A study in the American Journal of Genetics provides the first proof that musical ability may be linked to genes. See here
The danger with status updates, tweets, and similar communications is that they are making us believe that the most important ideas can be communicated in 140 characters or less.
This is bumper sticker mentality that shouts “here is everything you need to know”. Isn’t this what politics is all about now? Pithy one-liners and speech-like rhetoric kept short so it can be read as it runs across your TV screen? Status updates and tweets that “define” us every hour?
But, when was the last important phone call that could be taken care of in 20 words or less? What societal issue can be fully explored, discussed, and solved in a 2 minute protagonist lecture and an off-topic 1 minute rebuttal?
Sure, messages like “I love you” and “Duck! That kid has a super-soaker!” are important and powerful, but they are also cursory to the real message that needs to follow… a discussion on where you are going on a date, and/or tactical maneuvers on how to take the meaty, fat kid in the swimtrunks out while his parents aren’t watching.
I love writers/directors/people who can communicate complex ideas simply. I don’t want to read a 2 page summary of a 20 page article, if to explore the idea fully the summary needed to be 20 pages. Understanding this mitigates a frustration I felt often as I tried to share with others why a book or article impacted me, but find myself unable to do so in a few short sentences.
I once read a powerful Charleton Heston speech called “Winning the Cultural War” who’s central thesis is about the censorship effect of political correctness…Wait. Now I’m doing it. Sure, that idea is in the speech, but there is so much more.
So remember: Simple is Bigfoot. Life is complex. Suspect the motives of those who say, “Let me tell you the one thing you need to know.” Even if they say it via Twitter.
I believe the majority of the financial info we get from the news is geared toward sensationalism, instead of accuracy or usefulness. I even think it is manipulative.
There is a negotiating technique called “anchoring” that car salesmen and HR people use when discussing “price.” It’s the idea that once a number has been thrown out, the other party will negotiate around that “anchor number.” For example, if a car salesman says the car is worth $20K (since he’s the expert), we feel like we got a good deal if we can get it for $18K. Similarly, if we are negotiating a salary and the HR rep offers $65K, we feel like we made a good call if we negotiate to $75K.
But what if the “anchor number” is crap? Studies have shown this usually does not matter. Unless both parties have researched and created their own “anchor,” then one will be subject to manipulation. The news is using this technique a lot lately.
Example 1) “Bonuses on Wall Street were $18.6B in 2008. This was a 44% decrease from $32.6B in 2007, despite receiving federal money.” That statistic doesn’t tell me anything, but it’s designed to make think Wall Street is greedy. I mean, Pres. Obama called it “shameful.” How about a comparison to pre-credit/real estate bubble bonuses? Say 2002 or 2003?
Example 2) “Crude prices have fallen 72% from their high in July 08 of $145 a barrel.” What ever happened to throwing out the outlier or anomaly in your data? How about you compare gas prices to what they were a few years ago before the huge, temporary increase?
Example 3) “It’s a great time to buy. Home prices have dropped 4% this year.” If we are ending a real estate bubble, shouldn’t we want a comparison to pre-bubble 2000 prices? The way realtors are selling houses, every person will get a good deal this year because prices have dropped from their inflated, over-valued, non-appraisal supported amounts? Right?
Maybe it’s not an attempt to manipulate, it’s just laziness.
I realize that I am neglecting this blog. Really this is because I end up posting on www.blurtdaily.com instead. I assumed that this would not interfere with my personal blog since we can only post once a week, but it has. So to compensate, when I post to blurtdaily I am going to put the links here. Here are my prior posts:
I like watches. I don't wear them, but I like them. I think my taste is unique. Here are a couple that I've run across made by a company called Tokyo Flash. Let me know what you think?
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I know I’m not the only one who used to play the “in the bedroom game.” It’s where, after eating Chinese food, everyone would open their fortune cookies and read their fortune out loud, adding “in the bedroom” to the end (I really hope I’m not the only one who used to do this). Then everyone would laugh. You’d end saying funny things like:
· You will encounter a great job opportunity… in the bedroom!
· You will have the chance to help someone in need… in the bedroom!
· Imagination is more important than knowledge… in the bedroom!
· Ted thinks he may have accidentally joined the Masons on his way home from work today.
· Mike is on Facebook at work, instead of working at work.
· Teresa is waiting for her husband to get home so she can give him some lovin.
· John is [expletive] [expletive] tired of waiting for the [expletive] [expletive] people.
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