Michael T. Starks

Category: Society

  • Wide Awake at 4 AM

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    It’s not unusual for me to wake up early. Am I so excited for the Sun to rise that I don’t want to miss it? While my mind is awake, I don’t always feel like my body is getting enough rest. And I struggle with taking naps. Of course, when I’m on vacation, my only…

  • Ambiguity

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    In addition to subtlety, ambiguity is inherent in all systems. Systems are big. There’s no way to know everything about all aspects of most systems. We can find tendencies for how entire systems evolve. We can find insights into how relationships impact system dynamics. We can learn a lot about the elements that make up…

  • Subtlety

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    It’s easy to read headlines and miss out on the whole story. Often, headlines are designed to mislead us. Social media exacerbates the problem. When we react to people fuming about a headline, we don’t always take the time to learn enough about the whole story. There is no contentious issue that lacks subtlety. It’s…

  • This Nasty Gilded Age

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    I’m excited to share a new song I composed. It’s obviously inspired by current events. Thanks to Robert Reich for keeping me focused on the big picture! I don’t pretend to understand everything that’s happened. I just know that since 1980 or so, most of the productivity gains in our society have not made it…

  • Human Experiences

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    While we are much more alike than different, humans can experience our world in almost unrecognizable ways. The fascinating movie Vantage Point shows how we all get different glimpses of many situations. None of us has the whole picture. That’s why it’s so important to listen to each other. Our own memories of any event…

  • Comfort Zones

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    We often get comfortable in our lives. We tend to go to the same places, see the same people, and do the same things day after day. In a world where the pace of change seems to be increasing, habitual experiences are comforting. Nevertheless, I like the idea of doing things that take us out…

  • Audio Versus Visual Reading

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    I’m not the first to notice a difference. Cody Kommers wrote an article about this topic in Psychology Today. While he hasn’t done a scientific study, he makes a few great points. Here’s what I’ve noticed. If I’m reading a book before falling asleep, I’ll stop on the page where I start to doze off.…

  • Success Threshold

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    While setting up a new spreadsheet for Tracking Stars in 2025, I’ve decided to keep the “success threshold” low. This is by design. It turns out that Tiny Habits are easier to incorporate into our daily lives than BIG CHANGES. “As I accumulated dozens of new habits—mostly tiny ones—they combined to create a transformation. Sustaining…

  • Weak

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    After setting an intention to become STRONGER this year, I feel ridiculously weak. I’m starting 2025 with a cold that’s sapping away my energy and strength. It’s not a bad cold. I’m just a bit congested and tired. I’m grateful that Karilyn, Mikayla, and I were all fairly healthy in 2024. I’m sure I’ll feel…

  • Snow in Broomfield

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    We did not have a white Christmas. The skies have mostly been clear, despite being cold outside. Last night, I stepped out to see if I could see the Northern Lights. I thought this might be possible due to a solar storm mentioned online. No such luck! This morning, there is a very light dusting…