Off The Beaten Track

FS.BLOG -- Before you smugly slap an open-minded sticker on your chest, consider this: closed-minded people would never consider that they could actually be closed-minded. In fact, their perceived open-mindedness is what's so dangerous. Nobody wants to admit to themselves that they're closed-minded. But the advantages of having that courage are massive. The ability to change your mind is a superpower. The rate at which you learn and progress in the world depends on how willing you are to weigh the merit of new ideas, even if you don't instinctively like them. Perhaps especially if you don't like them. ...

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THEFEDERALIST.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazar Imam on schools: [Education] must also stimulate students to consider a variety of perspectives on some of the fundamental questions posed by the human condition: 'What is truth?' 'What is reality?' and 'What are my duties to my fellow man, to my country and to God?'] ARTICLE: Asking questions is how one truly learns, seeks truth, and finds wisdom. Yet in most schools, the questions in students' souls are ignored or formalized into lifelessness.... No longer serving God or the body politic, schools now serve "the God of Economic Utility" ... Neil Postman argues this narrative is both insufficient and spiritually bankrupt.... Some may argue schools are no place for spiritual concerns, which are better left to religious institutions and families. This might be so, but schools should ...

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LIBERATIONIST.ORG -- How people deal with questions says a lot about your organizational culture. What I frequently observe is that the companies that resist change the most tend to ask very few questions. Wise leaders don't pretend to know it all -- they are comfortable challenging their own assumptions. Wisdom, like leadership, is not defined by a title. Leadership models need to shift from owning knowledge to promoting a culture of curiosity. Most people are wired to impress others with their smarts rather than to ...

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HIGHLYSENSITIVEREFUGE.COM -- It's always hard to explain what it's like being a highly sensitive person to someone who's never heard of it before. And, even if they have, unless they're highly sensitive themselves, they often don't "get" it. Most people think we're "too sensitive," that we need to "toughen up," or that our sensitivity is something we can turn on and off. But we can't. So I always try to find simpler, more relatable ways of describing what it's like to be a highly sensitive person (HSP). Some of them work and some don't. The best one so far? Superheroes. "You know how Superman ...

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SPECTATOR.CO.UK -- [In 2015], Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, admitted that "much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue." ... A pharmaceutical company attempting to confirm the findings of 53 landmark cancer studies had a failure rate of 89%. A 2015 report prepared for the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve concluded that "economics research is usually not replicable."... Richard Smith, a former editor of the British Medical Journal, describes peer review as a roulette wheel, a lottery, and a black box noting an extensive body of research finds scant evidence that it accomplishes much at all. On the other hand ...

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HETERODOXACADEMY.ORG -- In some fields, political posturing often seems indistinguishable from scholarship, unpopular ideas are made to disappear, and researchers who deign to challenge orthodoxy are mobbed.... The result is watered-down research, stifled creativity, and groupthink.... If we think of a scientific article as a mini-theory, then rigorous confirmation can be achieved only by surviving the scrutiny of many readers over a period of time. In this light, the way in which scientific journals evaluate research -- a one-time assessment by a small number of reviewers -- is unscientific, and has proven unreliable ... Indeed, findings published in the most prestigious scientific journals, including Science and Nature, have been shown to replicate at a rate only slightly better than 50%. ...

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UNMISTAKABLECREATIVE.COM -- Formulas are seductive and easy to sell. Follow these 5-steps, and you'll get this result. Formulas breed dependency on gurus, coaches, mentors, and teachers. Frameworks teach you how to think. If you modify a formula, discard what doesn't work or don't follow the instructions to the letter, it becomes a framework. A framework forces you take responsibility for your results. Frameworks lead to innovation. Formulas lead to imitation. ...

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FS.BLOG -- In this world we have two kinds of knowledge. One is Planck knowledge, the people who really know. They've paid the dues, they have the aptitude. And then we've got chauffeur knowledge. We have the people who don't do the work -- they pretend. They've learned the talk. They'll make a hell of an impression. While they've learned to put on a good show, they lack understanding. They can't explain things without using jargon or vague terms. They have no idea how things interact. They can't predict consequences. ...

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THEGLOBEANDMAIL.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: In 1999, Hazar Imam said he watches other (non-Ismaili) communities to learn how they retain their heritage, identity, and traditions.] ARTICLE: From a near-even mix of growing and declining church attendees and their clergy, we found that conservative religious doctrine ... is a key driver for church growth in mainline Protestant congregations.... We [also] found that the pastors of the growing churches were, on average, about a decade younger than those of the declining. Other researchers have made similar observations. Martha Grace Reese [has shown] these younger pastors had greater theological conservatism. ...

