Category: Theories
I have three broad hopes for the future of education. And I specifically mean the education of children, as opposed to adults (which has a different set of requirements & traits).
- Personalized
In the future, education should be personalized to each student. Every child learns at a different pace, and through different means. Some are visual learners. Some are auditory learners. Some are experiential learners. Most are some combination of various types. It is important to understand each child and teach them appropriately. I’ve found that most experienced teachers pick up on such individual preferences already, so it’s not a matter of doing some psych profile on each new student. General interactions throughout the school year naturally offer these insights.
Personalized education doesn’t mean the learning process should be slow, however. Proper education must be challenging and push students forward with high, yet realistic expectations. But the right amount of push should be tailored to each child. Push too lightly with some, and they’ll get bored. Push too hard with others, and they’ll get get lost and perform poorly.
- Emotional & Social
In the future, education should incorporate emotional intelligence and social intelligence, in addition to academic intelligence. Children should be taught to interact with one another for a common goal, like group projects. They should learn how to compromise, how to listen, how to lead, and how to fail. These projects should encompass a range of lessons, from straight-forward problems with definite answers, to complex problems that require creative solutions.
Admittedly, there are logistical challenges here. Personalizing a child’s educational pace and teaching them group interaction means, at some point, pooling students at similar paces together. That’s helpful for individual exercises, but shouldn’t be the model throughout the school year. Grouping students together can inadvertently form groups like “the stupid kids” and “the smart kids.” Students will pick up on separations like this. They key, I suspect, is to keep the groups mixed up. Pair some of the fast learners with the slow learners. Have the students mentor and teach each other.
The personalized education can come outside of group activities, where teachers provide more attention or support for slow learners.
- Parental Involvement
Education doesn’t begin in a school, and it can’t end in a school. Children are learning as soon as they are born. A majority of their lives is spent not in school, but at home with their families. That is where they are learning some of the most important lessons of their lives.
Although there are socio-economic barriers for some families, it must be a priority. I don’t know how a single mother with two jobs can do this realistically, but this should be a goal. Without a supporting environment, children can easily pick up bad habits, unproductive behaviors, and other mental pathologies that can and will erase all the education they get at school.
I would love to see a program aimed not just at children, but at parents as well. Some parents, whether they admit it or not, simply don’t know how to be a supporting parent. Others have no one to turn to. Yet others have differing opinions on how to be a good parent (which is always a touchy subject). Yet, there are some fundamental truths that can be taught to all parents.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Oh, sure, sure. We have tsunamis in Hawaii all the time, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I feel so bad for the people in Japan though. What a horrible earthquake, yea?”
“Yea, it’s horrible…” I switched from the phone to my earpiece. “Do you know anyone in Japan? Distant relatives or anything?”
“Oh, no, no. Our family came here so many generations ago that we’ve lost touch with any distant relatives who might be here.”
“That’s good.”
“The news said almost a thousand have died, yea?”
I rubbed my eyes. “Yea…”
“Could have been so much worse though.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you hear how orderly the Japanese were when the emergency alarms sounded?”
“No…”
“The Japanese, you know, are very obedient, yea? Our neighbors were telling us how hundreds of Japanese heard the emergency alarms and started evacuating. No one stayed in their homes or anything like that. They just up and left.”
“Wow, that probably saved a lot of lives.”
“Yea! And you know what the locals here did?”
“What?”
“Went surfing!”
We chuckled. “Surfing. Well, can’t blame those Hawaiian boys, huh? When they hear that waves are coming, they gotta surf ‘em.”
She continued laughing. “So foolish! Not everyone did that of course. Our neighbors down the street went out to their boat and took it out to sea.”
“Out to sea? In a tsunami??”
“Yea, that’s what you do. They ride it out in their boats.”
“That’s insane!”
“It’s not that bad. The waves, you know, they’re not so bad out in sea. Our neighbor even told us it was beautiful seeing all these boats out there with their lights on, bobbing up and down.”
“I would get seasick.”
She laughed. “These are fisherman. They are used to this.”
“Well, I’m glad none of them were hurt.”
“No. But imagine if that earthquake hit Hawaii? And alarms sounded? You think everyone would be so obedient? Some go to their boats like they should, yea? And others, they go surfing.”
“American culture isn’t as respectful of authority as Japanese culture, I guess,” I shook my head.
“Yea. No, it isn’t. That’s probably what saved so many lives too.”
I scratched my chin and paused for a moment. “At the same time,” I eventually replied. “America’s individualism can be a good thing if the leaders are corrupt. Blind obedience probably saves lives in an urgent disaster if the person giving the orders is correct. But if that person is incorrect, it’s probably better to question authority.”
“Yea, yea, that’s true. And you know, it’s a good thing Japan is so used to earthquakes and tsunamis. The emergency people, they know exactly what to do. It’s a good thing their people listened to them. The emergency people know their jobs well!”
