About
Background
My name is Lincoln. I grew up in New England. I have studied chemistry, molecular biology, and computer programming.
Mindful Meander
The name of this website comes from my interests in Buddhism as well as rivers and roads. Mindfulness is important to me for getting through life and for being better to the people around me. Rivers and roads both connect things, yet their courses are more interesting than just paths from A to B. They can be viewed from afar, focusing on the overall flow of matter and the destinations along them; at this angle, they are static, lines on a map. Or they can be viewed up close, focusing on the fate of particular units of matter moving along them; at this angle, they are dynamic, alive, ever-changing. The river course and the road are media, the purpose of which is to fade into the background relative to the substance they conduct.
The courses of rivers and roads represent choices. There are infinite possible ways to connect two points, yet one particular way manifests. These large-scale choices then shape the choices of individual units of matter in transit. In rivers, these choices are guided by the inexorable law of physics: the lowest-energy available choice wins. In roads, they're guided by the exorable minds of men. However, human choices also follow a certain energy-minimizing principle, because, ultimately, we are subject to the same laws as flowing water, and because building anything requires a lot of energy. The general process of choosing where a road goes is: "How can we connect these preexisting points of interest while minimizing the costs of materials, labor, time, and inconvenience? We have a budget of money, which we can lossily convert to energy through workers."
Interests and Purpose
I am especially interested in how environment design contributes to the quality of human lives and relationships. We are part of our environment, yet we've developed the capacity to modify and even construct new environments. We might benefit if we start thinking a little more about how the environments we create - physical, technological, and spiritual - shape our choices, and what kind of developments they are conducive for.
The dramatic shift in environment I experienced upon moving from the Northeast to Southern California and then back catalyzed some of my thinking. In the interest of learning more about the physical environments here, I am starting a project to visit all 351 of Massachusetts' towns and cities, documenting my impressions of each one.
Aside from that, I mainly write short essays and commentaries. I find I benefit the most from short articles, synopses, overviews, or video explanations, rather than long-form or primary sources. I don't have the patience for very long pieces, most of the time, so I appreciate "economical" writing. I hope to keep my pieces short so that anyone who reads them doesn't have to take too much time, and can think about their own ideas and experiences.