interiors

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 15:51:00 +0000

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished reading this crying. It is a work of neurobiology, social science, anthropology, and history, but ultimately it is a work of great humanity, suggesting ways that humans, our groups, our systems, and our societies can be made better.

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Living With Aphantasia, the Inability to Make Mental Images

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 13:40:00 +0000

Recently, reading EurekAlert releases, I came across two findings, the first of which I found odd since I assumed the scientific professions required more visualization, not less, while the second conformed to expectations, so did not find surprising:

- People with low or no visual imagery are more likely to work in scientific and mathematical industries than creative sectors, according to new research. (Title: Aphantasia clears the way for a scientific career path, UNIVERSITY OF EXETER)

Contrary to the idea that aphantasia is a hindrance, one study subject "found as a scientific leader that aphantasia helps greatly to assimilate complex information into new ideas and approaches. By understanding concepts vs fact memorization I could lead complex, multidisciplinary teams without needing to know their level of detail." Granted, we might all feel this way, but...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/well/mind/aphantasia-mental-images.html#commentsContainer&permid=108157642:108157642

On the other hand, excessive visualization could be useful in the arts. but one wonders about the downsides, the possibility of experiencing visualizations too strongly. of remembering bad events, or even worse trauma, vividly.

He said: "This discovery adds importantly to our understanding of aphantasia. Our research shows that aphantasia has certain benefits to people working in technical sectors while hyperphantasia predisposes people to work in the arts. While this is the overall trend, we know there are many exceptions - for example, we recently organized an exhibition of art created by aphantasic artists which went on show in Exeter and Glasgow in 2019.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/well/mind/aphantasia-mental-images.html#commentsContainer&permid=108157707:108157707

Although I tend to use visualization for all sorts of tasks, I was under the assumption that I had a decent, but not a strong, ability to visualize, until I tried a test of visualization. I do not have aphantasia, and did not finish the test - the site was buggy - but from my answers, I can see that I have middling to lower ability.

Now I wonder, and although I am not in a scientific profession. I work in a technical field, and much of my non-fiction reading is science-related. Even at work, I need to see something, like programming code, to understand it. I am verbally and mathematically highly competent the abilities do not mesh and find it very had to visualize verbal descriptions of mathematics, in areas like economics and finance, finding it much easier to understand from and work with the math.

Maybe, this is the reason tech people need screen-sharing and whiteboards.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/well/mind/aphantasia-mental-images.html#commentsContainer&permid=108158014:108158014

I write like
Dan Brown

About Dan Brown | Analyze your text

A Manly Response to Disease

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 13:36:00 +0000

Some illnesses have more negative emotional repercussions than others, and some are more amenable to direct action than others.

I am not a traditional male but did grow up in a stoic family, and because of negative dynamics, we didn't discuss feelings. I've overcome many of the negatives of my upbringing, but keep much to myself, and can occasionally surprise my spouse when I do say something negative, or that something bothers me.

That said, I've had Type 1 diabetes for the past 43 years, and the attitude that has most helped me is the hard-nosed stoic that works against the feelings of failure that can accompany illness. One chooses to do better, be better, in the face of threat. Talking about it wouldn't have helped much.

But I realize that isn't the same for everyone, or all illnesses.

When one is young, the disease is controllable, and life is not ideal, a tough attitude can help, but as one ages, there are fewer options for change, and illness can be disruptive to a settled life, giving a rise to fears about our mortality, losing our life along with losing the joy of others. This is when talking is likely most helpful, dealing with a situation where the options are few and the possibilities unsettling.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/well/live/a-manly-response-to-disease.html#commentsContainer&permid=109323265:109323265

I write like
David Foster Wallace

About David Foster Wallace | Analyze your text

Out-of-Sync ‘Loners’ May Secretly Protect Orderly Swarms

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 24 May 2020 16:23:00 +0000

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Responding to an article in Quanta, Out-of-Sync ‘Loners’ May Secretly Protect Orderly Swarms:

Wasn't this always obvious? Maybe not.

I've been reading more in complexity and systems, and as most people do, toy with ideas about evolution, but this seems applicable. in the same way that not all humans show the same level of conformity nor rebellion, humans vary in their level of collective action, and in some cases, being the outsider can pay off with reproductive success, particularly if the herd is dominated by a few top-level reproducers. In some ways it can produce more robust offspring, and facilitate species survival.

One book I read that explored this was Complex Adaptive Systems: An Introduction to Computational Models of Social Life, and from that, the idea of modeling a group and randomizing initial behavior, then using a genetic algorithm to 'reproduce' could easily wind up with the article's scenario, provided the 'environment' was sufficiently varied. If one only has a single and unvarying environment, then likely one trait will dominate, even push out completely the lesser trait, but real life is messy...

