Michael T. Starks

Category: Society

  • Starting from Scratch

    —

    by

    admin
    in

    We all depend on each other for inspiration. Even if we don’t do research for a bit of writing, we depend on everything that we’ve learned previously throughout our lives. By the time that we are able to write a blog post, we’ve been filled with countless ideas from the people in our lives. What…

  • Brats

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    Last night, I watched a new documentary by Andrew McCarthy called Brats. I watched it because I enjoyed watching the “Brat Pack” movies back in the day. Welcome, nostalgia! One of my favorite scenes is a discussion between Andrew McCarthy and Malcolm Gladwell. Malcolm says that at the time, 90% of people in their twenties…

  • Simplifying Frameworks

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    Humans are lazy. We don’t want to work harder than we need to. Especially when it comes to trying to understand something new. Much of what’s interesting in the world is nuanced. Simplifying frameworks help us “cut to the chase”. We use them at the expense of gaining a deeper understanding. For example, we often…

  • Owning DVD’s

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    I remember when I used to own a lot of records. I don’t have any of them anymore. I may have transferred some to cassette tapes, but I don’t even have a way to play cassette tapes anymore. I still have a lot of DVD’s, but I can’t remember the last time I played one…

  • Midlife

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    Today, I finished reading the book Midlife by Kieran Setiya. The author calls it a philosophical guide. I found parts of it very interesting and relevant to what I’ve experienced in my fifties. Here is a brief review of the ideas, based on a summary chapter in the book. Life can seem bleak, whether or…

  • Decision Making

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    Often, decisions must be made based on incomplete information. Here’s an example. Suppose you need to get from Sioux Falls to Denver. Traveling by car, with a couple of stops, the trip would last at least ten hours and cost at least $50 in gas and food. While these estimates could be improved, the exact…

  • Be Curious

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    Yesterday, I learned a bit more from the Original Series Tell a Great Story that Michael Lewis has on Masterclass. I was struck by the following quote that he shared. The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already, but the simplest…

  • Influencers Are Not Your Friends

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    I love to learn. As a consequence of this, I follow several “Influencers” to learn more. I enjoy reading books, watching videos, and reading emails from Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, Esther Perel, Chip and Dan Heath, Ramit Sethi, Marisa Murgatroyd, Marie Forleo, and others. Here’s the thing. The relationship we have with Influencers is typically…

  • Courtesy

    —

    by

    admin
    in ,

    “Good behavior” is a social convention that depends on the times, the place, and your specific groups. I grew up in Colorado, where awkward conversations were often pushed aside in favor of talking about the weather. I encountered something very different in New York, where I went to college. My suitemates were from Queens, the…

  • May the 4th…

    —

    by

    admin
    in , ,

    People do not have the same priorities. This is a good thing. Today, early in the morning, I got a text from my son reminding me to celebrate Star Wars Day. This meant the world to me! May the 4th be with you! Later in the day, I took my daughter to visit other family…