What is empathy? It’s a word often used to describe… something. In Australia, our federal Government has practically diluted the word of any meaning as a result of their ’empathy training’ deflection of responsibility. Lately, there’s talk of replacing the term with the phrase ‘perspective taking’. I like this. I think it’s helpful. Yes, it has its...
How to search this site
It’s not intuitive I grant you, but you can click the hamburger menu (top right) to show a panel that includes a search bar, plus my complete archives – all the way back to 2004.
More WeWork
And yes, another link to another WeWork discussion, this time Ben Thompson’s insightful take. Of particular interest (which I haven’t seen highlighted elsewhere), is WeWork’s ability to abandon leases: The company also has another, rather unsavory, advantage in a recession: its opaque corporate structure. While there are many downsides to the fact that the “We Company†is a...
It’s on the internet, it must be true
Fascinating articles from the NYT about Snopes – ‘the definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation.’ Snopes is now helping with general fact checking for Facebook, and as a result finds itself under attack, which may or may not be a good thing… It’s easy to laugh at people who get fooled by fake news and...
Amazon versus Book Depository
This is why I always use Book Depository these days. Book Depository is more expensive for the books themselves, but Amazon totally fucks you over with the shipping. And their shipping timeframes are ridiculous too (4 weeks to ship a book, seriously?) Book Depository total for 3 books: $72.20 Amazon total for 3 books: $127.18 Book Depository: Amazon: btw worth mentioning that buying through these...
Giving blood
I give blood every 12 weeks at my local Red Cross blood donation centre. According to Red Cross a blood donation could save up to 3 lives. Which makes me feel good about myself. Which is why I do it. And why you should consider doing it too. To feel good about your self. If that sounds selfish it’s because it is. Last year I was looking for ways to feel good about myself, that actually did...
Sitting in Judgement
Imagine you are a passenger in a plane that is starting its takeoff approach. You are accelerating down the runway when the left engine catches on fire. The pilot heroically brings the plane to a rapid halt and commences the emergency evacuation procedures. There is heat, and fire, and smoke. People are panicking. You are in the plane, perhaps in a middle row, with an exit 10 rows ahead, and 10...
Taking a compliment
An interesting social experiment where a women decided she’d agree with compliments men gave her. The results are pretty interesting – summary:  she mostly got criticised, called vain, and even abused. The issue is probably not a gender one (eg if the roles had been reversed and men had agreed when getting complimented, they’d likely have gotten similar pushback) but it does...
Exciting New Banking Experience
I’m pretty sure the words ‘exciting’ and ‘banking’ don’t belong together.
Too much to ask
Reply from Malcolm Gladwell when asked about a child’s birth month being an advantage (emphasis mine): Question: In Outliers, you discuss why a hugely disproportionate number of professional hockey and soccer players are born in January, February and March. I can’t begin to imagine how many to-be parents you influenced to try and have their offspring be born in those months! MG:...