I write Like...

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 03 May 2020 16:28:00 +0000

I found this new classifier site for writing style I Write Like. According to it...

I write like
David Foster Wallace

About David Foster Wallace | Analyze your text

Everyone Knows Memory Fails as You Age. But Everyone Is Wrong

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 18:38:00 +0000

Photo by Rene Asmussen from Pexels

One wonders if some of the feelings of verbal loss have to do with age at which we peak, the '40s, in that verbal ability seems to rise from our teens, peak in midlife, and decline in our senior years. Peak verbal ability might be in the forties, and although my vocabulary is still increasing - I do NYT Sundays/Thursdays, but could only finish Mondays when I was younger - at 60, it means coming down from a 99th percentile high for other activities.

As to the volume of information, we have at our disposal, although true that it can longer go through large stores, there are increases in the noise levels of the brain, adding to the decline in recovery speed.

I think I'm still the same forgetful person I was when I was a young adult but 4 aspects have changed, resulting in fewer mistakes:

- Development of Habits / Conscientiousness

- Electronic systems/software

- Using alternatives ways of doing things, microwaves, timers, etc.

- Spouse's memory for all the other stuff I'd ignore or forget

I was always someone that got the gist more than the details. I was always good at faces, bad at names. I often lost the house key or burn pots. I'm still someone that can forget to do things, like pick up bananas or milk.

I still would be if it wasn't for the aforementioned life hacks, well...

The Academic Apocalypse

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 18:34:00 +0000

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Article: Opinion | The Academic Apocalypse - The New York Times

If we were living in a better society, one focused on the quality of life, where one could pursue one's interests, even if less remunerative and survive, maybe the humanities could be sustained. I work in one of those 'hot' professions as a software developer, and until recently in finance. in my years there I interest in the humanities or the social sciences to be almost nonexistent. There were many opinions, but generally ignorant. The unbalanced worlds of technology and finance have no art and at times no heart.

That said, some reasons, as well as some not mentioned by others:

Technology - That's where the money is, along with anything else the works with technology

Inequality: The wealthy can't make money from the arts, although they might enjoy it privately or at events, so it is underfunded

Funding: Students are cash cows milked for tuition, so choices are made for economic reasons.

Sexism: Women are often in non-STEM fields so...

Sexism: Men are in the [put one here] profession, and it gets funded...

Masculine society: We fund the military and let corporate ambitions destroy the planet, but again, little for the quality of life, family or health care or leisure, except as a cash cow for corporations...

Keeping Aging Muscles Fit Is Tied to Better Heart Health Later

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 18:04:00 +0000

Photo by Guduru Ajay bhargav from Pexels

Article: Keeping Aging Muscles Fit Is Tied to Better Heart Health Later - The New York Times

One comment, one gripe, comment first:
Generally, muscle mass is to some degree correlated with well-being and health, so this finding is not so new, but also, not indicative that activity is the cause. The human body is a system and the result of the system is muscularity, dependent on hormones and one's natural dispositions. However cliched, reductions in testosterone (or much more complicated variations) might affect muscle mass, heart health, fat mass, emotional well-being, etc. My gripe is the usual one: The study needs a well-controlled, with comparative treatments and a control group, to differentiate the effects of preserving muscle mass. This study, and this presentation, does nothing except make the same mistake many do, assume correlation of muscle mass with well-being is causative. The author correctly hedges her conclusion, writing that keeping muscle "is probably key to protecting middle-aged hearts", and one can't go wrong advocating fitness, but it still leaves the wrong impression. I'm not a medical professional, but my undergrad focused on study design, I was certified as an ACE-certified as a personal trainer, and have been working out for over 30 years. I have read many many studies and analyses of fitness and health outcomes. Most popular analysis, and many if not most published ones, suffer from the same problem, bad study design.

The Myth of the Urban Boomer

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 18:04:00 +0000

Article: The Myth of the Urban Boomer - The New York Times

There is an allure to the suburbs for me, but only the density of the greenery, having nearby forests and woods. The suburbs themselves are something I privately deride, rows of environmentally-harmful, often cookie-cutter housing, the ugliness of strip malls, and the irritations of car ownership.
We were lucky to have bought our condo in 2008, near the beginning of the mini-RE crash in Manhattan, and before the rise of the luxury market, in a large, quiet, condo overlooking a 3-acre park. I have a 15-minute walk to work. I take long walks on weekends to see how the different areas change or through Central Park, visit museums, and stop at a cafe or two to read. NYC is where we want to be, except maybe in another city, maybe the west coast or in Europe (a bit of fantasy). Even when my spouse and I are both retired, urban living will likely be our preference, although, as mentioned before, there is always the allure of deep green forest and the outdoors.

