#168 - Jess Manoj - What Truly Shapes Who You Are?

Jess Manoj is a University of Alberta engineering student and passionate writer who thinks deeply about what shapes human character, meaning, and moral purpose. With a blend of analytical rigor and introspective curiosity, Jess observes both the structures that guide our lives and the inner worlds that define who we become. Today, we explore three themes central to his thinking: people, technology, and the personal journey of building a moral code.

When Jess reflects on people, he finds them endlessly fascinating because each person begins life with certain limitations, some inherited, some imposed by circumstance yet some individuals still manage to sculpt those limitations into strengths. Those who transform their constraints into meaningful contributions inspire him, because they demonstrate what’s possible when self-awareness meets effort. Jess believes that truly understanding someone requires more than surface impressions; it requires listening, sharing, and entering a cycle of curiosity and vulnerability that only happens when both people genuinely choose it. And while he acknowledges that we all play certain roles to fit into society, he believes authenticity is uncovered by revisiting the past, by asking how places, people, and experiences made us feel, and tracing those feelings back to the self we’ve always been.

When it comes to technology, Jess sees it as something that can ease life’s burdens but cannot create meaning for us. Technology can be incredibly powerful at removing obstacles, but it cannot replace the inner work required to understand who we are or what fulfills us. He believes humanity and empathy exist outside the realm of machines; the timeless questions about virtue, love, and purpose were being asked and answered long before modern advancements. Technology itself is neutral, neither good nor bad, but because people tend to choose convenience, it can contribute to disconnection if misused. Still, Jess believes that those who use technology intentionally, for the sake of virtue rather than ease, will continue to create balance within society.

Finally, Jess’s moral code emerged from a place of insecurity an honest confrontation with the qualities he lacked and the longing to grow. Over time, he realized that even the traits he pursued to gain admiration were not the real source of his discomfort. Through reflection and experience, he came to understand that the only thing truly within one’s control is striving to be a good person; everything else rests in the hands of fate. When societal expectations conflict with his values, he returns to honest analysis, examining where those expectations come from and whether they are rooted in genuine principles or collective compromise. To Jess, virtue doesn’t require rebellion or conformity, it simply requires thinking for oneself, independent of modern praise or judgment.

In closing, Jess Manoj invites us into a worldview grounded in curiosity, self-inquiry, and the belief that meaning comes from within. Whether he’s examining the complexity of people, the evolving role of technology, or the ongoing task of shaping one’s moral compass, his perspective reminds us that growth is both a personal responsibility and a lifelong pursuit.

KEEP IT LONG TERM!