Month: July 2016

The Art of Being Wrong

Leave a comment

Being wrong is an art-form that most of us are yet to master.

I don’t think I am exceptionally great at it though admission is the first step, right?  It’s not that I necessarily hate being wrong.  It’s just that I truly believe I’m right a lot of the time.  Even when there is a high chance, I’m not.  Let’s me introduce you to our ol’ friend, Motivated Reasoning.

Motivated reasoning is an emotion-biased decision making phenomenon where people form and cling to false beliefs despite overwhelming evidence stating the contrary.  In other words, rather than search rationally for information that either confirms or disconfirms a particular belief, people actually seek out information that confirms what they already believe.

Julia Galef gives a great TED talk on this topic.  She explains how motivated reasoning finds it’s way into most of our lives through the decisions we make about our health, our relationships, what we think is fair and ethical, the sports teams we follow and the political parties we support.  The most troublesome part of this biased way of thinking is that we do it unconsciously, even when we think we are being objective.

This reminds me of the documentary, ‘Making A Murder’, which took the world by storm last year.  I wonder how much motivated reasoning played into the trials of the suspects in question.  What about the huge religious, political and race issues we are seeing around the world?  Is this believing your own bullshit on a mass scale?  It’s definitely got to be a factor.

Still, there is hope for change.  Julia describes an alternate way of decision making known as “Scout Mindset” as the key to this evolution.  This way of thinking is not about winning or losing but about getting the most accurate picture of what’s really happening, even when it’s unpleasant or inconvenient.  Watch her talk for the full picture.

So, do you have a Soldier or a Scout Mindset?  As Julia described, Soldiers tend to prefer defensiveness and tribalism, and can be devaluing of people who change their opinions.  Scouts are curious and open, they are intrigued with things that test their own beliefs and I think most importantly, are grounded; their self worth is not tied to being right or wrong.

I think it’s nice to imagine that we are all Scouts just going about our lives but realistically, if we crucially examine our interactions and belief systems, we may find ourselves more aligned to the Soldier mindset than we realise.  To shift this way of thinking, we must practice being proud to be wrong and continue to open our minds to information that may contradict our current belief and value systems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivated_reasoning
Begley, Sharon. “Lies of Mass Destruction,” Newsweek (US). August 25, 2009.
Redlawsk, D. P.; Civettini, A. J. W.; Emmerson, K. M. (2010). “The Affective Tipping Point: Do Motivated Reasoners Ever “Get It”?”. Political Psychology 31 (4): 563. 

Festival of Dangerous Ideas

Leave a comment

In 2015 I came across an email that was sprucing tickets to an intriguing event called the Festival of Dangerous Ideas.  Being the eternal rebel that I am, it was obvious that I was drawn to the mere concept of this yet unknown event.  With a bit of online research, I uncovered what was soon to be a monumental moment in my thus far, frustratingly constructed life.  The bill for this festival was a melting pot of overarching, ethically debated, boundary pushing global topics that brought me instant spouts of joy as I plugged in my preferences for a festival multi-pack (very well priced, if you were wondering).

I chose sessions that were either close to my jaded heart or high up in my fiery pit of societal passions.  It landed here:

  1. Incarceration – a VICE panel on the broken and shameful business that is, our national prison system.
  2. Big Sugar – a look into the ‘new tobacco’; the industry, the lax government regulation and the frightening health and addictive effects of this tasty, tasty treat.
  3. Ceasefire on Drugs – Johann Hari champions the factual campaign of legalisation and re-engagement programs for illicit drugs in lieu of the 100 year failed drug war.
  4. The New Satirists – a real shits ‘n’ giggles session with some of Australia’s best satirists, easy laughs at serious issues to lighten the often heavy festival tone.
  5. Bad Education – a philosophical view of the perhaps not-fit-for-purpose, modern education system.  Basically all I heard was, “exams are unnecessary”.
  6. Dying Europe – a sneak peak into the global dilemmas and impacts of the European Union.  No, at this point, there wasn’t any forethought that the UK would be exiting!

