The local swimming pool has been renovated recently. Before trying it out, I ran into two people. One was a glass-is-half-empty-person. He said they had only renovated the roof and the windows. The lockers and the showers were still old though. His voice was full of disappointment and disdain. The other one was a glass-is-half-full-person. He said the pool has been nicely renovated and concluded with a smile on his face saying: “I think you are going to have a really good time there.” The so glorified “being positive” is not an abstract thing. Neither is it something you only think about, when...

I remember studying the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre in high school. What surprised me most about his work was that he talked about ‘the burden of freedom’. Back then I found it silly. I thought: ‘Freedom is a good thing.’ Today, in an era filled with abundant choices and in a world filled with commercials, I think Sartre was a visionary. One may not notice it at first, but freedom means one has to make many choices. And making choices takes energy. Just think how many choices we make, before we even get to work in the morning. How cold is it outside? Should I put on the very very warm...