Debates

When conflicting ideologies leads to a showdown, most likely the participants in that pissing match don't walk away having learned anything new. They are too dead set in proving that they are right or better than their "opponent." However, debates revisited. Aren't they there to help us get at deeper truths and greater understanding of our surroundings? If this is the case, then shouldn't we be willing to listen and learn from a variety of perspectives?

Furthermore, if say a concept or ideology is pervasive, and for the most part false, how do you counteract that idea and mentality? Do you push back and reject their ideas, or do you investigate it further and point out minor flaws in the logic, allowing the supporters of false concepts to eventually reject it on their own? I think it ties to critical thinking. Question everything. If you run out of questions, you have simply ceased to be curious.

Dichotomies

We have to stop looking at the world in binary terms. It is not a male and female, minority and majority, optimistic and pessimistic, conservative and liberal, developed and developing world. Every relationship involves interaction. Every pair exists because of its relational difference from the other.

The world is a series of paradoxes, all of which exist to contribute to it's self organizing nature. The more you try to push against and reject opposing viewpoints, the stronger they become. The culmination of such futile efforts, is just further conflict.

Fantasies and Push-Pops (a.k.a. Random, Wacky Post)

Subtlety, gracefully grazing grey suits.
Fairy tales, whirlwinds of wisdom and wisecracks.
Forgetful, tepid, timeless or tremulous.
Happiness, faithful forgiveness of future failings.
Aging, boring, no; bleak, no; blithe, bet-your-ass!
Fairness, information, investment, interest, and internet.

Schoolwork

Schoolwork is starting to trump blogging. I will be sure to at least share one idea a day though.

Since 1975, 3 million refugees have been resettled in the US (U.S. Department of State, http://www.state.gov/j/prm/ra/index.htm). How many have you interacted with?

Sleep

Although I am a large advocate for living life to the fullest. Focusing on goals and achieving them. "Tirelessly" pursuing your passions....

But all of those axiomatic statements need to be tempered with at least one realistic constraint. If you never sleep enough, you will either accomplish these tasks in an inefficient manner, or you won't accomplish them at all.

So take a break sometimes. Sleep twelve hours in a day to make up for your other 6 days that, on average, you slept less than 7.

Today, I slept 11 hours, and it felt great!

Crazy Stat

The amount of information that was produced in the world from 1999-2002 almost matched that of all prior, produced knowledge (Jukes & McCain, 2002).

- Jukes, I., & McCain, T. (2002, June 18). Living on the future edge. InfoSavvy Group and Cyster.

In a world that is changing so rapidly, we need to start conceptualizing the present as a living past, and always have our minds focused on the future.

Just talking about social profits!

Look! Big Business! Your purpose is to serve a social good. You provide goods and services that are demanded. You are there to provide jobs to the public. You are social entities. Accept it! 

If you are "people"start acting humanely. Stop killing your customers (polluting, locking sweatshops during fires, pay-day lending to people who are financially illiterate --> suicide).

If you start treating people better and building the capacities of a larger segment of the population, you will begin to see the potential of what C.K. Prahalad refers to as the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid.

Crying During Movies

Yea, so, I have a tendency to cry in movies. "Big Whoop, Wanna Fight about it?" (Family Guy, Season 2, Episode 21).

Simplicity

Maybe the key to solving poverty is specialization. Maybe all organizations should have very specialized and targeted mission statements rather than trying to tackle all problems at once. Maybe redundancy is the greatest threat to efficiency. Maybe our personal desire to do good keeps us from actually doing so. Maybe people value recognition more than impact.

Maybe's are starting points for do's, but only if we closely monitor their progress and weed out the don'ts.

Meritocracy is a Myth

Meritocracy is just a euphemism for inequality. Let's stop pretending that people simply get what they deserve, and that the key to success is hard work.

Not even your ideas are purely your own. They are constructs of shared knowledge and experience. We must start with the acknowledgement that the distribution of capital is inherently unequal, then we must ask ourselves if this is fair.

I believe it isn't fair. That does not make me a socialist. I believe in justice. I believe in equal opportunity. I believe that everyone should be free to try and reach their full potential.

I grew up in an upper-middle class suburb of Boston. I hit the jackpot. I couldn't tabulate all the intangible benefits I have received in my life just because of this incredible stroke of good fortune.

Merit requires us all to start from the same place. However, in the real world, some people start at the finish line.

Two Quick Thoughts About Heartbreak

If one part is bruised, just focus on something else that you love, and you will be surprised how quickly you heal.

If you love enough, your heart will never break because you will always have something from which to draw happiness.

Professional Sports

Professional sports are entertaining, but when a fumble recovery is more important than a concussion, we need to rethink our valuation of sports.

I like watching people accomplish amazing feats of strength and athleticism, but even more meaningful to me are the moments when players inspire us with their sportsmanship.

Beginning of a Song

Broken Brooms

The circles and squares and stars on the screens,

Are the shapes and shapers of dreams.

The suspense of the now and fear of the future,

Statically collect our rivers and streams.

From AM to Gamma we perform electric dances

When a mother says to her child, “don’t be afraid,

Of all of the past mistakes that you’ve made.”

