Fallacies I did a exchange semester in Sydney in Australia and my best friend in London, UK. One day we talked about it and discovered that whether in Australia or the UK, plagiarism is unacceptable to them. From the very first days at university, we were taught to write essays by citing sources according to the “Harvard referencing” style, a author-date citation style commonly used in academic works, for example (Durkheim, 1893) and the full references are given at the end, in the “Bibliography” section. I find this system very interesting because it forces me, every time I put forward an idea, to know whether this idea comes from me…

I was recently asked why I didn’t want to act as a middleman between Vietnamese artisans and French consumers, offering custom products comparable to those from luxury brands. On the surface, the idea seems noble: highlighting Vietnamese craftsmanship, building a bridge between two cultures, and encouraging more humane trade. Yet, this proposal makes me deeply uncomfortable. Looking closer, this approach still fits within the classic frameworks of consumerism : it’s still purchasing power and value for money that guide buying decisions. If craftsmanship itself were truly at the heart of the matter, consumers would choose to support local artisans—in France, for example (incidentally, the technical skill of French artisans in…

In general, people take me for a hard worker, but that’s not the case. I only work when I’m passionate. When I’m not, I drag my feet even more than others. However, I have a trick I’d like to share with you to move forward nonetheless. Recently, I read a book in Vietnamese called “72 Strategies of Chinese Management” (72 Phép Quản Lý Kiểu Trung Quốc), a modern version of The Art of War applied to business, and these lessons can also be applied to individuals. Here’s a summary of a passage I really liked: The Power of Small Steps “Without taking small steps, how can you travel thousands of…

After 20 years of working alongside French and Vietnamese artisans in a variety of trades (jewelry, sewing, leatherworking…), here are some reflections and lessons I’ve learned. Craftsmanship teaches discipline I’m someone who likes to use my time and money wisely, so when I choose a teacher, I want THE best, the most meticulous, the most demanding, to learn as much as possible, but I also suffer a lot from it. Before meeting them, I thought I was a perfectionist, but after getting to know them, I realize I’m still light-years away from perfectionism. What’s funny is that when you walk into their workshop, you don’t necessarily think they are, because…

I’m discovering this “Old Money” clothing trend very late, and I even think “quiet luxury” is no longer in style. I only hear about it now because I’m looking to refresh my winter wardrobe, and since I no longer go to stores, I’m only finding out now. A friend told me that the “Old Money” trend started with Sofia Richie’s wedding, while others mention the series “Succession” and its “quiet luxury” aesthetic. Add to that recent scandals where consumers discover that Dior sells bags for $2,800 that cost only $57 to produce under horrible working conditions (Armani is also implicated). More troubling still, the prestigious “Made in Italy” hides a…

In 2022, I catch up with a friend who practices kundalini yoga, and I’m surprised to see she’s getting weaker by the day, even though she does yoga three times a week. She tells me that kundalini yoga has been making her vomit lately. A few months later, she tells me she has to go to the hospital regularly for dialysis sessions and is waiting for a transplant. Since then, whenever I come across info about yoga and/or meditation, I pay a bit more attention and I ask spiritual masters questions whenever I meet them (I call them “master” to show their level, but they have few or no disciples).…

During my stay in France, I met several “bobos” and was stunned to see how political correctness had managed to completely brainwash them. I no longer recognize my friends, I no longer share their values. I don’t know why egalitarianism no longer bothered them, even though they now have children. I met a teenager, a genius, one of the smartest I’ve ever met, but his bobo dad (he self-identifies as one) gave a speech against elitism and claimed that the grandes écoles were no better than regular universities. With others, I cited a Japanese book that claimed everything was decided before age 3 (“Everything Happens Before Kindergarten” – by Masaru…

In recent years, I’m not quite sure how, I’ve managed to build very strong bonds with people I admire, who share the same values and mindset; most of them are entrepreneurs or about to be. I really enjoy talking with them because there are so many concepts they already know (FIRE, ETF, leverage, flashcards…), I don’t waste time explaining them, we just brainstorm brainstorming on how to make our dreams come true, we support and encourage each other. And when I feel a bit lazy, chatting with them really motivates me because they’re always full of projects, ideas, and interesting reflections. This article is a brief summary of what we’ve…

Following a minor emotional shock at the end of 2022, I realized that my once excellent memory had been significantly affected. To remedy this, throughout 2023, I worked on my memory by reading about a hundred books. Each book got a little summary to reinforce memory. I achieved my goal, but then realized that out of the 120 books I read in 2023, only 3 were, in my opinion, worth re-reading. Thus, the ratio of exceptional books to books read seems too low. Yet, the remaining 117 books were still carefully chosen. I asked myself: do I really know how to choose my books? To find out, I read works…