Having an opinion. Moral decline, not. Men & women. Do you even need a purpose? Own the place. The silly penny. Jack of all trades.
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1. “A spiky point of view.”
13 Spiky Points of View on Emotional Health – Nick Wignall – (Newsletter)
While the listicle itself is interesting — 13 points of view that challenge common assumptions — that’s not what got me. The concept of a “spiky” point of view did.
A spiky point of view is a perspective others can disagree with. It’s a belief you feel strongly about and are willing to advocate for. It’s your thesis about topics in your realm of expertise.
I think we all have various opinions or beliefs that contrast markedly with those around us. (e.g. There’s no “best” computer operating system. 
) It’s from these differences that interesting discussions, and change, sprout. Let’s face it: if we all agreed on everything, things would be pretty boring. (Though, I’ll admit, lately boring seems kinda nice too.)
Do this: Have a perspective.
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2. “The perception of moral decline is a psychological illusion”
Is the World Going Straight to Hell? – Tom Greene – (Wit & Wisdom)
Yes, this another “things aren’t nearly as bad as you think they are” essay. And yes, it includes data to back it up.
We’ve definitely lost faith in our institutions and people are much less civil than they used to be. But, if you focus only on the few bad actors, you will often end up thinking that it’s all going to hell in a handbasket. However, the culprit is more likely your own perception of the moral decay. According to the experts, that perception is probably a psychological illusion.
It makes sense. While our attention has always been easy to hijack with sensational headlines and news, these past couple of decades have seen those hijacking opportunities absolutely skyrocket.
Do this: Keep things in perspective.
3. “Don’t most men like women?”
The men who like women and the men who don’t. Yes we can tell. – Celeste Davis – (Matriarchal Blessing)
This isn’t about sexual orientation, it’s about honest respect.
It’s in the listening, the curiosity, the respect. It’s in the eye contact. It’s how they speak of other women or speak over women. It’s whether or not they ever read women authors, listen to podcasts hosted by women.
It’s an interesting perspective. Davis also theorizes on its origins. Put very simply:
men are penalized for not performing masculinity
I concur.
Do this: Respect.
4. “No matter what, I’m wonderful”
A book quote on finding purpose – Mike Crittenden – (Blog)
This isn’t Crittenden’s writing, but rather as the essay title indicates, a lengthy quote he found interesting. I’m finding it quite thought provoking.
The characters are discussing having purpose, and perhaps whether that’s even neccessary.
You and I — we’re just atoms that arranged themselves the right way, and we can understand that about ourselves. Is that not amazing?
The full quote is deeper, and I encourage you to read it.
Do this: Reflect on your purpose.
5. “Be nice. Until it’s time to not be nice.”
Don’t you dare apologize for existing. – Lisa Lee Curtis – (Vagina Devil Magic)
This is a call to action for women, and — honestly — another wake up call to men.
Her message to women is simple: “most of us really do not realize how manipulated we are”. Her examples resonate because I see it so often, and to the best I can, try not to be the manipulator.
Stop being sorry for being present. You move about this planet like you fucking own the place. Because you do.
Indeed.
Do this: Notice. Act accordingly.
6. “We keep minting pennies because no one uses the pennies we mint.”
America Must Free Itself from the Tyranny of the Penny – Caity Weaver – (New York Times Magazine)
This has been one of my pet peeves for a long time. Honestly, it’s right up there with the metric system.
Consider this:
One thing we know for sure about America’s 1-cent coins, however, is that just one of them costs more than 3 cents to produce.
No one’s using them, meaning they’re getting dropped into coin jars and whatnot, not being placed back into circulation. The result? We have to make more!
The article is a lengthy one, because the issue’s not quite as simple as we might want it to be. And yet, c’mon. If Canada can do it, so can we.
Do this: Count your pennies.
7. “The ability to adapt to new situations, and the desire to do so”
Why Generalists Own the Future – Dan Shipper – (Chain of Thought)
I’ve long considered myself a generalist more than a specialist. A “jack of all trades, master of none” kind of person. My career kinda bears that out; while I’ve played mostly with the tech sphere, I’ve done a lot of different things, played a number of different roles, and — perhaps more importantly — familiarized myself with many different technologies and more.
The article throws AI into the mix. There are those who believe AI puts generalists at greater risk than specialists. The author and I disagree.
Being a generalist gives us something that language models don’t have: the capacity to learn quickly, and to see and solve novel problems in new domains.
Like anything else, AI’s a tool, but like any tool, it has its strengths and weaknesses, and will serve some better than others.
Do this: Choose your tools appropriately.
Other things that caught my eye
What I’m reading
In progress:
- Foundation and Earth – Isaac Asimov
- How to Read a Book – Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren
- Where Good Ideas Come From – Steven Johnson (re-read)
- Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman (audio)
Daily:
- A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Selected from the World’s Sacred Texts – Leo Tolstoy
A full list of my common sources is on the sources page, and I list the books I’ve read on my Reading List page.
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-Leo