I lament the fall of the once mighty myth. Myth is about so much more than a non-factual story or colloquialisms about erroneous beliefs. We need myths to help articulate powerful truths about ourselves and the world in which we live.

Sometimes our scientific lens on the world is not just about empirical facts, but also about definitions. Consider the case of poor Pluto, kicked out of the planetary club in 2006.

The recent death of actor Leslie Nielsen touched me with sadness; he was a good actor and a funny man, and his films made me laugh till my cheeks ached. It made me reflect on how — if at all — any of us can expect to be remembered after our death and whether our existence will be marked in any meaningful way.

Call it “voluntary simplicity”, call it “lifehacking”, call it “downshifting”, or call it what you will, bigger is no longer better. Now “less” is chic and trendy. If you can whittle the sum total of your possessions down to 100 or less, you could be the next Internet celebrity. But the simplicity movement, like most movements, has a shadow. Let’s take a look at what can go wrong when you hop on the simplicity bandwagon.

Even though we’re not always inclined toward empathy and generosity or to live out our best ideals, perhaps the biggest blessing we all share is that we live in a world where so many people really do care for one another.

It can be difficult, even impossible sometimes, to find meaning in the actions or behaviour of other people. Looking for reasons can be a frustratingly futile exercise, but perhaps it’s a way of keeping curiosity alive whilst wondering about the lives of others.

Now that the Chilean miners have again seen the light of day, a lot of fighting is about to break out. But what if all the various investigations and arguments we’re about to witness were approached with the same level of spirit and cooperation the world saw so clearly during the rescue effort itself?