I nodded. “Yea, no doubt. And aren’t the buildings in Japan among the most earthquake-proof too?”
“Oh, sure, sure. To those poor people, earthquakes are a fact of life, yea?”
“Yup.”
“Oh, and you too!”
“Huh?”
“You’re in California! Don’t you have earthquakes all the time too?”
“Oh yea, that’s right.”
“So are you going to blindly obey your emergency people?”
“Heh, I suppose I’d better!”
Kaizen is the Japanese word for “improvement.”
After World War II, consultants such as William Edwards Deming introduced production methods such as continuous improvement to Japan. In the 80’s, author Masaaki Imai wrote a book that coined the term “kaizen” as a management philosophy in the worldwide lexicon. Toyota is perhaps the most famous practitioner of kaizen, spurring many others, including their competitors Ford and General Motors, to adopt this philosophy.
There are five core principles to kaizen:
- Teamwork. Everyone should be an effective and contributing member of their team.
- Discipline. Everyone should uphold discipline in their work and themselves.
- Morale. Everyone should strive to maintain a positive environment.
- Suggestions. Everyone’s opinions and suggestions are considered and valued.
- Quality circles. Everyone meets together in small groups to solve problems and promote innovative ideas.
This philosophy has worked well for Japan’s business community. Although Japan’s economic gains were erased with their asset price bubble collapse in the 90’s, and this philosophy has faded in popularity, at its core, it still remains an effective framework of product and service quality and efficiency.
I’ve long used the term “self-kaizen” to describe one of my life’s main tenants. As long as I can remember, I’ve always had the mindset of self-improvement through trial & error and the advice of others. I don’t know if this urge came from my parents, a teacher, or from within, but it’s always been there.
There are five core principles to self-kaizen:
- Teamwork. In one’s growth, there are three stages: dependence, independence, and interdependence. The last involves knowing how to work well with others, since 1 plus 1 can equal 3 in effective teams and relationships.
- Discipline. Personal discipline is the bedrock of any self-improvement regime. Changing oneself can be extremely hard work. Without discipline, there is no improvement.
- Morale. The lens through which you view your life tints how you feel about it. No one is more responsible for your morale than you, so learning to control your expectations and viewpoint can go a great way in influencing your daily morale.
- Suggestions. Everyone can teach you something, whether it is what to do, or what not to do. Always be open to the advice of others. Consider it all with an open mind, even though not all advice is relevant.
- Quality circles. Your quality circles are your closest friends. They can give you unfettered, yet constructive feedback, if you’ve structured your friendships that way.
This philosophy has served me well. Mistakes are lessons learned. The people I meet are teachers. Life is my floor mat, absorbing my falls and giving me a chance to rebound and try again.
And that is self-kaizen. At least, until I experience an asset price bubble collapse or something.
I just watched Iron Man 2. Without giving anything away, I can tell you that I’m glad I walked in without any expectations. It was a fun roller coaster at times and a painful uphill hike at other times. But that’s just my opinion.
This movie got me thinking though. It’s rare that a sequel is as good, or better, than the first. It’s not impossible, but it sure seems rare.
So what makes a great sequel? What key elements make it more roller coaster and less uphill hike?
Ah! The appearance of a memorable villain. A real badass that rolls the story into such a katamari of devilish deeds that you are leaping out of your seat for that final climatic confrontation. That, in my humble opinion, is one of the key elements of a great sequel. That, and a rock-solid script with good hero evolution, of course. But the villain is what I remember most from great sequels.
Let’s look at some great sequels from the past to see if this theory works.
- The Empire Strikes Back
- How can any villain compare to the malevolent Darth Vader? The way he plotted against the heroes and seemingly won by the end of this movie makes him one true bad ass. Also, Boba Fett deserves an honorable mention, despite having little screen time.
- Star Trek II
- Kaaaaaahn! Majestic kudos to Ricardo Montalban for portraying this swashbuckling revenge-minded villain. The ensuing duel of wits between Captain Kirk and Kahn was one damn awesome ride.
- Superman II
- Phantom Zone baddies General Zod, Ursa & Non made Superman’s strength a non-advantage, forcing him to outthink them instead. Such clever twists always delight more than brute strength.
- Aliens
- Both the alien queen and all of her babies stole the show here. More of a shoot-em-up than the first movie, this sequel had both horrific suspense and kick-ass guns. Always a good formula.
- The Road Warrior
- This sequel to Mad Max featured hockey mask-wearing, Jason-wannabe, “warrior of the wasteland, ayatollah of rock-and-rollah” Lord Humungus as the leader of a post-apocalyptic gang of motorcycle thugs. Need I say more?
- Terminator 2
- I don’t know about you, but if I had a walking, talking, liquid-metal morphing machine after me, I’d poop my pants, curl up in a ball, and cry. That is, until Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived to save my ass.