I booked some cheap flights up to Sydney, stayed in a surprisingly lovely hostel on/at/in (?!) The Rocks and had one of the best educational moments OF.MY.LIFE.

What I listened to and pondered over the next few days, quite simply, blew my world apart. I was fascinated, interested, passionate, and obsessed in a way that I had never been before.  Why didn’t I learn about these things in school?  Why was I finally learning about things that seemed more important than the crap I had been force fed in the media?  My mind had been yearning for a different, more truthful learning experience and at 30 years of age, I had finally found it.  It was these sessions that would grow me as a human being, as a global citizen, and as a person that was not constructed from an outdated manual.  I remembered to think and critique objectively.

Look, anyway, what I’m getting at is that FODI is an amazing experience.  It is back on this year at the amazing Sydney Opera House, a location which really adds to the enormity of the ideas exploding within it.  If you are in the area or can get to Sydney during the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of September, then I implore you to choose some subjects close to you heart or otherwise, put your ego back on the bottom shelf and call yourself to action during and post these sessions.

Some interesting sessions this year include; A.C. Grayling’s ‘Closing the Modern Mind’, India’s Age of Extremism, Open the Borders, Apple vs The FBI, Legalise Drugs in Sport (with Stephen Dank yikes!), The Asian Arms Race, Not Worth Living, Gender Doesn’t Matter, The Bamboo Ceiling, US Politics: Even Worse Than It Looks, Stop Fishing the High Seas, Why Don’t We Want To Talk About The Arts, Break a Rule a Day, I Was A Human Guinea Pig, Why Black Lives Matter, Freaks Like Me…and many, many more!!!

Head to Festival of Dangerous Ideas for information and ticketing.

Your future self thanks you.

 

 

NAIDOC Week 2016

Leave a comment

I am such an advocate for indigenous cultures all over the world.  Seeing as I live in Australia though, the Aboriginal people of this country have a special place in my heart.  NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

As much as the integration of indigenous culture into Australian society needs to be much more prevalent and celebrated than it has been in the past, there is no time like the present.

I was listening to Triple J this morning (a national radio station) and they had a NAIDOC Week takeover by some local indigenous musicians.  The amount of awesome music played during the show was so rad!  Here are some of my absolute favourite songs/covers featuring awesome Aboriginal artists.

Yothu Yindi – Treaty
An absolute anthem.  This song will never get old.

Dan Sultan – The Same Man
Wipes drool from keyboard. Just, yes.

A.B. Original – 2 Black 2 Strong
How good is it when our first Australian’s are making a name for themselves in our own genre of music; Aussie Hip-Hop. Also Briggs if you’re reading this, I think we should start a local version of Action Bronson’s ‘Fuck That’s Delicious’. It would be epic.

Lonely Boys – Murray Island
One to get you dancing in your seat.  If this is only their first single we are in for a real treat. A great sound and musical talent.

Wilcannia Mob – Down River
A song of the youth. Unfortunately no video but a classic sound none the less.

Exe 5 – Sunset Feeling
Heard this one for the first time this morning. A short and sweet summer track.

Warumpi Band – Black Fella / White Fella
1987! A true rock song with a message that is more relevant than ever.

Saltwater Band – Compass
Try not to think of a tropical holiday while listening to this one. What an amazing native language. What a shame we are not doing more to preserve and share it.

My Island Home – Christine Anu
Australia’s unofficial National Anthem. Make sure you check out the original by the Warumpi Band too, an absolute classic.

Dan Sultan & Ella Hooper – With A Little Help From My Friends
One of the most amazing covers you will ever listen to. Press replay.

Briggs & Gurrumul – The Children Came Back
An awesome Like A Version. Gurrumul is a spiritual gift from the music gods.

The Last Kinection – Rhythm is a Dancer
What a BANGER. Turn it up. Get up!

The Concept of Ikigai

Leave a comment

The ‘ikigai’ concept has a lot to love.  It combines individual hopes with world needs and glaring realities.  Let’s explore it, at a very top level, in no particular order.

