Love & Work
A notebook about how we work, learn, love and live.
I haven't talked about it here yet, but I quit drinking in December. One of the many benefits is that in doing so I've found a church I've always wanted. As a woman in a recent meeting said: "I go to church because I like to sing. I go to AA meetings because I like spiritual and emotional growth." At a recent meeting during which we studied the 12 Traditions, a friend and colleague who has worked in socially responsible and cooperative businesses for decades said to me: "This is amazing, right? We've been looking for this clarity of definition for our whole careers."
And, Debbie and I are glad to report that we're still x-c skiing almost every afternoon. This week our mountain got a few dustings of fresh powder and the base is still deep enough that the die-hards are daring to think that we might ski until mid-April, something we haven't been able to do for years.
Happy spring. Happy Friday.
How We Live
Altruism is the wish that other people may be happy. Sentient beings are co-citizens in this world, and we need to dare altruism.
Matthieu Ricard
"If we want a more altruistic society, we need two things: individual change and societal change. So is individual change possible? Two thousand years of contemplative study said yes, it is."
"...But on the more global level, what can we do? We need three things. Enhancing cooperation: Cooperative learning in the school instead of competitive learning, Unconditional cooperation within corporations -- there can be some competition between corporations, but not within. We need sustainable harmony. I love this term. Not sustainable growth anymore. Sustainable harmony means now we will reduce inequality. In the future, we do more with less, and we continue to grow qualitatively, not quantitatively. We need caring economics. The Homo economicus cannot deal with poverty in the midst of plenty, cannot deal with the problem of the common goods of the atmosphere, of the oceans. We need a caring economics. If you say economics should be compassionate, they say, 'That's not our job.' But if you say they don't care, that looks bad. We need local commitment, global responsibility. We need to extend altruism to the other 1.6 million species. Sentient beings are co-citizens in this world. and we need to dare altruism." - Matthieu Ricard
Ted Talk: How to Let Altruism be Your Guide
Related Article: The Path from Personal Transformation to Societal Change
Democracy
When voters were surveyed about their feelings about elections, “hope” was by far the most common feeling out of the four emotions that respondents were able to choose from.
Image by hjl via CC
Article: Americans Remain Hopeful About Democracy Despite Fears of its Demise – and Are Acting on That Hope
Transformation, Systems Change
How stories of the future help to transform conflict in the present
 Mille Bojer
"Scenarios are stories of possible futures. Human beings have always used stories to talk about things that are difficult, complex, or even taboo, to encourage a change in thinking, illuminate pathways, and inspire right action. Creating and telling stories about possible futures allows us to lift our gaze above our current stuck situations and polarized conversations into a longer time horizon and ask ourselves 'what if?'". - Mille Bojer
Article: Transformative Scenarios
Systems Thinking
A robust framework to help apply systems and design thinking to complex projects
Source: EmmaBlomkamp.com
"The framework incorporates systems and design thinking elements and participatory design to articulate what must be considered when tackling challenging, multifaceted problems.
"There are many ways this framework can be applied, but I see it as a great planning tool to use at the outset of a major project to ensure a holistic and comprehensive approach to policy development and project management."
"The framework has five core domains:
Principles — why and how does this work need to happen?
People — who needs to be involved, and what resources do we need?
Place — where does the work sit and fit, and what organizational level are we working at?
Process — how will the work be structured, and how will we organize our approach?
Practice — what method or strategy, or procedure might we adopt?" - Derek Moryson
Article: The Five Ps Framework is a Fantastic Tool to Ensure Systems and Design Thinking is Built into Your Next Project
Teaching and Learning
The advent of accountability laws and policies, and accompanying high-stakes assessments based on standards, has put enormous pressure on instructors to teach to these tests at the expense of best practices.
 "Kids reading during Tobey's baptismal reception" Photo by Stitch via CC.
"What I remember most about reading in childhood was falling in love with characters and stories; I adored Judy Blume’s Margaret and Beverly Cleary’s Ralph S. Mouse. In New York, where I was in public elementary school in the early ’80s, we did have state assessments that tested reading level and comprehension, but the focus was on reading as many books as possible and engaging emotionally with them as a way to develop the requisite skills. Now the focus on reading analytically seems to be squashing that organic enjoyment. Critical reading is an important skill, especially for a generation bombarded with information, much of it unreliable or deceptive. But this hyperfocus on analysis comes at a steep price: The love of books and storytelling is being lost." - Katherine Marsh
Article: Why Kids Aren’t Falling in Love With Reading
Teaching and Learning
A path to a meaningful and mindful future of learning
"The Slow Food movement paved the way for a good, clean, fair future of food. And now, we’re putting on the brakes to learn at this new tempo. It’s time to praise questions over answers. It’s time to value observations over evaluations. It’s time to prioritize self-reflection over criticism.