- The Dark Knight
- Holy badass bad guys, Batman. The late Heath Ledger did a phenomenal job playing one messed-up psycho. Before seeing the movie, I couldn’t see him as The Joker. After seeing the movie, I can’t see anyone but him in this role.
- Godfather II
- Okay, this kind of breaks my theory. It’s not really about a memorable villain as it’s about the parallel rises of Michael Coreleone and his father, Vito Coreleone. But the montage of mob hits & assassinations by the Coreleone family against their enemies was pretty bad ass.
Iron Man 2 had a lot of promise in Ivan Vanko. Unfortunately, despite casting Mickey Rourke, Vanko’s character didn’t have enough of that villainous charisma, that cinematic wickedness.
To Rourke’s credit, he tried to make the character less one-dimensional by crafting a softer side to Vanko, which I thought was an admirable touch. Sadly, it wasn’t enough.
I hope the sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine will feature a badass villain worthy of this list. Rumor has it the movie will be set in Japan. Within the Wolverine universe are quite a few baddies from which they could choose. Here’s to hoping they choose well and create a sequel worthy of the greats.
Categories:
Adulthood,
Best Of,
Breaking Up,
College,
Dating,
Flirting,
Getting Older,
Girls,
Guys,
Psychology,
TheoriesBeing a self-admitted geek, I’ve known many other geeks in my life. I’ve seen some grow up and become successes. And I’ve seen some grow up and become, for lack of a better word, players. Dangerous players.
Not players in the sense of metrosexual predators or greased-up Jersey Shore rejects. These guys are more clandestine. Girls don’t suspect they’re in the clutches of such a geek-turned-player until, well, sometimes never.
First, some background.
A geek-turned-player (GTP) grows up as an unpopular teen. He is the typical nerd, dork, dweeb, pick your favorite insult. In a phase where fitting in is so crucial, they stick out like a limb with gangrene. Though many make it through as strong, self-confident adults, this can foment into a deep psychosis for a few.
This bitterness can evolve in many ways. Some embody the taunts and turn them into strengths, such the skinny nerd who grows up to be a muscle-bound guy. Others harbor the acrimony until the acids melt away their relationships. Some do both.
A GTP is the latter; he does both. He also turns rejections from girls into a dictum of life: he wants to be a guy who can “get” all the girls who’ve rejected him. As you can imagine, a layer of misogyny pervades their actions. They want to get those girls, or girls in general, and hurt them.
Ironically, they overtly state a hatred of players, the guys who can go to any bar or club and get a phone number as easily as a mosquito can feed in a nudist colony. GTPs see themselves as the antithesis of the traditional player.
“I would never have a one-night stand,” they declare. “I will always honor and respect women.” Therein lies the danger of a GTP. Not only are they shattering hearts like a player, but they are unaware of it.
How do they get from geeks to heart-shattering GTPs?
After college, they tend to do well in their careers. They become white-collar workers and executives in well-paying jobs. They date a few girlfriends along the way who imbue them with some fashion sense. They may even start exercising and getting fit. To look at them now, you would never know they were scrawny four-eyed nerds in high school. Now, they look like intelligent, respectful, well-paid knights in shining armor.
At this age, these traits start to attract women in numbers not before experienced by these geeks. Where girls once ignored them, women are now being drawn to them like ants to molasses. And here they sit, happy as anteaters.
Much of this happens to average geeks, regardless of their proclivities. All sorts of sociological and biological factors play into this phenomenon. Single women in their twenties or thirties tend to seek men who are stable, financially, emotionally, etc., even if they didn’t seek those factors when they were younger.
That’s how I’ve lucked out, at least. Go sociological & biological factors!
The GTP differs from the average geek in his behaviors after meeting a girl. The GTP, flush with the exhilaration of meeting a girl, starts to behave like a traditional player. Despite his proclaimed position on one-night stands, his qualms melt away in the heat of passion.
Then he does it again. And again. And again. He starts to realize his sexual prowess and magnetism and begins to flaunt it openly, oftentimes to the chagrin of his peers. He believes himself to be God’s Gift to Women: he has all the qualities of a traditional player, along with money, status, and success. What girl wouldn’t want him?
However, he still puts on a veneer of respect. His misogynic beliefs are well-hidden. Women see him as a nice guy, even months or years after he has broken their hearts.
For the unfortunate, this heartbreak is infinitely worse than being with a player, because of the emotional connection made. Indeed, the GTP’s armament includes psychological weapons such as long, deep conversations, the kind that make women think about marriage and children.
Breaking up with a deadbeat player is one thing, breaking up with a potential husband and father of your children is another.
