Character—the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life—is the source from which self-respect springs.
~ Joan Didion
slip:4a970.
Character →
Dynamic societies →
What’s often left out of those criticisms of dynamism is what a dynamic society actually means that’s truly positive, and that is when you have a society where people are thinking up new things and starting them, you get the benefits of those ideas all the way downstream: better jobs, more better jobs, jobs that people are happier with, and the like.
~ Ryan Streeter from, Embracing Dynamism: My Long-read Q&A with Ryan Streeter | American Enterprise Institute – AEI
slip:4uaeeo1.
This long-read goes deep into society, economics, and even politics. It’s a little different than things I generally post. The particular point quoted above feels like a non-zero-sum-game feature of trade among individuals. In a good trade, everyone separately agrees that they are better off after the trade. There’s net increase in “better off”—however we manage to measure that, be it in dollars, or smiles. (Aside: Coercion of any sort disqualifies a trade from being “good” in my estimation.)
É•
Wise consumption →
Wise consumption is much more complicated than wise production. What five people will produce, one person can very easily consume, and the question for each individual and for every nation is not how are we to produce, but how our products are to be consumed.
~ John Ruskin
slip:4a969.
Stingy with positive reinforcement →
Here’s something I’ve noticed about myself: If I read something great, I’ll sometimes write a short comment like “This was amazing, you’re the best!” Then I’ll stare at it for 10 seconds and decide that posting it would be lame and humiliating, so I delete it go about my day. But on the rare occasions that I read something that triggers me, I get a strong feeling that I have important insights. Assuming that I’m not uniquely broken in this way, it explains a lot.
~ “Dynomight” from, So you’re thinking about writing on the internet
slip:4udyie1.
I too have this tendency. In recent years I’ve been actively working on my own version of “See something. Say something.” as part of my changes to achieve results. My version is that nice things must be said out loud. No more sitting on the positive thoughts; Yes, I need to squish my incessant critical commentary. Dial that down, please. But I also need to practice letting out the good stuff too. Nice shirt. Smooth movement. This food is delicious. It’s so insanely comfortable here. Thank you for making this come together. If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.
É•
Play with Kel Glaister →
How does play and movement intersect with personal growth, mental health, and the practice of Parkour?
Exploring how Parkour connects to mental health and play reveals deep personal insights.
It’s all about play. And I think that making— I love strengthening and I love building— you know, physical capacity. But in the end, that’s just a couple of stepping stones towards building people’s ability to play.
~ Kel Glaister (6:46)
The discussion opens with reflections on the influence of animals, like Kel’s dog, on humility and how they bring perspective to human movement practice. The conversation then expands to explore the cultural and environmental factors shaping Parkour, emphasizing the unique styles and strengths fostered by different regions. There’s an emphasis on how community and environmental context influence the practice.
Kel shares personal insights about the role of play in movement and the transition from self-critical motivations to a more compassionate approach. Craig and Kel discuss the impact of mental health struggles and how this shaped their training philosophy, shifting focus toward longevity and joy in movement. The role of organizations like Parkour Earth is also examined, highlighting the importance of global representation and grassroots involvement in shaping the future of the discipline.
(more…)Goodness →
Pay bad people with your goodness; Fight their hatred with your kindness. Even if you do not achieve victory over other people, you will conquer yourself.
~ Henri Amiel
slip:4a968.
Rules for living →
Stoicism, in theory, is a philosophy. As a practice, it is a set of rules to live by. The Stoics believed that life was complicated—more importantly, that it was exhausting. So to create rules was to help ensure that we stay on the right path, that we don’t let the complexity and the nuance of each individual scenario allow us to compromise on the big, high standards we know we hold.
~ Ryan Holiday from, 12 (Stoic) Rules For Life: An Ancient Guide to the Good Life
slip:4udaru1.
This is an enormous post. Normally something of this size would be twelve, separate posts. It’s nice to be able to leisurely read through this. I’ve gotten enormous return on my investment of time from these rules. I often remind myself, however, that these are aspirational. These are the ideals for which I’m striving. They are not the reef upon which I’m planning on smashing the ship through strict adherence.
É•
Misfortunes →
If you fear woes and misfortunes, then you are already unhappy. Those who fear misfortunes usually deserve them.
~ Chinese proverb
slip:4a967.
Coaching through play →
This blog deals specifically with the games based aspect of coaching. I recommend using a model of explicitly teaching skills and then combining this with purposeful practice drills. With primary school children, that almost invariably means playing games.
~ John ‘Hedge’ Hall from, Coaching through Play: How Does it Work? | LinkedIn
slip:4ulipu2.
I often mention parkour, FreeRunning, and Art du DĂ©placement and I just wanted to take a moment to mention that there are a ton of people (myself not included) who take teaching it very seriously. If you’ve ever wondered how it’s taught— well, here you go.
É•
Preparation with Catherine Jaeger →
What are the challenges and strategies for transitioning a podcast to include a co-host while maintaining quality and authenticity?
A podcaster shares insights on balancing spontaneity with preparation.
You know, the magic [is] in the bottle as some jazz musicians say, right? Getting that group together, so that you can really have that spark and both drive the conversation forward.
~ Catherine Jaeger (11:40)
The conversation focuses on a podcaster transitioning to a co-hosted format. Topics include the challenges of adapting to a new medium, the steep learning curve of conducting engaging interviews, and the importance of pre-planning versus spontaneity in creating authentic content. Catherine reflects on their journey of podcasting, emphasizing the significance of balancing preparation and minimal editing to capture the essence of conversations.
Additionally, the discussion explores time constraints and their impact on the podcast format, highlighting the benefits of short, focused episodes for both creators and listeners. Other themes include building rapport with co-hosts, managing roles during conversations, and learning from various interviewing styles. Catherine also acknowledges the role of improvisation and intentional experimentation in evolving their craft.
(more…)