of 2025, which will allow me to engage more meaningfully with local communities and better understand the nuances of Portuguese culture.
Second, I plan to explore more deeply the intersection of technology and humanities. My studies in AI aesthetics have opened new perspectives on how technology can enhance rather than diminish our human experience. This exploration isn't just about understanding AI's capabilities; it's about discovering how technology can contribute to our cultural and spiritual enrichment.
Lastly, I want to return to more regular writing, but with a renewed purpose. Rather than feeling pressured to maintain a strict publishing schedule, I'll focus on sharing insights that emerge naturally from my experiences and studies. Quality and depth will take precedence over quantity, as I believe this approach better serves both my readers and my own growth.
These goals aren't just items on a to-do list; they represent a continuation of the journey I've begun this year – one that embraces both change and continuity, technology and humanity, personal growth and community connection. As I wrote at the beginning of this reflection, life's meaning lies not just in grand pursuits, but in finding beauty in our daily existence. This will remain my guiding principle as I move forward.