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FAITHTODAY.CA -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: In 1999, Hazar Imam said he watches other (non-Ismaili) communities to learn how they retain their heritage, identity, and traditions.] ARTICLE: At its very core liberal theology insists that there is no single "correct" interpretation of Scripture and that there is no "authoritative" belief that must be held. That being the case, the best one can do when articulating liberal theology is to provide options of what one might believe ... Our research contributes to a large body of evidence that churches who stick to traditional beliefs can grow and thrive, even in today's world, and that abandoning those beliefs in search of relevance and popular appeal is a fool's errand. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- NYTIMES.COM -- In many countries, children have the very freedoms that American parents can grant only by chafing against law or custom, our international readers say. A mother in Sweden says she often didn't know where her elementary-school-aged son went for the afternoon after school. A father in Paris says he sends his daughters outside to the playground nearby -- alone. "Here in Japan, kids are required to be at least 6-years-old before they are allowed to ride the trains alone. They often travel in groups, and they socialize and play quietly and appropriately." In much of the world, parents tend to regard such free-range parenting practices as developing a child's self-reliance. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- NYTIMES.COM -- I was on my way home when a police officer called to ask if I was aware there was an outstanding warrant for my arrest. "No, no," I told him. "I didn't know that." ... We now live in a country where it is seen as abnormal, or even criminal, to allow children to be away from direct adult supervision, even for a second. And so now children do not walk to school or play in a park on their own. They do not wait in cars. They do not take long walks through the woods or ride bikes along paths or build secret forts while we are inside working or cooking or leading our lives. "It's not about safety," Dr. Sarnecka told me. "It's about enforcing a social norm." ...

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SUMMATION.NET -- If you are a big biography reader, you'll find that most of the super successful entrepreneurs spent a massive amount of time alone when they were kids and young adults. And most of these people still spend a much larger percentage of their time alone today than most outsiders would think.... At an early age, most of the super successful people spent more time play-acting than others.... Reading, watching wonderful movies, listening to music, etc. are passive -- these are consuming functions. Most of the super successful people spent a large percentage of their time creating vs. consuming. They were building things, starting things, etc. ...

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INTROVERTDEAR.COM -- We live in a society where group experience and an extrovert personality are the ideals. It's hardly surprising you'll begin to wonder if there's something wrong with you, just as I did. I did not understand that introversion and shyness are *not* the same thing.... Like many of my fellow introverts, the turning point was Susan Cain's book, "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking." Finally, I realized that there is nothing wrong with me. Today, I wouldn't want it any other way. As an introvert, you're probably good at connecting ideas and events and seeing many facets of a problem. You are more likely to think outside the consensus and have original ideas. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- BAKADESUYO.COM -- Keith Sawyer, a psychologist at Washington University, summarizes the science: "Decades of research have consistently shown that brainstorming groups think of far fewer ideas than the same number of people who work alone and later pool their ideas." ... The "evidence from science suggests that business people must be insane to use brainstorming groups," writes the organizational psychologist Adrian Furnham. "If you have talented and motivated people, they should be encouraged to work alone when creativity or efficiency is the highest priority." ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- NEWYORKER.COM -- The results of the first test of brainstorming, at Yale in 1958, were a sobering refutation of brainstorming. Solo students came up with twice as many solutions as the brainstorming groups, and their solutions judged more "feasible" and "effective." Decades of research have consistently shown the same. "There's this Pollyannaish idea that the most important thing when working together is staying positive and getting along, to not hurt anyone's feelings. Well, that's just wrong," as a 2003 experiment suggests. Another experiment demonstrated that exposure to unfamiliar perspectives fosters creativity.... Building 20 [at MIT] was a legend and widely regarded as one of the most creative spaces in the world. The lesson, of Building 20, is that when the composition of the group is right -- enough people with different perspectives ...

