About

About me

I’m Nicolás Castañeda Martínez, a Colombian Systems Engineering student passionate about artificial intelligence, the human mind, and the study of humanity across space and time as it relates to happiness.

Inspired by Buddhist principles and mindfulness practices, I pass through our fast-paced world with tranquility and balance, while having fun along the way, a perspective I enjoy teaching so that others can better navigate life.

I’m also the kind of guy who dreams of someday leaving everything behind to live in a simple cabin deep in a distant forest, growing my own food and raising a family.

Yet before that happens, my work lies at the intersection of technology, anthropology, and happiness, aiming to refocus our brightest minds on shaping a future where every element of the world can coexist with dignity.

Hobbies

When I’m not exploring the boundaries of the field, bringing new ideas to life, or fully immersed in meditation, you’ll probably find me playing all kinds of sports, practicing yoga or dancing.

You may also find me both enjoying classical music as well as composing my own, or simply appreciating a warm sunset over the landscape.

And although I struggle with cooking, to be honest I’m more about the journey, even if it means dealing with a questionable plate later.

On happiness and purpose

There’s just something about nature that makes us feel at home; the rustle of leaves, the gentle breeze, the warmth of the sun above us. Doesn’t it feel like we were made for this? Long before cities, screens, and schedules, we moved harmoniously with the world rather than against it. And while our environment has drastically evolved, the essence of our nature remains intact.

Many spend their lives seeking “happiness,” a complex idea we’ve been told, a state tied to endless conditions shaped by a world we don’t belong to. That’s why I wrestle with the idea of “happiness,” and with words in general. They attempt to capture the vast and fluid nature of life within rigid definitions, that often cloud genuine experience.

Yet, I recognize that in the current world, words help us to help others. Let me, therefore, to use them as invitations to explore a way of living that aligns with our deepest nature, an approach that, after genuinely embraced, only you can realize it inevitably leads to a profound and meaningful existence.

But then arises the question: what’s the role of technology if our ultimate aim is reconnecting with our ancestral essence? Indeed, technology is the very force that dismantled the old world, distancing us from nature, but it is also the only tool capable of retrieving what we’ve lost.

My purpose is precisely this: to reconstruct the essence of an ancient world by the hand of technology, a world deeply aligned with the nature we’ve inherited while thoughtfully preserving the beneficial aspects of modern life. Technology thus becomes our double-edged sword: the trigger of our destruction and the indispensable architect of a better future.