Modern Ronin Reflections is a collection of essays on engineering, learning, discipline, and life from Dr. Jack Yeh, exploring the mindset of a modern-day ronin.
Modern Ronin Reflections
Reading the writings of Miyamoto Musashi in The Book of Five Rings, I encountered a passage that felt strikingly familiar. Musashi warned that when people rely too heavily on a teacher, they may eventually rely on authority itself. Over time, the authority of the teacher quietly becomes their own borrowed
Modern Ronin Reflections
I build a personal brand not to create another identity, but to peel away identities. I do not wish to be defined by a role within an institution. Instead, I hope people come to know Chih-Chun Yeh as a person. As you reflect more deeply on life, you begin
Modern Ronin Reflections
Attention is. Without attention, time has no meaning.
Modern Ronin Reflections
Over the past few years, I’ve come to realize something: Competition often means imitation. When people compete, they are usually doing the same thing—just trying to run faster on the same track. Venture capitalist Peter Thiel once said: “Competition is for losers.” At first, that statement sounds arrogant.
Modern Ronin Reflections
To me, clothing is not about chasing fashion. It’s about finding the one piece that truly fits you. Our body is already the best work of art in the world. Good clothes simply highlight the shape, the character, and the presence that already belong to you. That’s why
Modern Ronin Reflections
Over the past few years, I have experienced a significant shift in my thinking. Earlier in my life, I strongly identified with grand national narratives. I believed that the unity and strength of a nation or culture were ideals that should naturally be protected. But over time, through reading, observation,
Modern Ronin Reflections
Many philosophical discussions today are filled with grand narratives. They speak endlessly about nations, civilizations, ideologies, and humanity. But very often, these conversations become empty. If a person cannot even manage his own life—if he is constantly troubled, anxious, or lost—then speaking about saving the world or defending
Modern Ronin Reflections
Refinement is simply compounding in disguise. The Japanese spirit of craftsmanship shows this clearly. A craftsman does not chase dramatic breakthroughs. Instead, he improves his craft little by little, day after day. Each small improvement may appear insignificant. But over time, these improvements compound into mastery. In many ways, this
Modern Ronin Reflections
Many people write autobiographies. But the details of a life are rarely transferable. Different backgrounds. Different eras. Different opportunities. Reading someone else’s life story does not necessarily teach you how to live your own. From the perspective of information theory, the problem becomes clearer. Autobiographies often have low information
Modern Ronin Reflections
We often say that time is scarce. But in the modern world, something may be even more scarce than time: attention. We live in an age flooded with information. News, social media, endless content — and with it, endless noise. The real problem today is not the lack of information. It
Modern Ronin Reflections
Many people believe that since the Industrial Revolution, human identity has become increasingly defined by occupation. A person’s job is no longer just a way to make a living. It becomes a label. Over time, many people begin to believe that this label is who they are. And when
Modern Ronin Reflections
Discomfort and frustration are not obstacles to growth — they are part of the process. Learning to accept them, and even becoming comfortable with them, is what allows continuous improvement and long-term compounding. From my personal experience, compounding growth is often counterintuitive to human nature. Most people naturally seek comfort