Idleness and ignorance are often to blame.

Most of us search for meaning.

By establishing unshakable rules.

But when they all bend and splinter,

What’s left are our broken brooms.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

When you begin to whittle away at task that seem insurmountable; you begin to realize that they are a series of much more manageable tasks.

So rather than writing something off as impossible, just start to do what you can. That one act could present you with an infinitely larger set of opportunities.

Market Failures

Questions in class today:

"Is a lack of access to clean drinking water a market failure?"

Response: Unequivocally, YES! Everyone has an guaranteed intrinsic demand for water, and the supply does not meet the demand. That is a market failure.

"How about smart phones?"

Response: YES! We live in a knowledge society and all of our macro level concepts --rationality, meritocracy, utility, justice, etc.,-- hinge upon our ability to access and process information. Some might argue that ignorance is bliss, but those who are ignorant also are not reaching their potential. (Also, see "The Three I's" in Banerjee, A. and Duflo, E. book Poor Economics). Simply put though, there is an astronomically large unmet demand for greater access to information (Digital Divide), and the supply (smart phones) does not match the demand. MARKET FAIL!

Kayak, Expedia, CheapAir, Try again!

Yes, it is more convenient. True, often times it does work out.

However, I just found an itinerary to Nepal for under $1400, while Expedia's and Kayak's cheapest flights, respectively, are coming up as $1991 and $2105.

It would seem that the ability to do a little investigation on your own is quite valuable, and that shortcuts based on aggregate data may not always be the best options.

Small world

So completely random, and sort of crazy, but in my social entrepreneurship class today, I found out that one of the girls who I am collaborating with went to Middlebury and that we have mutual friends and acquaintances.

I would kind of like to see a visual map of my social networks. Is there a program out there? I am beginning to wonder if it is my network or the world that is small.

Great Days

Sometimes you just have a great day!

Today was one of those days. It is a simple equation. My motivation to live an active and vibrant life is greater now than it was at the beginning of the day.

Quote of the day:

"I would argue that collectively 'we' actually know much more than any 'one' of us has the bandwidth to appreciate. By engaging people from areas across the spectrum in gathering a sampling of existing organizational and intellectual capital across various silos of activity we might possibly better inform specific efforts within each silo," (Emerson, 2003, p. 3).

Emerson, Jed (2003). The Blended Value Map: Tracking the Intersects and Opportunities of Economic, Social and Environmental Value Creation. BlendedValue.org. Retrieved on January 14, 2013 from http://www.blendedvalue.org/wp-content/uploads/2004/02/pdf-bv-map.pdf

Patterns of Personal Change

People change. Through interaction, experience, and reflection we, as people, are never static and always influenced by a complex set of forces. Change is natural. In fact, everything that has led us to our present state is all memory at this point, and subject to change and distortion. We have to embrace our limitations, understand that we are changing, and try to steer that process towards a better vision of ourselves.

Note to self: Balancing pride and humility is difficult. The ideal equilibrium varies from situation to situation. Deep consideration of our strengths and weaknesses, as well as strong relationships with people who will give us honest feedback, are the gauges that help us calibrate our egos.

Escapees

When one has responsibilities and commitments, one might feel shackled. One's goal might be to escape and live a freer life; a carefree life. This will never by my aspiration. I will never stop caring because I would stop conversing, and in turn, stop acting.

Timing

Clocks or tides?
The consistency of both relies on overlapping forces.
One is a convention and the other is a hobby.
Time as a concept that is reliant upon the world in which it exists.
If the Earth's rotation were to change speeds, what might be the effects?
It seems less intimidating from afar.
However, on the most readily perceivable level, it is a nuisance.

Vanderbilt Basketball

That was a very exciting game.

Down by 14 with 10 minutes to go, and shooting around 28% does not usually inspire much confidence or interest in a game, but when a team's defense is pretty solid, there is always a chance.

A couple of three's later, all of a sudden the arena is filled with energy and excitement, and this energy carries the Dores to a 58-60 defeat (due to a horrible missed shot clock violation).

When a team starts to perform well, the energy of the crowd can lift them even further. However, if a team is flat, it is very difficult to set them into motion.

Alright, clearly I know nothing about college basketball, but it was definitely a fun evening.

Hall of Fame, not Infamy

I support the empty class of 2013.

What do Halls of Fame represent? What purpose do they serve?

Is it about remembering people who embody everything we cherish about tradition and sportsmanship, or is it purely about the numbers?

Is sport purely about entertainment, or is it about something more?

We should only commemorate those worthy of serving as role models for the future. Players who *cheat should not be remembered. I am fine with letting them live out the rest of their lives with their fraudulent millions, but I refuse to accept that just because of their records with asterisks that their names should be enshrined.

Jackie Robinson's, Hank Aaron's, J.L. Wilkinson's, Roberto Clemente's, etc. Hall should not be tainted by the infamous.

Thank You

I just want to express my sincere appreciation to all those in my life. Thank you for the birthday wishes. I love you all.

