en_passant on Substack

[en_passant]

I discovered your Substack after it was called out on the Acquired podcast and I've been reading through all your posts; I really like how you offer a differentiated perspective and look at the World in a unique way. I found this post, in particular, insightful.

One thought I had after reading this post was how timeless advice varies across cultures. For example, "Enjoy your 20s and don’t worry about finding love too soon" might be timeless advice in Western or dare I say American culture but I don't think it is timeless advice in Eastern cultures. It certainly isn't in the cultures I grew up in (Arab and Indian). In fact, in these cultures, the timeless advice in this domain is what you described in the "Alternative ideas" section. The emphasis is very much on starting a family early so that you are instilled with a sense of purpose.

Perhaps one way to discover pieces of timeless advice is to look for advice that remains constant across cultures. This might be a way of uncovering a deeper truth about the human condition. For example, the advice of spending one's time helping other people in order to live a fulfilling life seems fairly universal across cultures in both religious and secular contexts. Eschewing the accumulation of material possessions is probably another one that comes to mind.

Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to share your thoughts.