🐯 Welcome to the Jungle: The Official Den of Johnny (Tiger) Tai

Growing up, my father had a simple plan for me: become a lawyer or else. And when I say “or else,” I mean the full Asian parent dramatics — “be a lawyer, or I’ll kill myself, or kill you, or both.” Lovely childhood pep talks, right? So, when I went off to college, I actually did start in criminology, fully ready to live out his fantasy. I thought maybe I could fight for justice, right the wrongs, make a difference.  Image: A towering Lady Justice statue, blindfolded, holds scales and sword. Numerous kneeling men reach up to her, set in a stone courtyard at twilight. [ ] Then, in my first year, I asked my professor about the O.J. Simpson case: “How come the guy got to go free just because of a technicality? Where’s the justice in that?” My professor laughed in my face and dropped the truth bomb: “Whoever told you law had anything to do with justice?” That was it. My law career died right there in class. Image: A sinister courtroom scene with a red-skinned, horned devil as ...

At the beginning of 2025, I was on the phone with my old nanny—the woman who basically raised me when I was little. Out of nowhere, she told me in that no-nonsense voice I still remember: “If you trust me, don’t ask why, but you and your girlfriend need to carry a vial of salt with you this year so you can be safe.” I didn’t understand it. I didn’t ask. But I’ve been carrying that tiny vial of salt in my pocket the whole year. Because honestly? Better safe than sorry, right? Image: A cartoon man in outdoor clothes pours salt from a shaker onto two giant, stacked, green slugs. Both slugs have wide, alarmed mouths in a forest setting. [ ] Turns out, what she said has deep roots in something old, strange, and fascinating: the Chinese tradition of 压胜术 (yàshèng shù)—an archaic form of spiritual defense, protection, and sometimes… mystical sabotage. What is 压胜术? The term literally means “to suppress and prevail.” It’s a mix of folk belief, proto-fengshui, and ritual magic. The...

Let’s talk about communication—the sexy little skill everyone thinks they’ve mastered until it turns around and spanks them in public. I recently made a video outlining what I believe are the four essential elements of being a good communicator. They are: Stay true to your principles. Start from a balanced position. Put your emotions away. Use empathic communication skills. Sounds solid, right? Very educated. Very mature. Very… textbook. But here’s the twist. I’m someone who’s studied psychology and sociology, someone who lectures, teaches, runs workshops, and helps people literally fight their way through life—and even I get bitten in the ass by communication. Repeatedly. Why? Because no matter how skilled you are, communication is a two-way street. You could be the smoothest talker alive, but if the other person’s not ready to hear you, it won’t matter. Sometimes, it’ll just blow up in your face. Let’s walk through these so-called golden rules—through th...