29

I am not sure what it is even supposed to feel like to be 29. I certainly don't feel old. Age is a funny thing. It doesn't necessarily signify wisdom or experience anymore, and with modern medicine the definition of middle aged is closer to 50 than 30. If I go nuts at thirty and completely alter my life course (which does not seem likely at this point) it won't be a mid-life crisis. It will be a young adult life crisis.

I just know that for 29 years I have taken a remarkable journey that has led me here. I am so thankful for everyone who I have ever interacted with because that experience has in some way made me who I am today. Today, like everyday, is an amazing shared gift. Please enjoy it!

Positivity

It is January 6 somewhere still.

This first week has been dominated by downer posts that make me out to be a bit cynical. This is not the case. I firmly believe in the good of people, and that as a collective, we can overcome our shortcomings. Now forgive me for my tardiness and brevity, but I am fighting a cold and must return to my bed and my dreams.

Advertisements

The world as portrayed by advertisements is a sad one indeed. It is a society driven by prejudice, stereotypes, sexism, deception, lying, mistrust, ignorance, judgment and selfishness. Furthermore, the products that dominate television are for sex, drugs, and alcohol, with a sprinkling of cars, and fast food (but it is ok because DUI's aren't still prevalent, and obesity is no longer an issue thanks to the Biggest Loser).

Specifically, the new Galaxy Note II ad is the world I would least like to live in (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itb0s5jTJHY). Let's start with the product. Great, another overpriced phone-tablet that will cost $200 to replace when you inevitably drop-it, unless you spend $30-$60 dollars on a case that will make this oversized phone truly impossible to fit into your pocket. Oh, and there is no guarantee that the case will product your phone, which was the whole point of buying it to begin with.

Back to the ad itself.

First, why would either of them be doing anything on their phone when they are in the office. Last time I checked, computers are still faster and easier to use. So in this world people opt to be less productive.

Second, the company makes the assumption that work is something people don't want to do, and is purely boring and compulsory (not true, see http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html).

Third, in every office setting I have ever been in, women have been at least as productive as the men. I have no empirical evidence of this, but I would guess that when the target audience of an NFL Playoff game (18-35 year old men, who most likely are drinking a beer and swearing profusely at the tv) sees this ad, it would reinforce negative stereotypes that many of them may already have about women, and worse, may create new ones that didn't exist before.

Fourth, when the woman asks the guy to share his work and he says yes, she then takes credit for his work. What? Thanks Samsung for showing us how to be both good workers and amazing people.

Fifth, oh wait, she now has to do the work she didn't do to begin with so it is all fair. NOT! This fails to address what was wrong with the fourth point. One person taunted, deceived, and stole from another person. Extra work does not offset any of those acts.

Sixth, there is no remorse for any of the actions previously mentioned. In fact, the woman just mocks her boss.

Hey, at least they still have pupu platter's in this world, the least healthy and least authentic form of Polynesian food.

WE NEED ADS THAT REPRESENT AND REWARD IDEALS! Advertisements and media have the power to positively affect our vision of the world. However, rather than focusing on the positive and the possible, companies always opt for the negative and the pretty awful present.

Neighbors

In order to build communities we should start with our neighbors. Most of us don't even know our neighbors let alone interact with them regularly.


Some common hurdles would seem to be:

1) Mistrust: Rather than building communities and relying upon each other, we have exploited and oppressed each other to the point where we simply don't trust strangers.

Result:
Neighbor: "Hello Neighbor!"
Us: "Hi...What do you want?"

2) Hate: Some people tend to reject other world views that differ from their own rather than trying to understand them. This leads to presumption, prejudice and division rather than dialogue, concession and cohesion.

Result:
Neighbor: "Hello Neighbor!"
Us: "Fuck you!"

3) Timing: Yes, people are busy. But this is nonsense because we have the ability to communicate with each other in ways other than face to face interaction. If we wanted to meet our neighbors we could leave a note (and, idyllically, maybe a pie). However, nobody could be this nice right? (see mistrust).

Result:
Neighbor: "HELLO NEIGHBOR. I live next door and just wanted to    say hello. Enjoy the apple pie."
Us: "Weirdo. (Sarcastically) Thanks for the ruffie pie."


These are just thoughts based on my perceptions. But we need to consider these societal obstacles and take action, or else our neighborhoods will be reduced to a series of addresses.

Hypocrisy

Don't fear hypocrisy. Embrace moments of internal conflict as learning experiences. As long as you have the ability to both admit to and reflect upon your mistakes, you will continue to grow and fully understand your own humanity.

Trust and Humanism

"They talk about the people, but they do not trust them; and trusting the people is the indispensable precondition for revolutionary change. A real humanist can be identified more by his trust in the people, which engages him in their struggle, than by a thousand actions in their favor without that trust,"(p.42).

Freire, Paulo (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Originally published by London: The Continuum Publishing Company. Republished in 1996 by London: Penguin Books.

New Year's Resolution: To share an idea every day for the next year! I hope at least a few of them will spark some interesting dialogues.

Jan 1: Often times acts of altruism lead to sum-sum outcomes, and therefore need not be considered selfless. Caring for others can generate personal gain as well.