by Richard J. Davidson
and, Sharon
Begley
I have mixed feelings about this book. Much of the book covers the biological basis for emotional style, how to determine what your emotional style is, and how to slightly tweak your style if it's holding your back...
Emotional style covers six traits which can all be measured in an fMRI-- Outlook, Sensitivity to Context, Social Intuition, Self Awareness, Attention, Resilience.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm having problems remembering the difference between "Sensitivity to Context" and "Social Intuition"
The book covers the experiments that lead to this discovery, and exercises that would help one increase or decrease there response to each style.
The book also has a large section on meditation, which actually turned me off of this topic. The benefits of mediation have been popping up in popular research. The book includes a history of how it became popular-- it seams that many of core neuro-emotion researchers were into forms of Buddhism. Not that I'm against Buddhism, just the bias is now more apparent to me. If these authors and researches had been into interpretive dance, would the benefits of interpretive dance be the topic?
Not that I doubt the benefits of meditation. It's just that I am no longer confident of the benefits of mediation relative to other choices.
The book discusses that monks who have gone through thousands of hours of compassion meditation and as a result have distinct signatures in the fMri's of their brains. What if I don't have thousands of hours to dedicate to compassion meditation? What if I instead spent thousands of hours actually being compassionate?
There are benefits to mindfulness mediation. What If I skip the mediation, and pay attention to what I am doing with nonjudgmental awareness?
The book hints at these questions, but never answers them.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Thinking fast and slow...
http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374275637
by Daniel Kahneman.
A good book that covers the way we think. Of the many brain quirks Kahenman covers in this book, he makes the point that we can more easily spot errors in jundment in others, than in ourselves. And he hopes to enrich our vocubulary when we do so.
He doesn't cover how we should accomplish this. This raises good questions... How do I solicit feedback without becomming too uncertain? How can I give this feeback without being insulting? Of course he doesn't answer these. If there was an easy answer to those questions, then life would be very different.
Thinking fast and slow covers the two styles of thought that we have-- fast and emotional, or slow and more deliberate, Our, our experiencing self, and our remembering self. These two selves have different wants and needs, which can be the source of many of our internal contradictions.
He makes the point that when we are very duration blind. For example, when we look back on an event, we tend to compess our feelings about the event into the peak, and the end, ommiting the duration. We will have similar feelings about a 3 day vacation, or a week long vacation, if both vacations had the same high point, and the same end. This memory compression can lead to many strange decisions.
He argues that for real happiness, we need to focus not only on the peak and the end, but the average happiness through out.
I've read a number of books like this; neuro-psycho-behavior-economic books. The studies that comprise these books are starting to blur together. It's difficult to take the core of truth in these books, and translate it to everyday life.
by Daniel Kahneman.
A good book that covers the way we think. Of the many brain quirks Kahenman covers in this book, he makes the point that we can more easily spot errors in jundment in others, than in ourselves. And he hopes to enrich our vocubulary when we do so.
He doesn't cover how we should accomplish this. This raises good questions... How do I solicit feedback without becomming too uncertain? How can I give this feeback without being insulting? Of course he doesn't answer these. If there was an easy answer to those questions, then life would be very different.
Thinking fast and slow covers the two styles of thought that we have-- fast and emotional, or slow and more deliberate, Our, our experiencing self, and our remembering self. These two selves have different wants and needs, which can be the source of many of our internal contradictions.
He makes the point that when we are very duration blind. For example, when we look back on an event, we tend to compess our feelings about the event into the peak, and the end, ommiting the duration. We will have similar feelings about a 3 day vacation, or a week long vacation, if both vacations had the same high point, and the same end. This memory compression can lead to many strange decisions.
He argues that for real happiness, we need to focus not only on the peak and the end, but the average happiness through out.
I've read a number of books like this; neuro-psycho-behavior-economic books. The studies that comprise these books are starting to blur together. It's difficult to take the core of truth in these books, and translate it to everyday life.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Leadership and Self-Deception
Leadership and Self-Deception has become a classic book for modern managers. I'm a little luke-warm about it.
Don't get me wrong. The L&SD makes some important points...
Why am I luke-warm about it? It's not that deep. There is a lack of documented research behind this book. It all smacks of a sales pitch for courses from the Arbinger Institute.
The book also glosses over priorities, urgency and importance. There is little more guidance than "Focus on those around you. Trust us... you won't be overwhelmed with an unending list of things that you must do"
There is also no mention of self doubt. I can't count the number of times I've been in a situation where I don't know what the right thing to do is. Or maybe I think I do, but I'm unsure. What then? Am I betraying myself if I doubt myself?
There is little discussion of martyrdom or co-dependence. Sometimes you can do too much for other people. They will take advantage of this. This is compensated a little by a good discussion of giving hard feedback, v.s. soft feedback v.s. blame. At the same time, it doesn't tackle the question "When should you push someone out of your life?" Will a battered wife solve her problems by thinking outside of the box?
Finally, using L&SD naively leads to out-of-site-out-of-mind behavior. People forget that they have feelings and obligations for people that don't regularly keep in contact with. Of course I must prioritize. Of course my priorities may take me away from those around me in this moment. Am I really betraying myself if I do this?
Don't get me wrong. The L&SD makes some important points...
- Blame and finger-pointing are wasteful; dangerous even.