"Lessons from the tortoise and the hare taught us what happens when we’re slow and steady. How might we slow down in this sped-up society? How might we adopt a snail-like pace to make learning more sustainable? How might we reimagine the future of learning?" - International Training Centre
This fantastic free book contains three sections. It starts with a 10 point manifesto, the first point being that "You have a right to focus on direction, not destination". It closes with "Slow Tools: 10 ways to experiment with slow learning".
Article: A Manifesto for Slow Learning
Article and E-Book Download: Slow Learning
Amazing People
In 2000 Nadia Nadim was one of the 3,525 Afghan refugees who sought asylum in Denmark. Today she speaks nine languages, is a medical doctor and is considered the most influential and greatest Afghan female footballer of all time.
Nadia Nadim plays for Racing Louisville FC in Kentucky. Courtesy Nadia Nadim
"Nadia Nadim was raised in Afghanistan until her father, an Afghan National Army general, was executed by the Taliban in 2000. Months later, when she was 11 years old, her family escaped the country in the middle of the night.
"They were smuggled out of Afghanistan in the back of a truck on a route that took them to Pakistan, where they spent two months before flying to Italy.
"From there, they were put in a van and 'somehow ended up in a refugee camp in Denmark,' Nadim, 34, said in a recent interview.
"During her nine months in the refugee camp, Nadim watched behind a fence as a group of Danish girls played soccer.
“'This is the first time I discovered football,”'she said. 'It was love at first sight.'” - Matt Marshall and Carlin McCarthy
Article: Afghan Refugee Soccer Star Nadia Nadim Achieves Ultimate Goal: A Medical Degree
Wikipedia Post: Nadia Nadim
Thanks to my friend Cheri Lovre for the sharing this amazing person with me.
One-liners
Article: A retired math teacher helps students learn geometry through quilting
Article: Teachers use ChatGPT more than students, a study finds
Article: Millennials are more likely than other generations to support a cap on personal wealth
Article: The countries paying youths to simply enjoy art
Playlist
Yo La Tengo playing Turner Hall in Milwaukee, WI. Photo by Kevin Alexander
In 1986 my brother gave me a copy of Yo La Tango's first album, Ride the Tiger, released only on vinyl. Ever since then they have been one my favorite bands. Their staying power and consistency over decades has only added to my fondness and respect for their unique sound. So this week I took special notice when Kevin Alexander reviewed a concert they performed last Saturday in Milwaukee.
"...there are two Yo La Tengos; a very quiet one and a rowdier one. Both took the stage in Milwaukee this past Saturday. There was an initial (more or less) quiet set, followed by a 15-20 minute intermission, a longer, louder second set, and then a brief encore...."
"...This easily could’ve been a paint-by-numbers run through some of their biggest songs. Instead, we were treated to a mix of old and new. Hits (all relative, of course) and deep tracks alike. Searing feedback loud enough to trigger the noise alert on my wife’s iWatch and Georgia Hubley’s gentle, lilting vocals. The wonderful harmony that comes with the three of them singing together. And, of course, Kaplan writhing like an inflatable man at a used car lot while banging out incandescent riffs." - Kevin Alexander
Concert Review: An Evening With Yo La Tengo
Kevin took the trouble of gathering the album versions of every song that Yo La Tengo played at that concert, including the three covers. This provides me a wonderful opportunity to expand my new practice of posting a weekly mix to sharing one DJ'd by someone other than me.
Playlist: Yo La Tengo in MKE
Image of the Week
"F U Bouquet" Original art print by @vertigo.artography
This collage is a fitting image to acknowledge the last day of National Women's History Month.
"You can't have equal pay, but you can have this inspiring Instagram post.
"In 1987, just five years after the Equal Rights Amendment was defeated, Congress declared March National Women's History Month as a way to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of women in society. That’s right, five years after Americans were like, 'Never mind we don’t think women are equal' Congress was like, 'But how about we celebrate you in a month everyone kinda hates anyway? It’s not the worst month, we gave that one to Black history, but you can have the second worst. YOU ARE WELCOME.'” - Lyz Lenz
Article: Dingus of the Week: Women’s History Month
What's Love & Work?
Love & Work is the weekly newsletter by me, Mitch Anthony. I help people use their brand - their purpose, values, and stories - as a pedagogy and toolbox for transformation.
If you get value from Love & Work, please pass it on.
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