Modern_Ikigai

Region 1: WHAT YOU LOVE

What an important start. It’s hard to imagine a happy life without imagining a scenario where you are doing something or being somewhere that you love. Some people instinctively know what they love because it brings them joy, happiness and flow. It is the things that you are grateful for today or wish were in your life tomorrow. It could relate to tasks, people, activities or places. Doing this thing, being with these people, completing this activity puts a smile on your face. What were you last doing when you forgot time itself?

Region 2: WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS

Let’s be honest, out of the four regions, this takes last priority for a lot of us. It is for this reason that we see the modern world in disarray. We see a complete mess of global politics, lives still lost in starvation despite food wastage, and increasing layers of depression despite relatively good living conditions in much of the western world. It was JFK who said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Imagine if we modernised that sentiment and as global citizens asked what we could do for our world? Have you ever asked yourself this question? If no, then why not?

Region 3: WHAT CAN YOU BE PAID FOR

Sadly this region dominates most of our lives. We have bills to pay, roofs to put over our heads and food to put on the table. Despite these basic needs being met, we have not stopped there. It is never enough. We are always looking for any opportunity to make more money, often at the expense of our health, or time with our friends and families. Whilst making money is not a shameful thing, not recognising greed in our own lifestyle is. The affects of hedonistic pursuits will only lead to a life of meaningless and unfulfillment as the precious scale of ikigai will be thrown you off balance.

Region 4: WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT

This is obvious for some. You may be particularly intelligent, gifted or trained in a particular area. You have lived your whole life with these talents or you have worked hard to achieve them. It makes sense that these traits or skills will either bring you immense joy or pay you well. If you are well on your pathway of self searching, it may already bring you both – lucky you!

How else could these regions be interpreted? Feel free to leave your positive comments below.

Okinawa’s Longevity Lessons

Leave a comment

This is an excerpt from Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From The People Who’ve Lived The Longest by Dan Buettner.

Embrace an ikigai
Older Okinawans can readily articulate the reason they get up in the morning. Their purpose-imbued lives gives them clear roles of responsibility and feelings of being needed well into their 100s.

Rely on a plant-based diet
Older Okinawans have eaten a plant-based diet most of their lives. Their meals of stir-fried vegetables, sweet potatoes, and tofu are high in nutrients and low in calories. Goya, with its antioxidants and compounds that lower blood sugar, is of particular interest. While centenarian Okinawans do eat some pork, it is traditionally reserved only for infrequent ceremonial occasions and taken only in small amounts.

Get gardening
Almost all Okinawan centenarians grow or once grew a garden. It’s a source of daily physical activity that exercises the body with a wide range of motion and helps reduce stress. It’s also a near-constant source of fresh vegetables.

Eat more soy
The Okinawan diet is rich foods made with soy, like tofu and miso soup. Flavonoids in tofu may help protect the hearts and guard against breast cancer. Fermented soy foods contribute to a healthy intestinal ecology and offer even better nutritional benefits.

Maintain a moai
The Okinawan tradition of forming a moai provides secure social networks. These safety nets lend financial and emotional support in times of need and give all of their members the stress-shedding security of knowing that there is always someone there for them.

Enjoy the sunshine
Vitamin D, produced by the body when it’s exposed on a regular basis to sunlight, promotes stronger bones and healthier bodies. Spending time outside each day allows even senior Okinawans to have optimal vitamin D levels year-round.

Stay active
Older Okinawans are active walkers and gardeners. The Okinawan household has very little furniture; residents take meals and relax sitting on tatami mats on the floor. The fact that old people get up and down off the floor several dozen times daily builds lower body strength and balance, which help protect against dangerous falls.

Plant a medical garden
Mugwort, ginger, and turmeric are all staples of an Okinawan garden, and all have proven medicinal qualities. By consuming these every day, Okinawans may be protecting themselves against illness.

Have an attitude
A hardship-tempered attitude has endowed Okinawans with an affable smugness. They’re able to let difficult early years remain in the past while they enjoy today’s simple pleasures. They’ve learned to be likable and to keep younger people in their company well into their old age.

Further Resource: 
In Dan’s TED talk, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them people spry past age 100. Check it out here – Dan Buettner – How to Live to be 100+