Deep inside, the GTP doesn’t see himself as a player, however. He still harbors a resentment of players and sees his actions as innocent. This belief reinforces the effectiveness of his weapons. Those long, deep conversations, as they are happening, are earnest and from the heart.
So what changes the morning after? Something subconscious. A switch flips. The emotional connection from last night fades as the excitement of new prey emerges. As soon as another woman starts up a conversation, the previous one is forgotten.
For the goal isn’t to meet a woman and start a wonderful relationship. The goal is to meet women. And to see if he can “get” them. The exhilaration of each new encounter has become a drug.
This is something the GTP never experienced as a teen. He never got the intoxication of fleeting puppy love out of his system like others his age. While most of us are moving on in stable relationships, he is stuck. He is a late bloomer who is addicted to the high of new women.
I haven’t seen much written about this phenomenon before. I suspect it is, thankfully, rare. However, I’ve seen it enough times to discern to articulate this theory.
The popularization of geek culture may be partly responsible for the rise of the geek-turned-player. Or maybe it has always been around and I’ve only begun to notice it.
Whatever the case, the GTP is a dangerous animal on the dating scene. I’ve seen female friends unknowingly wrecked from them. I’ve seen colleagues & acquaintances evolve into GTPs themselves. The result is always disastrous, especially for the women they’ve left in their wake.
Beware the geek-turned-player.
Life is more complex than you realize. This is not your fault. If you were to constantly think about the world’s full complexities, you would go mad.
In order to cope with life’s complexities, the mind creates mental shortcuts. Take the simple decision of choosing which toothpaste to purchase.
Do you know how many choices of toothpaste exist? Lots. Head to your local pharmacy and peruse the dental care isle. You will be greeted by all types of toothpaste with varying mixes of components in a wide range of packages manufactured by a dizzying array of companies.
How do you know which is the best to purchase? Or the most cost-effective?
You could research each one. Look at the components each uses, study scientific papers on toothpaste, and read studies on their effectiveness. With new studies being done all the time, you would have to keep up constantly. Or you could conduct tests of your own, buying new tubes and retesting each time a new product is released.
Now multiply this with other household items. Shampoo. Soap. Laundry detergent. Milk. Bread. Salt. Pepper. Batteries. Light bulbs. Screwdrivers. Toilet paper. Towels. Bedding. I could go on and on and on.
For something as relatively trivial as toothpaste or toilet paper, the amount of time and money spent on such research would outweigh the benefits of choosing the absolute best choice. Common yet inexpensive commodities such as these just don’t justify such a mental investment.
Therefore, we take a mental shortcut and purchase a familiar brand. Or whatever is on sale. Or whoever’s package attracts our eye. A good enough choice is, well, good enough.
Mental shortcuts aren’t used for all purchases, however. Buying a house or car would indeed justify such a mental investment. Expensive quality items can be had cost-effectively if enough research is done.
Mental shortcuts also don’t just apply to commerce. Prejudice is a mental shortcut. When meeting someone new, your mind instantly creates an impression based on that person’s appearance and external factors, such as situation, context, etc. Your mind does this whether you are conscious of it or not. Factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, clothing, and body language are all considered.
There is even evidence that your impression within the first minute can be fairly accurate. A study by psychology professors Nalini Ambady & Robert Rosenthal found that strangers can provide accurate evaluations of high school teachers after watching “thin slices” of their performances. These thin slices were anywhere from six to thirty seconds.
If you’ve read Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink, the term thin slicing will sound familiar. He also cites a study by John Gottman who demonstrated that he was able to watch a fifteen-minute thin slice of a married couple and predict the likelihood of divorce in fifteen years with 90% accuracy.
Robert Cialdini’s book Influence even articulates how mental shortcuts can be used against consumers by salespeople. For instance, in certain circumstances, consumers who commit to buying something are more likely to honor that commitment, even when the price is raised at the last minute. Once they have made that commitment, their minds automatically work towards the conclusion of the transaction, even if some of the factors change.
Another consequence of a mental shortcut is the polarization of beliefs. It is easier to take a simplified, extreme stance on a belief than to study and understand its full, detailed spectrum.
The political landscape in the US has recently been reduced to Red States and Blue States. This polarization makes it easier for voters and politicians to declare their allegiances, as demonstrated in the documentary, Split: A Divided America. Red or Blue. Republican or Democrat. Conservative or liberal.
But issues are never black or white. They are shades of gray. Let’s take business regulation as an example. At the extremes, history has shown that a completely hands-off approach generally leads to monopolies, while a completely hands-on approach generally leads to overregulation. The healthiest choice would seem to be somewhere in the middle. But within typical political rhetoric, if you don’t side with an extreme, you are considered a weak politician.
However, such polarized viewpoints win votes. Correction: polarized viewpoints enhanced by memorable sound bites win votes. Politicians are learning to be more media savvy because their campaigns are relying more on their funding prowess. More funding equals more ads, which equals more sound bites, which equals potentially more votes.
