This weekend I finished *Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Great read if you enjoy psychology and cognition. Gladwell discusses how we make snap judgments, and what was refreshing to me was how the book showed that snap decisions are a valid way to think. There is a lot going on in our sub-conscious that, if we were to stop and think about, would cause our brains to overload. So, our brains tuck knowledge and information away, till we find ourselves needing quick access. Fascinating stuff. Here are some interesting quotes/concepts (all from Gladwell, M.: Blink [2005]. Back Bay Books.):
1. pg. 52. "we need to respect the fact that it is possible to know without knowing why we know and accept that - sometimes - we're better off that way."
2. pg. 71. "...people are ignorant of the things that affect their actions, yet they rarely feel ignorant. We need to accept our ignorance and say 'I don't know' more often." This one had me thinking for days. So many times I'm afraid to look ignorant or stupid if I say 'I don't know,' yet I think I've probably been most comfortable with myself when I admit ignorance - because then I've opened my brain to learning.
3. pg. 208. "We think of the face as the residue of emotion...[but] the process works in the opposite direction as well. Emotion can also start on the face." What this means is that if we want to change our emotions, we can do so by changing our facial expressions. Wow! This is something to try next time I get frustrated at work - let's see if I can alter my thoughts by changing my expressions. I'll let you know how it goes.
Go get this book. Good stuff.
1. pg. 52. "we need to respect the fact that it is possible to know without knowing why we know and accept that - sometimes - we're better off that way."
2. pg. 71. "...people are ignorant of the things that affect their actions, yet they rarely feel ignorant. We need to accept our ignorance and say 'I don't know' more often." This one had me thinking for days. So many times I'm afraid to look ignorant or stupid if I say 'I don't know,' yet I think I've probably been most comfortable with myself when I admit ignorance - because then I've opened my brain to learning.
3. pg. 208. "We think of the face as the residue of emotion...[but] the process works in the opposite direction as well. Emotion can also start on the face." What this means is that if we want to change our emotions, we can do so by changing our facial expressions. Wow! This is something to try next time I get frustrated at work - let's see if I can alter my thoughts by changing my expressions. I'll let you know how it goes.
Go get this book. Good stuff.
1 comment:
Jen,
You are so right to be "ruffled and pissed" by the response of the restaurant owner’s response. I have two children as you know and although it's hard and we did in the earlier years ask for the patience of others around us, if the parents were not trying to rectify the situation and it went on for ten minutes that is appalling. When my children were at the age of tantrums in public we left and that was that. The child needs to be corrected and shown that behavior is inappropriate. That's a big pet peeve of mine, parents not parenting and wanting to be the child’s "friend". As for the restaurant owner, I have worked in customer service for so long and I am appalled with what people call "customer service" these days. Are kidding me. I would have been fired so fast my head would have spun if I treated customers the way we are treated today. Thanks for the warning I will not be going to that restaurant ever.
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