Date: 23.11.2022

The online world should make us more capable of managing the difficulties emerging in the offline world. Not make us totally neglect the offline world.

Sadly, the latter happens.

With the promise of more fun and fewer responsibilities. We tend to subscribe to the notion that online, there is a lot more to do than offline. Thus, the glued-to-your-phone phenomenon.

But missing out on social interactions because no one can make eye contact with you is just part of the problem.

The more our attention is possessed by the newest modern app. The further our attention degenerates.

This, and other troubling concepts, are discussed in the fascinating book Stolen Focus by Johann Hari.

I totally recommend the book. Especially today, in our fast and hectic world.

• Stolen Focus by Johann Hari: Claim your attention. Increase the chances of winning the ongoing battle against the forces trying to steal your focus. Stolen Focus by Johann Hari discussed a wide variety of problems that are leading to an attention-pathogenic culture – a place where deep focus is nearly impossible to achieve.

Full text for members only.

Interesting books I recently added to my reading list (and hopefully will read at some point):

• Designing Experiences by J Robert Rossman: In an overcrowded world full of noise, people want a seamless experience. This book will teach you how to approach a project and create easy-to-get design concepts.
• Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving by Celeste Headlee: Though we are continuously chasing efficiency, our lives remain extremely inefficient. We are overworking, overdoing, and plus, exhausted. In this book, the author explores how we can escape this never-ending work loop and live a more calm life.

John B. Watson

Born on January 9, 1878. John B. Watson was an American psychologist who popularized the scientific theory of behaviorism.

He famously claimed that if he were to be given a dozen healthy infants he could shape them into anything: doctors, lawyers, artists, or musicians, regardless of their background or genetic predispositions. However, this claim has little support given the fact this all of his children attempted suicide after being raised by his methods.

He conducted a series of research on animal behavior and child learning. One of his most famous experiments was called "Little Albert".

Big idea: "Little Albert" experiment

With the Little Albert experiment. John B. Watson wanted to prove that we can be programmed to be afraid (or not) of anything.

In the experiment itself, the goal was to instill fear of a white rat into "Little Albert", a 9-month-old boy.

At first, Watson and his assistant Rosalie Rayner placed the boy in a room where a white rat was allowed to roam around. First, the boy showed no fear. Then Rayner struck a steel bar with a hammer every time Albert reached out to touch the rat, scaring Albert and causing him to cry. Eventually, Albert tried to get away from the rat, showing that he had been conditioned to fear the rat.

Later, in an attempt to see if the fear transferred to other objects, Watson presented Albert with a rabbit, a dog, and a fur coat. He cried at the sight of all of them.

Basically, this study demonstrated how our emotions are heavily influenced by our surrounding environment.

From my desk:

• Why Choose Process Goals? (Over Outcome-Based Goals): Behold the easy-to-understand but progressively hard-to-do power of process goals. These “you have to do them till you are alive” type of goals offer a sure way to rid you of your uneventful and unprogressive life.

From around the web:

• 50 ways to be ridiculously generous—and feel ridiculously good: "Record an audio message for someone you’ve been meaning to thank for a while. Text it to them and tell them: 'Keep this audio note and play it whenever you’re doubting your awesomeness.'"

Journeyman years

Journeyman years, or Wanderjahre in German. Is a period of a soon-to-be-master person who just finished his apprenticeship as a craftsman.

Currently, we call this a gap year. But years ago, when apprenticeship was the normal way for a person to master a craft. After someone completed their training at their first teacher. This same person could choose a) to be employed or b) to engage in Wanderjahre (years of wandering). This was an important part of the training program for an aspiring master. Plainly, a person would move from one town to another to gain experience.

When arriving in a new town. The journeyman would be given a list of workshops where he was able to present himself and find work. If successfully elected thanks to his skills. He would be given guild shelter and his name would be added to the guild chest. When it was time to leave for the next town. The guild issued certificates - called Kundschaft. Describing the work achievements of the journeyman.

Only after completing the journeyman years, a person would be given the right to settle in his own workshop and after several more years, allowed to produce a masterpiece (magnum opus).

I made this newsletter to taste like a refreshing herbal tea - easy to slurp down but with lots to chew on.

Enjoy!

Thank you for your time!

Regards,

Ivaylo Durmonski

To share your thoughts, just hit reply. I love hearing from you. Seriously, do it. It's one of the best parts of writing this newsletter.

New here? Subscribe to the future editions by clicking here.