Why? Because most Americans are too busy to follow every political discussion closely nowadays. The topics are too complex. Therefore, they use the mental shortcut of gathering information whenever it happens to appear to them – such as in advertising. Another unfortunate consequence of a necessary mental shortcut.
This doesn’t mean mental shortcuts are harmful. Without them, you’d spend all of your time trying to decide which toothpaste to buy. Or whether a salesperson is trying to cheat you. Or whether your political affiliations accurately effect your true beliefs. Ignorance of the details, especially in a busy world, can be bliss.
However, too much reliance on mental shortcuts can make you a pawn to those who know how to exploit you. And exploit you they will. They will take advantage of the efficiency of a mental shortcut to influence your sale, vote, or decision. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Knowledge can be your defense, as well as an awareness of mental shortcuts.
Like Cialdini’s book writes, and as G.I. Joe says, “And knowing is half the battle.”
Hey guys, are you stressin’ about being romantic? Can’t think of how? Don’t want to follow the typical tactics espoused by Halmark and Hollywood? Or just questioning the whole concept?
Here is a definition of romance that may help lend perspective:
Romance is an act of intimate affection committed unexpectedly towards your love interest and without desire for personal gain.
Let’s take that statement apart to decipher its meaning. Romance is…
- an act
- Actions speak louder than words. Perhaps you can talk like Cassanova, but if you only talk about your feelings and never demonstrate it through a physical act, than your feelings are just a bunch of hot air.
- of intimate
- Though this term can carry a lot of baggage, the semantic usage I prescribe here is of an understanding of your love interest. Do you know something about that person that no one else knows? Do you know something personal and meaningful to that person? Hopefully you do if you have been listening and paying attention. The heart of a romantic act is showing that you are so interested in this person that you remember details of his/her life and interests.
- affection
- Your romantic act ought to be one of adoration, fondness, even passion. It should be a display of your feelings towards your love interest and make him/her feel good. Bringing up that person’s history of weight problems, however personal and intimate, is not an act of affection, for instance.
- committed unexpectedly
- This act should to carry some measure of surprise. Certain holidays and landmarks, like Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc, are loaded with expectation, of course. But romance does not need to exist only on those days. Small random acts of kindness can sometimes be more romantic than flowers and chocolate on Valentine’s Day.
- towards your love interest
- This should be the person with whom you have a genuine attractiveness and desire to know better, of course. Duh.
- and without desire for personal gain
- Some may argue that guys in particular only commit romantic acts for a physical return on investment, so to speak. True romance does not ask for anything in return, however. It is done selflessly and for the benefit of the love interest. Perhaps the only selfish gain is to see a smile on the other person’s face.
There are countless definitions of romance. I’m sure you have a way to express romance that is just as effective and beautiful. This is just mine.
How would you define romance?
Categories:
Adulthood,
Asia,
Best Of,
Europe,
Family,
Fitness,
Food & Drinks,
Getting Older,
Learning,
Life,
Psychology,
Theories,
ValuesI intend on living a long, happy life.
It would be cool to be a great-grandparent, for instance. I’ve also got many things I want to do. Write books, learn new things, start businesses and non-profits, help my community. So many plans, so little time.
Age is not the limiting factor. Health is.
So how can I live a long and happy life? Dan Buettner, a National Geographic writer, believes he knows the answer. He founded the organization Quest Network, Inc. to conduct a study of “Blue Zones” – regions of the world where there are sizable populations that live active lives past one hundred years of age.
There are currently five known Blue Zones in the world:
- Sardina, Italy
- Okinawa, Japan
- Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
- Icaria, Greece
Buettner and his organization studied these regions and discovered four key traits that all share, regardless of geography, culture, religion, or other factors.
- Move Naturally
- Right Outlook
- Eat Wisely
- Connect
Move Naturally
People living in Blue Zones don’t run marathons or lift heavy weights in gyms. They don’t sit in front of the TV or computers a lot either. Instead, they take a lot of walks. They climb up stairs. They hike up mountains. They even tend gardens, which require daily manual labor.
The Sardinians live on hillsides. So to get around, many walk up and down these hills all the time, even those in their eighties. Many Okinawans maintain personal gardens that they cultivate with pride. It’s not uncommon to see elders plowing and raking and pulling out weeds.
The trick is to do something active every day that you enjoy. That way, being active isn’t a chore; it is something you look forward to. And that’s why it works.
If you love doing cardio at the gym, then more power to you. Otherwise, take a walk around the block. Walk to the local grocery store instead of driving. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Take a parking spot further away from the entrance of the mall so you have to walk a bit. Play sports with friends. Play the Nintendo Wii. Do something active everyday.
