Recently, I read a magazine that explained why so many people are drawn to craftsmanship. “[the world of work] has deprived us of our ability to thrive and has trampled on our “visceral need for recognition” that Hegel talks about. For what characterizes human nature is to seek to express our unique abilities, and for these to be recognized. We then experience a feeling of dignity and self-esteem. […] The world of work only ends up responding to imperatives that are beyond us, and only ensures survival logic, depriving human activity of all meaning possible”. Whereas “craftsmanship, on the other hand, relies on know-how. Those capable of bringing out the…

Here’s a translation of a text written on January 1, 2026, by my favorite contemporary Vietnamese philosopher, Dang Than. This text echoes what I wrote about the novel Brave new world. You’ll find the text original in Vietnamese & the English text here. [Best wishes for 2026] Democracy, Autocracy, and the “Three Principles” Democracy, in theory, grants rights to everyone. In practice, it’s often hijacked by a small elite that deceives subtly oppresses the masses through the art of “soft governance.” Autocracy is “hard governance.” A handful of rulers need only a few managerial tricks and an iron fist. The people may suffer more, but they see the brutal reality…

In the Art of War, Sun Tzu writes: “The potential of troops led with skill in battle can be compared to that of round boulders rolling down from the top of a mountain” and “If a falcon strikes its prey in one blow, it is because it strikes at exactly the right moment”. How to apply this in daily life? Today, we will study how to combine “momentum” (placing round boulders atop a mountain) with the opportune “moment” (to strike like a falcon). This post was written by Vietnamese writer and philosopher Dang Than. I will also copy/paste the Vietnamese text below and add my own comments. Here is the…

I came across these two slides from a marketing course for luxury brands in Vietnam. I find them really interesting, and after mulling them over for a few days, here are some thoughts and explanations of the slides. Contemporary luxury as we know it is largely a construct of the LVMH conglomerate and Bernard Arnault, who industrialized and democratized what was once a niche artisanal market. Historically, access to exceptional products came through direct relationships with artisans and family-run workshops. The shift to mass production created a hierarchy: the first three levels (Entry, Aspirational, Mature) mainly target the middle classes and the nouveau riche through volume and relative accessibility. The…

I read a text written in Vietnamese by a communication expert that I really enjoyed. Here’s my summary of it: He describes a crisis of meaning in the modern world: individuals, lost and without bearings, desperately seek to feel useful and recognized. From this thirst for importance is born a market of emotional comfort, where one can “buy” meaning through seminars, training, and products promising to “awaken your potential” or “find your life’s mission.” Two groups fuel this market: Around them hover the meaning entrepreneurs, who turn collective distress into a commercial opportunity. The most emblematic are life coaches, those “life guides” who, often in crisis themselves, sell their own…

While tidying up my glue sticks for a DIY project today, I thought back to a story. During a DIY workshop, there were about a dozen of us, and we were sharing one glue stick among four people. It was a pain because we were constantly using glue for this activity. We spent all our time waiting. I thought we didn’t have enough sticks or brushes… until the last day, when we discovered a cabinet full of supplies. We could have each had our own stick from the start! If we’d saved all that waiting time, I think we could have gained an afternoon to learn other techniques. I told…

Today I read an article about karma and I’m not sure if I’ve told you about it. It’s very difficult to help people, because most of the time they don’t need help but just validation. Many people contact us for advice on how to become digital nomads and when we ask a simple practical question, we annoy them because we don’t cover them with “you’ll make it” like dream sellers. I’ve already helped someone much more than necessary and I got sick for several weeks. Because I shortened their karmic trials and had to pay their karma in their place. Only help those who truly ask for your help and…

Finally, the time has come! Smart, rich, successful influencers, graduates of elite schools, after a top career, with plenty of dollars in their bank accounts… are starting to spend their free time on social media to give back. I follow the following Instagrammers: The problem with influencers who rely solely on partnerships is that they constantly censor themselves, for fear of losing a sponsor or offending their audience. They are forced to follow trends and end up all saying the same thing, respecting political correctness. So if you must follow someone, prefer those who have other sources of income, who aren’t afraid to lose followers. Those who repeat ten times…