I am a Robert Greene fan. If you have no idea who that is, look him up here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/dec/03/robert-greene-48-laws-of-power
That book he talks about? I have that one. And 4 of his others. People's opinions of him vary--some think he is a psychopath, some credit him as being the most brilliant strategists since Sun Tsu. Both are extreme impressions and I dislike eveything about extremism, so it is unlikely any of these reviews sway my opinion of the man. But, he's a smart guy and he gets people. So, he makes my list of influential authors. In many ways, we are very like-minded, Greene and I. We share many of the same opinions on people, on relationships, on power and the power of power.
I guess his outlook could best be described as pessimistically real. So, I suppose that makes him a pessimistic realist.
The following quote may be a tangible example of that theory:
"Niceness is a decision. It is a strategy of social interaction; it is not a character trait." --Robert Greene
So, dive right in. Forget about what anyone will think or say. Be as honest as you can when you consider and answer the question: Is Robert Greene correct about his assertion regarding niceness?
Include explanations, examples, proof etc.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
The Winds of Change
On January 20, the 45th President of the United
States will be sworn in, and approximately 6 billion people globally will watch
it happen. And there are some who won’t.
But, that won’t stop it from happening.
That seems to be the thing about life—when we least expect it, when we’re
not ready for it, when we think we need more time—it happens. Life, that is.
So, no matter what side you are or were on during the past 15 months of the
election debacle, here we are.
Tensions are high; you don’t have to be an expert in
emotional intelligence to recognize that some people are dealing with the
upcoming inauguration in very different ways, and those ways don’t often
reflect the views of their friends, family members or maybe even general
society. This often creates even more
tension. So, let’s try to take the
anxiety down a notch. Let’s try to
remember that at the end of the day, most people try to be decent citizens and
quality humans. Let’s try to extend
kindness to one another so that kindness becomes the norm, rather than the
exception. Let’s all remember who we
are.
To do that, maybe we should take a look at some of those who
came before us. Let’s look at someone
who dared to stare down the hostility and degradation of racism not with the arrogance
of a pointed finger and a rolled eye, but with the kindness of a smile and a
soothing word or two. It seems fitting
now, one day passed, to talk about MLK and what he stood for then, as well as
what his legacy stands for now.
You all know the “I Have a Dream” speech, and you all know
that it is a rhetorical masterpiece, ripe with all the devices and strategies
that good literature is famous for, but what it also is is one man’s blueprint
for his own American Dream. 54 years
ago, Dr. King delivered that speech about his dream of equality. In some ways, the world is a very different
place now than it was then. However,
there are some who would say it is not nearly as different as it should be.
So, your challenge this week is to carefully consider the
upcoming National event of the inauguration and what that means to people, as
well as think about the state of the world you currently inhabit. If Dr. King were alive today, do you think
his dream would be different? How so? If you think it would be the same, how come?
What is your own dream about the future of the world? Construct your own “I
Have a Dream…” and show me how you conceive of the American dream. What kind of impact will the next four years have
on that dream?
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
"Everything has Beauty, but Not Everybody Sees It"--Confucius
It has never really bothered me, (much), but, I have never been called "beautiful," so that word has always held for me a foundation of unattainability, and therefore, mystery. Kind of makes me wonder--What makes something--or someone--full of beauty?
The great and powerful Sophia Loren once said, "True beauty is a mirage." True beauty? What IS that, anyway? In your mind, what is "true beauty?"
Myself, I am awed by things of beauty, no matter what--or who--they might be (Johnny Depp...ahem…sunsets...butterflies...puppies...creme brulee).
This week, I would like you to muse with me about this concept. Over time, across cultures, the mystery of beauty has both vexed and captivated all walks of life. The animal kingdom even has its own notion of what makes them attractive—peacocks fluff their plumage, ducks wiggle their butts, all in the name of beauty. They do it to attract mates--is that why we do?
Do we chase beauty? Do we worship it? Are beautiful people treated differently that those considered less so?
Men and women have been frustrated and fascinated by beauty, have been rendered powerless in their attempts to capture it, bottle it, enhance it, ignore it, use it and celebrate it. WHY?? Why do you think human beings are so enthralled with the idea of trying to capture "beauty?" (this is kinda the same question as the one earlier, but as you can see, I feel strongly about this.)
Why? Its importance and its role in our lives will be the subject of this blog discussion, and I would like you to seriously consider what your definition of “true beauty” is. Why is beauty the object of both admiration and envy? Why does the pursuit of beauty bring us pain as well as pleasure? Consider both sexes when you ask yourself these questions—think about the pursuit, the pain, the pleasure from all angles.
Do you see yourself as beautiful? How do you measure it? Who is the most beautiful person you know? Why?
The great and powerful Sophia Loren once said, "True beauty is a mirage." True beauty? What IS that, anyway? In your mind, what is "true beauty?"
Myself, I am awed by things of beauty, no matter what--or who--they might be (Johnny Depp...ahem…sunsets...butterflies...puppies...creme brulee).