- Blame and finger-pointing create self-fulfilling problems. If I blame someone for a problem and point fingers, then I get to stop trying to solve the problem. That someone now gets to point fingers at me as I have given up trying to solve the problem. We both get to say "Not my fault" and point fingers. This cycle of self-deception is very destructive.
- You can't change other people. You can focus on what you can do to make a difference.
- Not doing what you believe is right, is self betrayal which leads to self deception.
Why am I luke-warm about it? It's not that deep. There is a lack of documented research behind this book. It all smacks of a sales pitch for courses from the Arbinger Institute.
The book also glosses over priorities, urgency and importance. There is little more guidance than "Focus on those around you. Trust us... you won't be overwhelmed with an unending list of things that you must do"
There is also no mention of self doubt. I can't count the number of times I've been in a situation where I don't know what the right thing to do is. Or maybe I think I do, but I'm unsure. What then? Am I betraying myself if I doubt myself?
There is little discussion of martyrdom or co-dependence. Sometimes you can do too much for other people. They will take advantage of this. This is compensated a little by a good discussion of giving hard feedback, v.s. soft feedback v.s. blame. At the same time, it doesn't tackle the question "When should you push someone out of your life?" Will a battered wife solve her problems by thinking outside of the box?
Finally, using L&SD naively leads to out-of-site-out-of-mind behavior. People forget that they have feelings and obligations for people that don't regularly keep in contact with. Of course I must prioritize. Of course my priorities may take me away from those around me in this moment. Am I really betraying myself if I do this?
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Imagine: How Creativity Works
by Jonah
Lehrer
I was half way through this book when the controversy hit-- the made up quotes, the copied passages. It darkened my spirit for the book, which is a shame because it's good reading. Lehrer explores the different types of creativity and how to support them.
Things I want to remember.
1. Contructive criticism is more affective than brain storming.
2. In groups, great ideas come most often when the group has a mix of people who are used to working together, and people who are new ot the group.
3. There are phases to every idea. A great idea must be iterated and polished on for a long time. This can be far more work than actually having the idea.
4. The initial cut of Finding Nemo was so bad that Disney delayed re-signing a distribution deal with Pixer. Disney thought the movie would flop. It was through iteration, polishing and plussing, that Finding Nemo became great
I was half way through this book when the controversy hit-- the made up quotes, the copied passages. It darkened my spirit for the book, which is a shame because it's good reading. Lehrer explores the different types of creativity and how to support them.
Things I want to remember.
1. Contructive criticism is more affective than brain storming.
2. In groups, great ideas come most often when the group has a mix of people who are used to working together, and people who are new ot the group.
3. There are phases to every idea. A great idea must be iterated and polished on for a long time. This can be far more work than actually having the idea.
4. The initial cut of Finding Nemo was so bad that Disney delayed re-signing a distribution deal with Pixer. Disney thought the movie would flop. It was through iteration, polishing and plussing, that Finding Nemo became great
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Proficient Motorcycling...
By David Hough.
Very detailed and thoughtful writings about many aspects of motorcycling. I recommend you read a chapter, then go out and try it.
Very detailed and thoughtful writings about many aspects of motorcycling. I recommend you read a chapter, then go out and try it.
Make Your Point
by Bob Elliott and Kevin Carroll.
Make Your Point (MYP) is one of those books that have an over explored simple theses. I think MYP would be much better off as course material and lessons to practice. But hey...
The main thing I want to remember from MYP... the Diamond. This is a 'speach' pattern they recommend for all settings...
1. Attention.
2. Main Topic.
3. Preview 1, 2, 3
4. Sub-Topic #1, Sub-Topic #2, Sub-Topic #3
5 Summaries 1,2,3
6 Conclusion
7 Action
Notice there are three sub-topics in this speech. The book strongly recommends that you always include sub-topics. No more, no less. Three sub-topics in a speech makes keeps it from being too long, or too short. Too detailed, or too simple.
Make Your Point (MYP) is one of those books that have an over explored simple theses. I think MYP would be much better off as course material and lessons to practice. But hey...
The main thing I want to remember from MYP... the Diamond. This is a 'speach' pattern they recommend for all settings...
1. Attention.
2. Main Topic.
3. Preview 1, 2, 3
4. Sub-Topic #1, Sub-Topic #2, Sub-Topic #3
5 Summaries 1,2,3
6 Conclusion
7 Action
Notice there are three sub-topics in this speech. The book strongly recommends that you always include sub-topics. No more, no less. Three sub-topics in a speech makes keeps it from being too long, or too short. Too detailed, or too simple.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Kurt Vonnegut
In a fit of madness, (or was it self improvement?) I decided to educate myself on Kurt Vonnegut. I bought Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle & The Sirens of Titan.
Vonnegut is a very engaging writer. He writes deceptively simple books for someone
Vonnegut has a regular theme in his books on the limitations of free will. If you can see into the future, then do you have free will? If someone from the future tells you of your future, then do you have free will? Are you still responsible for your actions? If you have implanted happy memories, then have you lived a happy life?
"I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all..."
Vonnegut is a very engaging writer. He writes deceptively simple books for someone
Vonnegut has a regular theme in his books on the limitations of free will. If you can see into the future, then do you have free will? If someone from the future tells you of your future, then do you have free will? Are you still responsible for your actions? If you have implanted happy memories, then have you lived a happy life?
"I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all..."
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