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myth of choice – book review

 

Finished Kent Greenfield’s The Myth of Choice last night. I learned a lot from Greenfield’s argument and will be thinking about it for a while.

Greenfield dissects what motivates us to choose. He opens up the notion that often when we think we are exercising our free will we are, in fact,  driven by factors like culture, context and implicit values that might surprise us if we analyzed them.

The good news (as Greenfield puts it) is that awareness is often key to more free will in our decisions. For example, we can be aware that the attractiveness of someone can seduce us into giving them more credibility than they deserve and factor that in when considering their opinions.

We can remember that if an article or a person lines up with our own views and opinions, it’s time for some healthy skepticism to balance our predilection to give them too much easy credibility.

We can also try to be open to those with whom we disagree for the same reason in reverse.

If we recognize framing (how a question is posed or facts are presented) is occurring, we are better equipped to protect ourselves from its influence.

I particularly admired Greenfield’s discussion about the myth of personal responsibility as perpetuated by those who would limit government and emphasize an individual’s right to make their own choices despite the wisdom of the choice.

Mature choices in life are identifiable.

Better to wear a motorcycle helmet than not (see previous blogs or the better yet the book itself).  When the community allows citizens to make any choice, the idea is that they then take on the consequences for that choice, good or ill.

The problem is that the chooser is not the only one who suffers the consequences. Whether it is an ER team picking up the injured person on the side of the road who has chosen not to wear a helmet or it is the society at large which is desensitized by its own indifference to those who “choose” to be hungry, either way, it essentially a false choice.

mirror.poor

At the end of the book Greenfield points out that change is difficult and usually doesn’t occur or only occurs in very small bits.

He encapsulates what we can do in this way.

1. recognize the power of situations in our lives over our choices
2. acknowledge our own very real irrationalities
3. be mindful of the power of our own habits
4. cultivate an awareness of cultural influences over us

We can only do so much. Greenfield mentions humility again and again in the book.

He encourages the reader to strive for it when thinking about our own choices and especially judgments of other people.

He is particularly hard on the judicial system (being a lawyer).

He insists that good judges are able to put themselves in other people’s places, imagine other people’s stories in the context of applying law

Then he points out that we are all judges and could use this handy little technique as well.

It’s a light read with a profound subject. Recommended.

 

tired old jupe

 

me

Whew. Yesterday took a lot out of me. Eileen and I went to the Farmers Market in the morning.

farrmersmarket

Since it wasn’t clear to me if Eileen wanted to go with  me I waited until she got up to find out. During this time I exercised. Exercising (treadmilling) in the morning might be a good thing. On full Wednesday like yesterday I can get it out of the way and not have to skip it later because I am exhausted and trying to preserve my energy.

farmers.market.stand

We bought asparagus, cherry tomatoes, basil and locally roasted coffee beans. We also had some fresh baklava and I had an amazing shortbread cherry cookie. Eileen got cold so we left.

I spent a couple of hours meeting with clergy.

Most of this was with my boss. It was the first heart to heart we had in months. I do enjoy working for this woman. I like the fact that she wants to hear my insights into our situation at church.

But being an introvert, after a long period of this kind of back and forth I am drained physically and emotionally.

Eileen and I also shoved furniture around yesterday. We moved the big loom in front of the window seat where the harpsichord was. As we were moving the harpsichord I told Eileen that it was the “corpse” of the harpsichord (since it hasn’t worked for years now).

Then there was our final choir rehearsal of the year.

choir

Suffice it to say that this takes tons of energy and by the end of the rehearsal I was whipped (as my Dad used to say).

I’m still very tired this morning. So here are some links.

The Bitter Backdrop to 2016 – NYTimes.com

Recently David Brooks ascribed our malaise as a country to a lack of character (thereby plugging his stupid new book which Eileen purchased and is reading). I think Frank Bruni is close when he says we are suffering from a “mood of overarching uncertainty and profound anxiety.”

Conviction Rates Count More in Chinese Justice Than Innocence – NYTimes.com

It’s difficult to conceive of a societal judicial system like the one in China. They have an acquittal rate of 00.007 %. Recent concerns about police beating confessions out of people has led the police to get a bit “better at inflicting pain without causing serious injuries.” Nice.

For Verizon and AOL, Mobile Is a Magic Word – NYTimes.com

According to this article we (presumably the USA, eh?) spend half our waking time in front of a screen. Also, the market is madly going mobile.

Luke Bauerlein | B O D Y

A couple of “happy” poems for today.