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FASTCOMPANY.COM -- Eliminating criticism, it turns out, results in worse ideas. Another pillar of brainstorming is that all ideas are good ideas. This is supposed to make participants feel more liberated and therefore, more creative. But [in a study two] groups produced the same amount of good ideas, but interestingly enough the group who didn't put their criticism aside actually produced more ideas. Moreover, the study found that avoiding criticism only added more poor ideas to the list. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- MEDIUM.COM -- We're filling our heads with soundbites, the mental equivalent of junk. Over months and years, we may find ourselves looking down at the pot-belly of ignorance.... Clickbait media is not a nutritious diet. Most people brush this off and say that it doesn't matter ... that it's just harmless entertainment. But it's not harmless at all. Worse, it's like cocaine. It causes our brains to light up and feel good. The more of it we consume, the more of it we want.... Try the two-pronged approach of: A) Time. B) Detail. Time meaning how relevant is this historically? If it's going to change soon, you can probably filter it out right here. ...

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QUILLETTE.COM -- I was a self-righteous social justice crusader. My callouts were met with approval and admiration: "Thank you so much for speaking out!" "You're so brave!" I mobbed and shamed people. Then one day, suddenly, I was accused of some of the very transgressions I'd called out in others. I was guilty, of course: there's no such thing as due process in this world.... The constant vigilance on the part of my colleagues and friends did me in. That's why I'm delivering sushi and pizza. I was publicly shamed, mobbed, and ... cast out of my career and my professional community. ...

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QUILLETTE.COM -- On April 12 1994, Justine and Yves Sergent were found dead in their garage sitting beside each other in the drivers and passenger seats of their car. This is the devastating power that an academic mobbing can have on its targets.... The deaths of Justine and Yves Sergent were not isolated extremes; punishment imposed on an individual by a group is almost always unethical because the group as a whole will never fully understand the punishment they have collectively administered. ...

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FS.BLOG -- Just about anyone can measure the absence of candor in communications: start reading with a red pencil and underline clichés such as "employees are our greatest assets," "our future is bright," "advancing momentum," and "we aim to create shareholder value." This kind of meaningless jargon and platitudes diminishes our understanding of the business and our trust in the leadership. When you're done, look back. If there's a lot of red on the page, consider yourself warned. Rittenhouse coined an acronym for the absence of candor: "FOG." It stands for "fact-deficient, obfuscating generalities." ...

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QUILLETTE.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazrat Ali: "The best speaking is that which does not offend the ear, and the understanding of which does not fatigue the intelligence."] ARTICLE: Most undergraduates admit to intentionally using complex vocabulary to give the impression of intelligence. Does this actually increase the perception of higher author intelligence among readers? According to research by Carnegie Mellon University professor Daniel M. Oppenheimer: No.... Someone who makes good points, but relies on complex words and jargon to do so, likely pays a price in terms of the perceived quality of their work and mind. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- OZANVAROL.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazrat Ali: "No one establishes the order of God the Glorified except one who ... is not a conformist ..."] ARTICLE: "Nobody does it that way." This line stops a conversation before it begins. If no one does it that way, it means it can't be done. If no one does it that way, it means we're not going to do it that way. When push comes to shove, we conform, rather than flout. As Warren Buffett put it, "The five most dangerous words ... are 'Everybody else is doing it.'" The next time you're tempted to follow the herd, ask yourself, "What if I did what no one else is doing?" ...

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HUFFINGTONPOST.CA -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Highly recommended for all those aspiring to be innovative in all they do.] ARTICLE: As scientists now understand it, creativity is far more complex than the right-left brain distinction. Creative personality types are difficult to pin down, largely because they're complex, paradoxical and tend to avoid habit or routine. Here are some tell-tale characteristics and behaviors of highly creative people. They daydream. They observe everything. They take time for solitude. They ask the big questions. They take risks. They follow their true passions. They lose track of the time. They connect the dots. They constantly shake things up. They ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- HBR.ORG -- HARVARD -- But being honest inside an organization is more difficult than it sounds. People hoard information, engage in groupthink, tell their boss only what they think he wants to hear, and ignore facts staring them in the face. If you want to develop a culture of candor keep these recommendations in mind: 1) Tell the truth. 2) Encourage people to speak truth to power. 3) Reward contrarians. 4) Practice having unpleasant conversations. 5) Diversify your sources of information. 6) Admit your mistakes. 7) Build organizational support for transparency. 8) Set information free. ...

