The Wit and Wisdom of Ali Ihsan ELMAS

I've been reflecting on the concept of loyalty lately. Why do some people remain loyal to each other while others do not? What drives a person to stay faithful to one partner but not another, or to maintain loyalty for years—perhaps a decade—only to eventually cheat? The reasons are undoubtedly complex, with numerous factors at play. One aspect I’d like to explore is how the presence or absence of alternatives influences loyalty. One of the first considerations is how many people remain loyal out of obligation rather than genuine inclination. For men, it might be around 90 to 95 percent who stay loyal simply because they lack other or better options (excluding, of course, the possibility of paying for sex with a prostitute). Numerous stories exist of men who, after acquiring wealth or power, either leave their wives or begin cheating, underscoring how circumstances can shape loyalty. I wonder what the percentage is for women. Many could easily find more attractive partners than ...

It feels kind of strange. You work at a job to make money and earn your freedom, but then you don't know what to do with your free time. So you end up at this meetup event on a Saturday morning, where you practically work for free. It's not that I don't have things to do and feel bored. I have things to do, but I don't want to do them, or I'm postponing them. So maybe, even to distract myself from the fact that I have things to do, I went there. I also wanted to have something to do other than the things I have to do. Yeah, maybe. Before going, I checked the list of attendees to make sure there were people I would be interested in meeting. Just to ensure I didn't end up at the meeting point alone, I even posted on the discussion page, asking if anyone else was going to be there. To my surprise, someone replied “yes” to my message. So, I thought it couldn't be that bad. I woke up at 8 to be there on time. I had my coffee and breakfast and then left for the ...

Recently, I had my first boxing match. Though it was nothing compared to "real" boxing fights and even some sparring sessions we had, it was still exciting. Trying to get points by physically hurting someone while trying not to get hurt at the same time is something completely different for a modern person. The last two months leading up to the fight were very busy, and knowing that I would have a fight on a predefined date was very stressful for me. So, I postponed lots of things during this time just to focus on the fight while trying to get ready for the post-fight period as well. After two tiring months and losing 5 kg, even though I lost the fight, I'm happy that it's over, and now I can focus on other things in my life. I have a couple of goals on my mind, like running a half marathon, losing a few more kilograms, writing regularly on this blog, etc. Last week, I had my first date since the break-up, which got me thinking about the line between being just frie...

I don't use social media because I dislike the feeling I get after spending time on these platforms. It's not just about wasting time; there's something draining about these apps. I feel exhausted and even depressed afterward. It's different from just lying on your bed doing nothing or writing this post. Even if those activities might be seen as a waste of time, I generally feel more relaxed and better afterward. I think one reason for this is that what you see on social media is often fake or just a tiny fraction of reality. Despite knowing that these platforms present a distorted view, there's a primitive part of the human brain that makes you constantly compare yourself to others. Knowing your own weaknesses while only seeing the curated highlights of others' lives can understandably lead to such feelings. At the same time, avoiding these apps makes me feel disconnected from people. It’s not about FOMO or not being "cool"; it’s about not being ab...