Sharing what I have learned from what I have read: A blog by Joe Abittan
Donald Trump frequently employs a rhetorical strategy built on the power of social influencers. We pay attention to what happens around us, and adjust our behaviors and even our beliefs relative to the groups that surround us. When we are around people who cuss a lot, we might cuss more. When we are around people … Continue reading Social Influencers
We are social creatures that crave connections with and acceptance from other people. We want to have many allies as we move through life and want to be seen as a valuable ally to others. In our minds, we magnify our actions, words, and behaviors, examining what we do and how we present ourselves to … Continue reading The Spotlight Effect
"Its a natural human instinct to turn our fears into symbols, and destroy the symbols, in the hope that it will destroy the fear," writes Johann Hari in his book Chasing the Scream. Hari writes this to explain the ways in which American culture has responded to drug use and addiction. We have demonized drugs … Continue reading Fears and Symbols
I recently completed a Master's in Public Administration and I spend a lot of my time thinking about government, governance, and the world of politics. One of the things I frequently hear in podcasts is how successful politicians have this ability to focus in on the people they speak with to truly connect to them, … Continue reading The Value of the Person Next to You Right Now
I remember reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and highlighting a segment where Aurelius encouraged us not to judge others because we have the same propensity for negativity and mistakes as anyone around us, and often times it is not our will alone that stops us from behaving in the same way as those that we … Continue reading Compassion and Awareness
We make claims all the time about what other people are thinking and feeling and about the motivations, beliefs, and desires of others. We can maybe be right about some large things and the study of psychology has given us insight into a lot of patterns of the brain, but to think that we could … Continue reading The Absurdity of Thinking We Know What is Happening in Another’s Mind
One of the ideas in Ryan Holiday’s book The Obstacle is the Way is developing a focus on other people and things beyond ones-self and one's immediate wants and desires. Holiday follows stoic principles to build a more purposeful and meaningful life, and one of his strategies is to think more deeply about others. He encourages … Continue reading New Avenues for Movement
Ryan Holiday has a solution for overcoming fears and personal anxieties - thinking beyond ourselves and our immediate situation. In his book, The Obstacle is the Way, Holiday helps us see ways in which we can reach greater growth by learning from the challenges we face and changing our thought process when we encounter difficulties. … Continue reading Helping Others
Marcus Aurelius constantly sought to become more self-aware by reflecting on himself, his actions, and his thoughts. He recorded his reflections and the lessons he learned from constantly being present and observing himself and others in his book Meditations, and we can use his wisdom to help improve our lives, nearly 2,000 years later. One of … Continue reading What We Think of Ourselves
Throughout his book Meditations, Marcus Aurelius focuses not just on how we should think about ourselves, but on how we should think of others. During his life he strived to avoid thoughts of negativity and he focused on finding the positive aspects of humanity in all people. Rather than reducing people to their flaws and … Continue reading Recognizing the Positivity of Others