Monthly Minutes: February 2016
First ever...Backstory and Solution are just some info about the inspiration behind doing this monthly feature, and what it adds to the big picture of the website!
The Backstory: I've really been creating a daily effort toward this blog...but its been tought to find the time with other responsiblities (teaching, research and responsiblies to collaborators, my grant, my household).
I have acknowledged that I don't have the energy or focus right now in my life to be 100% dedicated to building this blog to what it could be. I'm not an online magazine, or an official blog writer that derives income and creates an audience for these conversations. Largely because I already have an income (as a professor), and audience (my students and those that find this blog), as well as a forum to produce my work (academic journals tied to promotion/tenure).
That said, growing this blog and my website had been an important long-term project. There are so many things now that I notice and get inspired by in our social world: From the reserach writings of others, to news happenings, and popular culutre. It is simply too much, and I want to create a record of too much.
The Solution: So the plan for this, and a way to curate the most relevant and influential information is this "montly minutes." I'm simply going to open a post in my Wix blog each month, and store content, with links and initial feedback. If the link/source turns out to be more important I can then blow those up to be more substantial posts, or just keep them for later months and revisit. If anything it becomes a "screen" through which I can filter the solid information that contributes to the knowledge base and perspective represented in this blog.
So here goes! Future months won't feature this much of a lead in; maybe a paragraph reflecting on a theme of what I noticed or how it makes sense related to larger social events, innovations, or changes within our cutural zeitgeist.
FEBRUARY 2016:
News Article: "The graphs that show the search for love has changed" (http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35535424?r=1); This is a facinating look into the shifting emphaisis modern daters place on finding a parter, pointing to additional changes in how people make sense of the process: Evaluating partners, creating dialogue, managing the awkwardness, tension, and uncertainty of love and romantic chemistry. Cool read, with more information on this blog post's image.
News/Popular Interest Source: TIME magazine, which I've read since I was a kid and serves as an interesting angle on all sorts of social, policital, and global events, has a new feature they call "Motto." It's a source of advice and insight from world and industry leaders. This is an editorial reaction to an increasing digital audience that has "expanded dramatically, and close to half our readers are now millenials...drawn not only to TIME's coverage of the world but increasingly to TIME's content on how to live a richer, smarter, more meaningful life." They cited women were the larger portion of this new group, driving the need for such information. February's content, featured in the phsycial magazine as well, include such sources as President Obama, Ivanka Trump, Ina Garten ("The Barefoot Contessa"), and bestselling author John Green. Check out this and more at: motto.time.com
Classic Book: I know most of America either reads this book in high school or college, but I was never assigned "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. So that's what's wrong with Dr. Beck! It's been an enjoyable although different type of read so far. I'll write a more indepth post when I finish it in a week or so, but the lessons that he ends each chapter with have some really easy take aways. The most relevant for me right now:
Don't Criticize, Condemn or Complain (re: these are easy and negative, add little to other's desire to like you)
Become Genuinely Interested in other People (re: instead of wondering why no one is interested in you, or asks you questions about your life, reach out to others.
Smile (re: In modern times, it's fun to lament about our RBF, or "resting bitch face," but in a very nonverbal warmth sense, it doesn't endear us to anyone)
A Person's Own Name is the Sweetest Thing They'll Hear (re: besides living in a world where everyone feels like just a number and isolated, remembering other's names helps instantly reach a more familiar level of connection, and makes that person feel relevant enough to be remembered.
That's it for this Monthly Minutes! I started mid-month, so I'm going to likely have at least 5 mini-summaries in my next...To many interesting social things going on right now to be curious or call bullshit on! -Dr. Beck
