Why You Should Strive for a Meaningful Life, Not a Happy One

Why You Should Strive for a Meaningful Life, Not a Happy One

In our pursuit of happiness, we often overlook the importance of finding meaning in our lives. The concept of happiness has evolved over time, from being seen as something bestowed upon us by the gods or by chance, to something we actively seek and strive for. However, this relentless pursuit of happiness can often leave us feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled.

The lack of meaning in life is a soul-sickness that our modern society has yet to fully comprehend. Many individuals, despite achieving success in their careers, raising families, and accumulating wealth and social status, find themselves empty and devoid of purpose. It is clear that simply striving for happiness is not enough to create a meaningful life.

Instead of focusing solely on happiness, we should shift our attention towards cultivating our character. By becoming more integrated and complete individuals, we increase our chances of finding meaning in life. This approach serves as an antidote to the stagnation and passivity that lead to a meaningless existence. Moreover, by striving to develop our strengths, we are likely to discover the purpose and "why" behind our existence.

When setting goals, it is essential to understand that the journey itself is more important than the destination. Rather than sacrificing ourselves for the attainment of goals, we should focus on the continual struggle towards them. It is through this process of growth and self-improvement that we cultivate character and find meaning. The book "Ikigai" by Emiko Kaminuma emphasizes the importance of finding purpose in the effort we put into something, rather than solely in the achievement itself.

In our pursuit of a meaningful life, we must also be willing to step away from our obsession with happiness and pleasure. Paradoxically, by exposing ourselves to the struggles and challenges necessary for personal development, we are more likely to experience transient moments of happiness. As the saying goes, "Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived, or he who has stayed securely on the shore and merely existed?"

Navigating the High Cost of AI Compute

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) presents its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to the cost of compute. The demand for AI compute resources far exceeds the available supply, resulting in companies spending a significant portion of their capital on compute resources. The cost of training and inference in AI models depends on factors such as the size and type of the model.

In the case of transformers, a widely used AI model, the computational cost can be estimated based on the number of parameters and the number of input and output tokens. However, the complexity of generating AI models far surpasses that of traditional computational tasks. This means that choosing the smallest model that solves the desired use case is crucial to managing AI infrastructure costs.

To run AI models efficiently, specialized chips or AI accelerator cards are needed. These chips accelerate the compute-intensive tasks required for AI inference and training. However, optimizing memory requirements and network interconnects are also key considerations in managing AI infrastructure costs.

While some companies may choose to provision their own AI hardware for fine-grained control, many startups can benefit from hosted model services. These services, such as OpenAI or Hugging Face, allow founders to focus on product-market fit without the need to manage underlying infrastructure. For those building large-scale AI applications, running their own models directly on GPUs may be necessary to achieve specific capabilities or reduce costs.

Choosing the right AI infrastructure, whether in the cloud or through building a data center, depends on factors such as scale, hardware requirements, latency, and cost. While the cost of AI infrastructure may create a barrier to entry for new players, the field is still evolving, and open source models and optimizations can disrupt the market.

In conclusion, striving for a meaningful life rather than a happy one allows us to find purpose and fulfillment. The pursuit of happiness alone can leave us unsatisfied, while cultivating our character and striving towards meaningful goals can lead to a more fulfilling existence. Similarly, navigating the high cost of AI compute requires careful consideration of factors such as model size, hardware selection, and optimization techniques. By understanding these challenges, we can make informed decisions and maximize the value of AI infrastructure.

Actionable advice:

• 1. Reflect on your goals and aspirations. Are they aligned with your values and contribute to your personal growth? Consider shifting your focus towards cultivating your character and finding meaning in your pursuits.

• 2. When working with AI models, carefully assess the computational requirements and choose the smallest model that solves your use case. Optimize memory usage and consider using specialized chips or accelerator cards to reduce costs.

• 3. Evaluate your AI infrastructure needs and consider using hosted model services to save on infrastructure management. For larger-scale applications, weigh the benefits of running your own models directly on GPUs, taking into account factors such as latency, performance, and cost.