Right Outlook
Blue Zone inhabitants maintain a healthy perspective on life. They take time to slow down and relax from their hectic schedules. They use healthy outlets to vent their stress. They take problems in stride.
It’s not that they live boring, unexciting lives. Loma Linda is the home of a large medical university and medical community. Being a doctor is far from relaxing. The majority of these residents – those that regularly live long, active lives, at least – are also Seventh-day Adventists, a Christian denomination. Their religion aids in their ability to find peace with their frustrations.
Aside from mechanisms to dispel stress, Blue Zone inhabitants also deeply believe they have a purpose in life. That purpose could be as small as the Okinawan fisherman who sees his purpose is to fish so he can feed his family, or the Okinawan grandmother who knows her purpose is to care for her great-great-grandchildren. Religion also imbues a deep sense of purpose to Seventh-day Adventists.
Many don’t retire. They keep on doing what they enjoy doing, because they believe it is their purpose, their reason to get up every day.
Look for healthy outlets for your stress. Some use exercise, some take walks, and some create art to find relief. For others, it’s spirituality, religion, or their family and community.
A sense of purpose is also equally important. If you don’t have a reason to wake up every day and stay healthy, then find one. Spirituality and religion fill this hole for many. Family and community fill this for others. Still others find their purpose in their work or art. And sometimes your purpose isn’t bestowed upon you; it is something you go out and determine for yourself.
Eat Wisely
Those in Blue Zones eat healthy food in moderation. By healthy food, I mean their diets include a lot of vegetables and little processed food. Seventh-day Adventists are vegetarians. Okinawans eat lots of fresh fish. Sardinians consume homemade food. Each community has a different meal mix, though all contain a lot of vegetables and little processed food.
By moderation, I mean they don’t overeat. They don’t serve huge, American-sized portions. The Okinawans even eat from small plates as a means to minimize overeating. Others take breaks between servings. Since it takes several minutes before the feeling of satiation hits your stomach, taking a break can curb the amount you eat.
Include more vegetables in your diet. Decrease the amount of processed food and fast food from your daily intake as much as possible, or remove it altogether. You don’t need vitamin supplements as long as you eat a wide variety of vegetables, grains, and meats.
And perhaps even more importantly, reduce your portion sizes. Eat from small bowls. Take breaks between servings. You may find yourself feeling full without the usual volume you consume.
Connect
The last common aspect of all Blue Zone elders is their sense of family and community. To them, family comes first. Grandparents aren’t shut away in nursing homes. Respect increases with age, so the eldest are given the most respect.
They also feel a sense of belonging within their communities. Friendships endure throughout lifetimes. A person can count on a friend in time of need, and give selflessly when that friend is in need. You’ve got my back, I’ve got your back.
These tight bonds are formed with people of similar values as well. Everyone in a particular community shares the same core values of enjoyable activities (walks, hikes, etc), a healthy outlook (able to vent with each other, a feeling of purpose), healthy diets (natural foods in moderation), and a sense of belonging.
If you’ve been estranged from your family, consider making amends. Be the bigger person and take the first step at healing that bond. In cases where that’s totally impossible, foster the friendships you have, especially with those that share the same values. Consider being a part of a healthy tight-knit community, such as an activity group, special interest group, religious group, etc.
Is This Possible?
For some, this news is obvious to you. But for others, this may seem entirely impossible. How such a lifestyle can be followed in today’s society? I hear you. I know it’s not easy.
I don’t think it’s impossible either. It just takes some extra effort and a lot of discipline. Moving naturally and eating wisely are the easiest ones to do first, since they involve changes in behavior. The tough part is sticking to the new behavior long enough for it to become habit.
Having the right outlook and connecting to others are much tougher. The first involves changing a mental model that’s been ingrained for years. The second involves both behavioral and mental changes.
Part of having the right outlook is having healthy outlets for stress. This can include exercising, talking to trusted friends, or creating art. There are numerous self-help websites and books you can turn to for more ideas as well.
The other part of the right outlook is a sense of purpose. If you can’t find an easy answer, you are probably waiting for that purpose to come to you. Let me correct that misconception: that is not going to happen. Not everyone is lucky enough to be given their purpose. You need to go out and find your purpose. Create one. Look for something you believe in, whether it is a family member, a vocation, or a cause. As long as it allows you to follow these other traits and doesn’t harm others, embrace it as the reason you get up every morning.
Finding a community that accepts you is probably the toughest one to achieve. If you weren’t born into a tight-knit family or community, you will have to work hard to become a part of a healthy community. However, it’s worth the effort. Once you are in a good community, a sense of purpose will almost certainly come to you.
How do you find such a community? Church groups are an obvious source. Activity groups and special interest groups are another, though not all will give you an encompassing sense of community. Some people join such groups just to do the activity, then return to their own communities without further involvement in the group.