This week, I would like you to muse with me about this concept. Over time, across cultures, the mystery of beauty has both vexed and captivated all walks of life. The animal kingdom even has its own notion of what makes them attractive—peacocks fluff their plumage, ducks wiggle their butts, all in the name of beauty. They do it to attract mates--is that why we do?
Do we chase beauty? Do we worship it? Are beautiful people treated differently that those considered less so?
Men and women have been frustrated and fascinated by beauty, have been rendered powerless in their attempts to capture it, bottle it, enhance it, ignore it, use it and celebrate it. WHY?? Why do you think human beings are so enthralled with the idea of trying to capture "beauty?" (this is kinda the same question as the one earlier, but as you can see, I feel strongly about this.)
Why? Its importance and its role in our lives will be the subject of this blog discussion, and I would like you to seriously consider what your definition of “true beauty” is. Why is beauty the object of both admiration and envy? Why does the pursuit of beauty bring us pain as well as pleasure? Consider both sexes when you ask yourself these questions—think about the pursuit, the pain, the pleasure from all angles.
Do you see yourself as beautiful? How do you measure it? Who is the most beautiful person you know? Why?
Monday, January 2, 2017
New Beginnings
Whew. So, it's over. 2016--the year of...well, there are really too many adjectives, verbs and hyperbolic phrases that could be inserted there, so that's where I think we should start.
I am a huge fan of moving forward--I don't even like to put my car in reverse if I can help it--true story--but I also recognize the value of taking a backward glance from time to time. I mean, how else can you see:
1) how far you've gone
2) how much you've left to go
3) where the twists, turns and pot holes in the roads were
Now, for me, of all of those, #3 means the most. Like I said, I am a fan of moving forward, but most of the time, the natural enemy to forward thinking or really any kind of positive progression, is repetition. The repetition of a mistake is the most obvious deterrant to progression because it usually means going backward, but even repeating things that worked out for you can be detrimental to progress because it could mean that you are comfortable and not taking any more risks, and then, consequently, you can't "really" progress. Personally, I like to see where things went bananas for me, or where I made a wrong turn, or how taking the shortcut would've helped me had I only listened to someone else.
So, usually right around now, I allow me the time I need to take stock of my personal and professional situations.
I should do this more often than just the start of a new year, I know this, but something about the symbolism of starting at 1 just speaks to me, so here I am.
What I noticed I did way too much last year was to let things that were either out of my control, or not really fixable in the first place, define who I was. As a result, I spent too much of 2016 feeling like a colossal failure. Thus, for 2017, I have decided to form BOTH an interpretation and a life plan from something I read by accident over break. It was a quote from a long-dead German author named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (that G name is actually pronounced "Gert-A), and it states: "Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least."
I am trying to find a sign that says that, but so far, no luck.
Now, its your turn.
First--I want you to fill in that sentence I started at the beginning: "2016--the year of ____________". Explain your choice.
Second, of the three reasons I listed for why looking back is good, which one do you see the most value in and why? Explain in detail.
Finally, moving forward in whatever area of life you want to focus on, how would you like to proceed that is AT LEAST marginally different then whatever you did last year?
I am a huge fan of moving forward--I don't even like to put my car in reverse if I can help it--true story--but I also recognize the value of taking a backward glance from time to time. I mean, how else can you see:
1) how far you've gone
2) how much you've left to go
3) where the twists, turns and pot holes in the roads were
Now, for me, of all of those, #3 means the most. Like I said, I am a fan of moving forward, but most of the time, the natural enemy to forward thinking or really any kind of positive progression, is repetition. The repetition of a mistake is the most obvious deterrant to progression because it usually means going backward, but even repeating things that worked out for you can be detrimental to progress because it could mean that you are comfortable and not taking any more risks, and then, consequently, you can't "really" progress. Personally, I like to see where things went bananas for me, or where I made a wrong turn, or how taking the shortcut would've helped me had I only listened to someone else.
So, usually right around now, I allow me the time I need to take stock of my personal and professional situations.
I should do this more often than just the start of a new year, I know this, but something about the symbolism of starting at 1 just speaks to me, so here I am.
What I noticed I did way too much last year was to let things that were either out of my control, or not really fixable in the first place, define who I was. As a result, I spent too much of 2016 feeling like a colossal failure. Thus, for 2017, I have decided to form BOTH an interpretation and a life plan from something I read by accident over break. It was a quote from a long-dead German author named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (that G name is actually pronounced "Gert-A), and it states: "Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least."
I am trying to find a sign that says that, but so far, no luck.
Now, its your turn.
First--I want you to fill in that sentence I started at the beginning: "2016--the year of ____________". Explain your choice.
Second, of the three reasons I listed for why looking back is good, which one do you see the most value in and why? Explain in detail.
Finally, moving forward in whatever area of life you want to focus on, how would you like to proceed that is AT LEAST marginally different then whatever you did last year?
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