Deep thinker
Inspired by the open road and time
Hi, Let me introduce myself!
I'm Amin and I care about the world and the people around me. I'm deeply passionate about technology and politics and recently, I've taken a keen interest in the aftermath of Trump's election. I'm always seeking challenges and opportunities that help me understand and appreciate the nuances of any issue, and I read and learn as much as I can. I find any idea, event or milestone that creates a paradigm shift in the daily life of millions fascinating. I aspire to touch the lives of others by improving the world a way that only I could have.
I was born in Iran, and moved to Canada when I was 10 years old, first living in Quebec City for two years before moving to Toronto. I have the privilige of seeing the world through two lenses, that of the Middle East and that of the West. It's always striking to see the immense gap between one side's perception of the other party versus the reality. Even more so, it's almost tragic to find so many areas of commonality and shared experiences that are so readily overshadowed by negativity and slander.
In addition to enjoying classic literature like Antoine de Saint-Exupery's Le Petit Prince in 3 different languages, being able to read and write in Farsi, French and English has been invaluable for me in me understanding the priorities and values of two vastly different cultures. I spent 45 days living in Iran by myself in the summer of 2016, and I came away almost dumbfounded by how much the impact of the Iran Nuclear Deal on the civilian population had been downplayed in the West. The feeling of hope and optimism that an entire nation was feeling and expressing from having had the sanctions lifted and returning to the global economy was simply inspiring. I think being able to break down barriers that prevent us from understanding and connecting with others around the world on a more personal note is incredibly important, and that ties really well with my passion for technology. We live, discover and learn online, and I am hopeful that in the not-so-distant future, we can do that collectively as world citizens, instead of defining ourselves with imaginary national borders.
I like to think big and dream even bigger. One of my favourite characters is Sherlock Holmes, and I admire his uncanny ability to see things with a piercing eye, and yet always keep in mind how that piece fits into the bigger picture. Being able to look at things from above is something I've tried to develop in myself, and it really helps me be a better objective problem solver in all aspects of my life. I often find myself dreaming about perfect societies and social systems; I'd definitely describe myself as an idealist, and I think this lyric from Kodaline's High Hopes is absolutely brilliant in describing that aspect of me:
I know it's crazy to believe in silly things, but it's not that easy.
I take pride in being hopeful and optimistic about the future. I wish more people were, because for every single person that doesn't believe that tomorrow will be better, the task of making tomorrow better will be that much harder for those who are trying to. It may be crazy to believe in silly things, but believing in silly things is exactly what has brought us every single astonishing achievement humanity has today. Satellites that orbit the planet helping us predict tomorrow's weather, phones that allow us to live broadcast any event across the world or even a wire that brings warmth and light to a remote village, all of these things would have been considered preposterous just 2 centuries ago. So while it's definitely not easy to believe in a perfect future, especially when things seem to be regressing instead of progressing, in my opinion we all should.
Maybe now more than ever.