Neighborhood-based communities are also a good source. There are “gated communities” (a set of houses enclosed within gates) that try to engender such a sense of belonging, not only for goodwill, but for protection too (crime is less common in such neighborhoods).
For some, their work can also provide a viable community, though like activity and special interest groups, not all of the members may be willing to put in the same level of commitment as you. To them, it’s just a job, not a community.
I am lucky that I follow and have a lot of these traits. Hopefully I can continue to foster them throughout my long, happy life, and vice versa. For many, I had to work hard to create them. But once they’ve become engrained in my life, following them is as easy as eating and breathing.
Want to see more? You can watch Buettner’s talk at a TEDxTC conference on September 2009 about his study of Blue Zones. It’s a fascinating talk.
Now go live long and prosper. And talk a walk around the block while you’re at it.
With an easy schedule, I can read about a book a week. I haven’t had an easy schedule in a while unfortunately, but I can still complete a book relatively quickly.
This is because I speed read. Now, I’m no lightning-fast reader. I won’t be winning any speed reading competitions anytime soon. But I’m guessing a book a week is faster than the average reader.
Interested in speed reading too? Speed reading is a “collection of reading methods which attempt to increase rates of reading without greatly reducing comprehension or retention,” according to Wikipedia (and if Wikipedia says it, it must be true, ha ha). There are many speed reading methods out there, such as minimizing distractions, skimming, meta guiding, subvocalization removal, and schematic processing. Let’s go over each one.
- Minimizing Distractions
- It is easier to comprehend a piece of information if there are few or no distractions around. If you’re at home, turn off the TV, laptop or radio. If you’re commuting to work on a noisy bus or train, try noise cancellation earphones with easy-going music.
- Skimming
- This involves scanning a paragraph to get the gist of its meaning. Many authors use filler words and sentences that don’t add to the message. Even words like “a,” “and,” and “the” can be skipped. In other words, don’t read and think about each & every word — glance through the text to pick up just the relevant words. If you get good at this, you can even read by common phrases instead of individual words. This is my preferred method.
There is a technique similar to skimming called the Z method where you read one line, diagonally sweep across the second line backwards to the beginning of the third line, then read the third line. This doesn’t work for me though.
- Meta Guiding
- Some people find it helpful to use some kind of visual guide, like a finger or pen, to follow the passage of text. By moving the pointer under the sentence you are reading at a brisk pace, you aid your eye in skimming the sentence. I do this when there are distractions I can’t minimize, though I do it more for comprehension and not for speed — meaning I move my finger slowly under the text.
- Subvocalization Removal
- If you sound out each word in your head as you read, you are subvocalizing. Doing this can slow down your pace. There are techniques to remove this habit, such as chanting a repetitive phrase like “A-E-I-O-U” or counting “1, 2, 3, 4″ over & over again as you read. I don’t do this either, though I sometimes subvocalize key words as I’m skimming. Perhaps slows me down, though it doesn’t bother me.
- Schematic Processing
- This method involves training your mind to read familiar words and concepts more efficiently, while employing specialized study skills for unfamiliar material. I don’t know much about this method, except that it’s based on the work of Malcolm Knowles and his theory of andragogy.
The drawbacks of speed reading are comprehension and lack of sentence appreciation. Comprehension is probably the main detriment for most people. Being an aspiring author, I appreciate a well-constructed sentence. Whenever I’m reading a great author, I will purposefully slow down so I can take in each sentence. However, I have to consciously do this; otherwise I will automatically speed-read my way through the book.
To combat loss of comprehension, I sometimes pause after an important paragraph or chapter and think about it critically. I will visualize the author’s message and find ways to relate it to my life and experiences. Sometimes I’ll conjure up other examples to support the author’s thesis. Other times, I’ll discover conflicts and holes in the author’s argument. In either case, this act of critical thinking significantly aids my comprehension of the material.
So that’s my formula for speed reading and comprehension: minimizing distractions, skimming, and thinking critically about what I am reading.
Do you speed read? If so, how do you do it?
The glass is not half full nor half empty. The glass has water in it, filled approximately to the middle. Or: the glass has equal portions of gas and liquid content within its cylindrical interior. Or: the glass is entirely full of air and water. Or… you get the point.
It’s all about perception. Life isn’t how it is; it’s how you see it.
If you see the world as a cold, harsh place, then for you — the world is indeed, cold and harsh. Sucks for you.
If you see the world as a fun & challenging place, then for you, the world is fun & challenging. Rock on.
Here’s a metaphor I use: my life as a series of lenses. My perception of life is influenced by the lenses through which I view it. Every lens is tainted by the grime of experience. In fact, each lens was created by the summary of past experience, heated in a cauldron of emotional responses and cognitive rationalizations.
It is impossible to be truly objective, unless you’re a robot or Vulcan. But as a human, it’s impossible because of the construction of our brains. Studies have shown that memories are forged through a furnace of emotion, for better or worse. Interestingly enough, emotional memories are retained better than those devoid of emotions.
