Coffee or Water? My Honest Answer If you asked me to choose my favorite drink, I’d hesitate. Because the truth is — I’m torn. On one hand, there is coffee. On the other, there is water. And both hold a sacred place in my day.
☕ Morning Ritual: Black Coffee, Strong and Unapologetic There is nothing like that first sip of pure black coffee in the morning.
No cream. No sugar. No distractions.
Just bold, dark clarity.
The stronger, the better.
That first cup feels like ignition — like striking a match in a quiet house before the world wakes up. It’s not just caffeine. It’s focus. It’s warmth. It’s intention.
Coffee is my morning companion. My thinking partner. My “let’s do this” moment.
💧 Throughout the Day: Cold, Clear Water But as the day unfolds, I return to something quieter.
Water.
Cold. Pure. Crystal clear.
Living in Edmonton, I’m grateful that our tap water — managed by EPCOR — is safe, high-quality, and meets or exceeds Health Canada guidelines. That water begins its journey in the North Saskatchewan River.
And that river?
It originates from the toe of the Saskatchewan Glacier, a major outlet glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Banff National Park.
Think about that for a moment. The water in my glass may have begun as ancient ice.
There is something grounding about that. Something humbling.
While coffee fuels my ambition, water sustains my body. It restores. It balances. It reminds me that the simplest things are often the most essential.
☕ + 💧 So What’s My Favorite? I can’t choose.
Coffee is my spark. Water is my foundation.
One energizes my mind. The other sustains my life.
And maybe that’s the real answer.
My favorite drink isn’t just about taste.
It’s about rhythm.
Morning fire. All-day clarity.
Black coffee… and glacier-born water.
And honestly? I wouldn’t want to live without either.
We are living in what many call the Age of Information—but more accurately, it is the Age of Understanding.
Information is abundant. Interpretation is powerful. And systems—educational, technological, economic, and governmental—shape how that information becomes knowledge, policy, and opportunity.
With this power comes risk: systemic bias.
Systemic bias is not just individual prejudice. It is bias embedded in structures, norms, data, algorithms, institutions, and decision-making processes. It operates quietly. It scales quickly. And in an AI-augmented world, it can replicate faster than ever before.
The question is not whether bias exists. The question is: How do we prevent it from hardening into systems?
1. Understanding What Systemic Bias Really Is Systemic bias occurs when policies, technologies, or institutional practices produce unequal outcomes—often unintentionally.
It can appear in: ●Hiring and promotion systems ●Healthcare access and diagnostics ●Criminal justice risk assessments ●Educational streaming ●Financial lending models ●AI-driven decision tools
In the digital age, bias often enters through data. If historical data reflects inequality, and that data trains modern systems, the future becomes a polished version of the past. The philosopher John Rawls argued that justice requires fairness in the basic structure of society. Today, “basic structure” includes algorithms and AI models. Justice must therefore evolve to include technological fairness.
2. Why Bias Accelerates in the Age of AI Artificial intelligence does not create bias from nothing. It reflects patterns it is given. OpenAI and other AI research organizations emphasize that AI models learn from large-scale datasets drawn from human-created content. If those datasets include stereotypes, underrepresentation, or structural inequities, models can mirror them. The philosopher Hannah Arendt warned of the “banality of evil”—harm that arises not from malice but from unexamined systems. In AI systems, harm can emerge not from intent, but from automation without reflection. Speed + scale + automation = amplified bias. Prevention must therefore be proactive, not reactive.
3. Five Pillars for Preventing Systemic Bias 1️⃣ Diverse Design Teams Bias prevention begins before deployment. Systems designed by homogenous groups risk blind spots. Including diverse perspectives—across age, gender, culture, ability, socioeconomic background—reduces unseen assumptions. Diversity is not political correctness. It is epistemic strength.
2️⃣ Transparent Data Practices Organizations must ask: Where did the data come from? Who is underrepresented? What historical inequities are embedded? Transparency builds accountability. Hidden data pipelines create hidden inequities.
3️⃣ Ethical Framework Integration We must integrate moral philosophy into technology design. Rawls: Would this system be fair behind a “veil of ignorance”? Kant: Are we treating individuals as ends, not merely as data points? Utilitarianism: Who benefits? Who bears the risk? Ethics cannot be an afterthought. It must be architectural.
4️⃣ Continuous Auditing Bias is dynamic. Social norms change. Language evolves. Economic conditions shift. AI systems require: Ongoing bias testing Independent audits Public reporting mechanisms Prevention is not a one-time certification. It is maintenance.
5️⃣ Human-in-the-Loop Governance Automation should support judgment, not replace it. Critical decisions—employment, medical triage, sentencing, benefits eligibility—require meaningful human oversight. Humans must retain the authority to question algorithmic outputs. Understanding is relational. Systems must reflect that.
4. Education as the Long-Term Solution Ultimately, preventing systemic bias is not only technical. It is educational. We must cultivate: Critical thinking Statistical literacy Bias awareness Ethical reasoning AI fluency When citizens understand how systems work, they can hold them accountable. The Age of Understanding requires meta-understanding: Understanding how understanding itself is shaped.
5. From Reactive Correction to Proactive Design Historically, societies addressed bias after harm occurred—after lawsuits, protests, or policy failures. In the AI era, reactive correction is insufficient. We must shift from: Fixing outcomes → Designing fair inputs Responding to complaints → Anticipating inequities Compliance mindset → Justice mindset Systemic bias thrives in invisibility. Prevention thrives in intentionality.