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HBR.ORG -- HARVARD -- Why is transformation so difficult to achieve? What most organizations typically overlook is the internal shift -- what people think and feel ... beginning with the most senior leaders and influencers. Few of them, in our experience, have spent much time observing and understanding their own motivations, challenging their assumptions, or pushing beyond their intellectual and emotional comfort zones. The result is something that the psychologists Lisa Lahey and Robert Kegan have termed "immunity to change." ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- FS.BLOG -- FARNAM STREET -- While we all hold an opinion on almost everything, how many of us do the work required to have an opinion? Great thinkers, like Darwin, did the work necessary to hold an opinion. Doing the work counteracts our natural desire to seek out only information that confirms what we believe we know. Doing the work means you can't make up your mind with a high degree of confidence right away. Doing the work forces you to challenge your beliefs because you have to argue from both sides. You become the somewhat impartial judge. What's on trial is your opinion. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- OZANVAROL.COM -- We've so lowered the threshold for stating an opinion that we stopped doing the work that's required to express one. Instead of bothering to listen, read, or even skim, we rely on sound bites ... But if we haven't read it, we shouldn't have an opinion on it. It's that simple. This means that, from time to time, we must utter those three dreaded words: "I don't know." When we candidly acknowledge that we don't have an opinion, our mind opens and our ears perk up. As Stoic philosopher Epictetus put it, "it is impossible to learn that which one thinks one already knows." ...

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THEFEDERALIST.COM -- It [is not] surprising that a small but growing number of social scientists are having second thoughts about the modern tendency to eliminate all religious and even broadly spiritual conversation from the public square.... Despite the pessimism in many faith communities about the direction of modern culture, secularism's institutional weakness and growing academic respect for the wisdom of traditional religion are two good reasons to be more optimistic. In combination, they may prove far more transformational than currently seems possible. ...

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HARVARD.EDU -- HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH -- The study sample included more than 5,000 youth who were followed for between 8-14 years.... The results showed that people who attended religious services at least weekly in childhood and adolescence were approximately 18% more likely to report higher happiness as young adults (ages 23-30) ... They were also 29% more likely to volunteer in their communities and 33% less likely to use illicit drugs and less likely to subsequently have depressive symptoms or smoke. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- UNMISTAKABLECREATIVE.COM -- Everything in life has an opportunity cost. The opportunity cost of distraction is time, energy, and effort that would otherwise be spent on activities that have that potential to change your life for the better. The one that has the most significant impact on your ability to manage your attention is your technology environment.... If there are thousands of inputs competing for your attention you end up going one mile in a thousand directions as opposed to going a thousand miles in one. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- UNMISTAKABLECREATIVE.COM -- Shallowness and Distraction vs. Focus and Depth ... With depth, we experience a different kind of joy, a kind that sustains carries, and inspires us to put pen to paper, brush to canvas, and commit to the expression of our soul's calling whatever form that might take. In a state of depth we create and make our dent in the universe. In a state of shallowness, we spectate instead of create; we're on the sidelines instead of in the game. ...

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THEFEDERALIST.COM -- It is impossible even at the conceptual level, let alone at the level of practice. The separation of church and state is one of the pieties of classical liberalism, and for good reason. It makes the necessary room for the expansion and protection of religious liberty. But I find the concept troubling, not because I don't love religious liberty, but rather because I do, and the separation seems like a somewhat flimsy foundation for supporting so important a value.... Let me explain. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- ISI.ORG -- INTERCOLLEGIATE REVIEW -- Competition is supposed to be healthy. But as we engage in all this competition, we usually don't stop to ask: why are we doing this to ourselves? I use some contrarian questions to escape from competition ... "What important truth do very few people agree with you on?" Good answers are ones that are uncomfortable.... The real problem is conformity, a fear of stepping outside the bounds. We have become more lemming-like.... We live in a world in which courage is in far shorter supply than genius. ...

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[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- AREOMAGAZINE.COM -- We live in an increasingly hysterical society, plagued by constant outrage ... The path to happiness and personal fulfillment at a harrowing cultural moment like ours is not more outrage. Rather, it is the conscious, careful cultivation of a stoic attitude: an attitude of calmness ... Lines of stoic thinking can be found in every major religion.... Stoicism teaches that we have no power over external events and they have no power over us, if we train our minds accordingly. ...

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THEFEDERALIST.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: In 1999, Hazar Imam said he watches other (non-Ismaili) communities to learn how they retain their heritage, identity, and traditions.] ARTICLE: Is churchgoing and religious adherence really in "widespread decline" that conservative believers should suffer "growing anxiety"? Absolutely not. New research by scholars at Harvard University and Indiana University Bloomington is just the latest to reveal the myth.... But what about young people? We hear that young people are "leaving the church in droves," ... Pew reports that of young adults who left their faith, only 11% said they had a strong faith in childhood while 89% said they came from a home that had a very weak faith in belief and practice. ...

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