Think about your childhood. Which memories are most vivid? Those that are most painful or happy, right? How about the 303rd bath you ever took? Why don’t you remember that one? Because it was mundane and relatively low on emotional content.
Over time, these emotional memories, mixed with your genetic predispositions (you can thank your Mom & Dad for that) and environmental factors (education, cultural upbringing, friends & family, religion, social status, etc) shaped your unconscious view on life. Together, this mixture hardened into a lens through which you now view your life.
Lenses are limiting. They limit how far you can see and what you can see. This is not a bad thing. It is a natural ability that offers you protection, your defense mechanism, if you will. Prejudices, assumptions, and beliefs all come from your lenses. Some limitations can be hurtful, some can be helpful, though the degrees of such are subjective.
There isn’t just one lens either. There are many, shaped through various phases of life. You may have your family lens, your work lens, your school lens, etc. The number of lenses depends on the number of wholly different experiences you’ve have and your awareness of, and synthesis of, those life phases. Living in a foreign country often splinters one’s world view and creates a new lens, for instance.
Mine include my family lens, my Chinese American lens, my New Yorker lens, my Californian lens, my traveler lens, my spiritual lens, my anthropological & sociological lens, my self-reflective lens, my self-improvement lens, my entrepreneurial lens, my technology-oriented lens, etc. There are many more I’m not aware of too, I’m sure.
As you can see, your lenses don’t map not just to your phases of life, but to the different ways you view your identity as well. And, of course, they all overlap quite a bit.
There are no right or wrong lenses, better or worse lenses, just degrees of helpfulness in society and influence on your actions. Some lenses may enable you to be a highly-successful person in some situations, but horribly inept in others. Others lenses may make you terribly miserable in some situations and protect you from harm in others.
However, you aren’t stuck with a particular lens. You can change your view, as long as you cognitively try. It just takes effort. Sometimes tremendous effort. But it is impossible for everyone.
How? For some, it’s simply a matter of being aware of your different lenses. For others, supportive friends & family can help. And for others, professional advice and help is required.
I’m sure you’ve met people who’ve changed the main lens through which they view life. They may be religious converts or political converts. They may be so excited about their new view that they won’t shut up about it. Such a person has had a major epiphany (which is generally how a major change in lens view affects a person) and is naturally excited about it, though not all changes are so grand.
Want to try a quick lens switch exercise? Imaging yourself as a soccer player. You’re on the field. You can feel the brisk chill of the afternoon air. The smell of freshly-cut grass is all around you. A trickle of sweat is at the corner of your eye. Other players are yelling at each other. The ball is being kicked around. You’re keeping an eye on the ball, your teammates, and your opponents. Your mind is flipping back and forth from anticipating where the ball will be and how other players are reacting to the ball. Your legs are also getting tired and there’s a side stitch in your gut. And damn, you’re thirsty.
Now imagine yourself as the coach of that team. You’re standing on the side of the field. Someone’s brewing coffee besides you. Your players are yelling, the other team is yelling, and the fans are yelling behind you. You’re keenly watching your players run up and down the field, positioning themselves around the ball. At the same time, you’re also watching the opponents and analyzing their positions in relation to your team’s. Your goalie looks tired and you’re worried about a potential goal. Another player is being overly aggressive and you’re concerned about the referee calling a penalty. Two of the opposing players are really strong and fast, so you’re trying to make sure your team doesn’t let them through your defense. Your voice is sore from yelling commands and encouragement to your team.
In the first lens, you had the view of an individual contributor on a team. You had to be conscious of your own actions as they related to others, while balancing your fatigue and condition.
In the second lens, you had the view of a supervisor of a team. You had to have a gestalt of the entire game and offer not only direction, but encouragement as their confidence rose and shrank.
That is a small example of a lens switch. Both views are totally correct while being entirely different. All of us switch like that daily, maybe even hourly.
Now consider this: what if you’re able to combine lenses? Or switch between both in any given situation? What if you, as a soccer player, also considered the game from the coach’s point of view? That’s what a team captain often does. Viewing the game through both lenses would put you on a path for advancement and leadership in this situation.
Combining lenses often gives offers such power and opportunity. It opens your mind to other views you may not have otherwise considered. It keeps your mind amiable to new ideas and new contexts.
You know the saying, “Never judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes”? Same principle applies here. When you’re viewing your situation through another lens, you’re revising the natural limitations of what you perceive. While you’re probably replacing them with the limitations of another lens, you’re still expanding your previous boundaries. And that’s the power of changing & combining lenses.
Of course, this is all an opinion formed through my own lens. This is how I perceive my life. You may perceive it differently and prefer to keep your current world view. In which case, I can’t help but think: sucks for you.