6. A New Civic Responsibility In previous generations, civic literacy meant understanding law and governance. Today, it includes understanding data systems and algorithmic decision-making. Every leader—whether in employment services, healthcare, education, or business—must ask: What assumptions shape our system? Who might be disadvantaged? What feedback loops reinforce inequality? How do we measure fairness? Bias prevention is not anti-technology. It is pro-human.
Conclusion: Designing the Future with Integrity The Age of Understanding presents a paradox: We have more tools than ever to reduce inequality—and more tools than ever to encode it permanently. Preventing systemic bias requires humility, transparency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical courage. Technology is not destiny. Systems are designed. And what is designed can be redesigned.
In the end, preventing systemic bias is not about eliminating human imperfection. It is about building structures that recognize it—and correct for it. The future will not be shaped merely by intelligence. It will be shaped by wisdom.
I have always been of the school of thought that money can’t make you happy. I am changing that school of thought.
I have come across so many circumstances over the years where if I had the money, it may not have directly made me happy, but it would have facilitated happiness. I know someone who recently entered into rehab with the help of relatives that had the money to pay for it. I have a son that has been suffering with addiction almost his entire adult life. He has had to be resuscitated 3 times over the years; just in the last 3 months he has needed resuscitation twice in a period of 3 days. Thank God people were around him and were able to administer Naloxone and call an ambulance. Now if I had $300 a day I would have been able to get him into a comprehensive rehabilitation program. The public system has long waiting lists and if an addict has to wait 2 to 3 months to get into a program it may be too late! In this case money can definitely facilitate happiness. By getting the help my son needs so desperately it would eliminate a lot of stress and worry. Seeing him healthy and happy would definitely make me happy! Granted, not everyone is going to want help whether is a well-structured program for $300 a day or not. My son is in a good place currently, but it’s day-by-day and I am always dreading receiving a call from his group home.
What about the person that so desperately needs psychological help and can’t afford it; do you think money to pay for a psychologist would facilitate happiness? I think if a person is ready willing and able and does not have the money to pay for a psychologist, it is very difficult for them. I have seen it firsthand. There are services provided on a sliding scale, but again long waiting lists and not always the best or experienced psychologists. Some therapies are never free.
The elderly person who can’t get around and does not have the financial means to purchase a walker, a cane, their medication, even their next meal. I am sure they would be happier if they were able to be mobile and not have to worry about medication or their next meal.
What about that homeless person you walk by every day? You don’t know their story so you can’t judge! But don’t you think money would make them happy? Obviously there are many issues surrounding homelessness, none of which have a simple solution other than, be kind! And if you don’t want to hand them money then donate to local shelter or organization.
I could go on for days….
The point is; money itself is not going to make you happy but what money can enable you to do can definitely make you happy.
Money can also do the opposite; just take a look at all of the rich and famous that have died by suicide, have ended up broke and homeless after having so much fame and fortune, have struggled with addiction or died of an overdose. Again, I could write many pages on this too! If you are looking to fame and fortune to make you happy, it won’t happen!
At the end of the day, money can definitely facilitate happiness and greed will make you shallow and empty.
Happy New Year!
It’s not the date that leads to positive change, its people’s behaviour!
“Love thy neighbor”
Care for one another, for the environment and for all living creatures.
Be selfless rather than selfish.
Then there will be change in the world!
I like to get up early every day; usually around 5AM. I don’t work until 8AM during the week and not at all on the weekends
Some people ask me why I get up so early. First of all I can start the day off in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, most likely there will be no phone calls or interruptions at 5AM. I can start my day with a coffee, some mediation and reading/studying. I know myself and I am more productive in the morning than after work. Yesterday morning, I did 3 loads of laundry before work and when I came home it was done! I have a dog that relies on me and I am up early to let her outside for her morning pee, feed her and give her some cuddles. In the summer I like to take her for an early walk. In the winter it is dark andcold so she gets her walk when I come home from work. This is my reason for getting up early. Are you an early riser? If so, what are your reasons?
Following are some of the answers I got from the Mindvalley group:
I’m not afraid to love and I never will be, for it is not love that fails, it’s people that fail. The biggest enemies of true love are fear, mistrust, selfishness, deceit, unfaithfulness and the list goes on. People have an infinite capacity to love. It’s not like you give your love to one person and you have none left, far from it! You can love many different people on many different levels; parents, children, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, romantic partners, the list is endless.
There should never be shame in saying “I love you” why are people so afraid to say it? Because as soon as you say it you expose yourself and open yourself up to vulnerability and the chance of being hurt. Not just any kind of hurt! The kind of hurt that crushes your heart and soul and it doesn’t heal quickly! There is no other pain like emotional pain! But there’s also no greater reward than the reward of loving someone and being loved.
I definitely believe in love at first sight. Even though it may be superficial, it is definitely possible. However the greatest love is the love that grows over time; far past the superficial and into the heart, mind and soul of one another. I believe the reason there are less real great loves is because people give up too easy! If it doesn’t work today move on to the next tomorrow.
People are addicted to sex and superficial relationships because it gives them an endorphin rush just like any other drug but in the end you feel empty, tired and unloved. So don’t be afraid to fail at love, don’t be afraid to be emotionally wounded; be afraid of the emptiness that goes along with being emotionally unavailable. Take a chance on love!
The Age of Understanding 