The Big Myth Behind the ‘Real New Yorker’

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 18:03:00 +0000

Photo by Tatiana Fet from Pexels

Article: The Big Myth Behind the ‘Real New Yorker’ - The New York Times

Adams is little different from Trump and his nativists. The latter blames immigrants and foreign countries for the problems of economic and social inequality, then uses that blame to manipulate the ignorant. The rise of inequality has little to do with the people that come to New York, those immigrating from outside the country or those migrating from inside the US. Like most, they come for a better life, for work, and for family. The Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam believed that diversity was a root of their success, and defended it. Without a doubt, that diversity is part of what makes New York thrive, makes it safer, and makes it interesting. On the other hand, there are sweetheart deals to developers to make luxury high-rises, a dearth of affordable housing development, short-term rental industries reducing housing supply, opaque legal vehicles allowing foreigners to park their money here, and a financial industry that pays highly and earns outsize profits. Cities are magnets for inequality, and there is little being done to rein it in, to make life equitable for those not part of the upper strata.

What Makes Someone a New Yorker?

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 18:01:00 +0000

Photo by Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura from Pexels

Article: What Makes Someone a New Yorker? - The New York Times

The rise of inequality has little to do with the people that come to New York, those immigrating from outside the country or those migrating from inside the US. Like most, they come for a better life, for work, and for family. Without a doubt, they are part of what makes New York thrive, make it safer, and provide its diversity. On the other hand, there are sweetheart deals to developers to make luxury high-rises, a dearth of affordable housing development, short-term rental industries reducing housing supply, opaque legal vehicles allowing foreigners to park their money here, and a financial industry that pays highly and earns outsize profits. Cities are magnets for inequality, and there is little being done to rein it in, to make life equitable for those not part of the upper strata. Adams is little better than Trump and his nativists. Trump blames immigrants and uses that to manipulate his base, avoiding the actual cause of their problems.

James Igoe's Reviews > Notes from the Underground

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:36:00 +0000

Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disgusting Journey

I emphathized with the character, but at some point it became revolting to read the ideations and machinations involving the character's mistreatment of others. One is left to wonder the meaning and purpose behind the character. Well written, short easily consumable chapters.

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James Igoe's Reviews > This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:35:00 +0000

This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life by David Foster Wallace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Powerful stuff...

One could quibble over the truths of this, about free will, about belief, about the psychology behind these ideas, and how Wallace’s tendencies and suicide matter, but it’s one hell of a great speech, very moving, and very insightful.

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James Igoe's Reviews > Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Novel

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:34:00 +0000

Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Novel by Ari Folman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful Rendition

I read the original some years ago, and although important and impressive, this later version is more deeply affecting. It is not so much the graphics, although they are excellent, but their pairing with highlights from the diary, showcasing our great loss of this young woman’s light.

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James Igoe's Reviews > Weak Links

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:34:00 +0000

Weak Links by Peter Csermely
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many Great Ideas, A Bit Loose

Most of this book is rich with ideas on networks, often highly theoretical, but the presentation and possibilities at times hit a a wrong or offensive chord. You may fee similarly, but
I would still heartily recommend this book to any one lay reading in systems and networks.

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James Igoe's Reviews > Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:33:00 +0000

Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Insights Galore

An enjoyable read, filled from beginning to end with insights, and for myself, providing some insights about generational differences, along with details about usage that I was only superficially familiar.

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James Igoe's Reviews > How To Live in Denmark 2017 Edition: A humorous guide for foreigners and their Danish friends

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:32:00 +0000

How To Live in Denmark 2017 Edition: A humorous guide for foreigners and their Danish friends by Kay Xander Mellish
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyable...

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James Igoe's Reviews > Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 13:30:00 +0000

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For the scientifically literate, nothing groundbreaking, but the final chapter does bring up a couple of interesting points, about free will, and about the insights of physics that our general knowledge has yet to incorporate. An enjoyable read.

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James Igoe's Reviews > Infinite Jest

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:14:00 +0000

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic writer, often disgusting material...

A great writer, and a fascinating and engaging book, but as I finished, it seemed that the metaphor of the video tape, the one that leads to death, is this book. I was tempted to quit when I started to read how this was ‘bro-lit’, as well as thinking Of the uglIness of the settings and of the people, but was drawn back. I finish what I start. That said, there were many appealing aspects, those, and the quality of the writing make this worth the effort...

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A Journey — if You Dare — Into the Minds of Silicon Valley Programmers

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Thu, 16 May 2019 11:13:00 +0000

My responses in a NY Times comment section for the book, Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World by Clive Thompson:

#1 - Link

Although I've been a software developer for 15 years, and for longer alternating between a project manager, team lead, or analyst, mostly in finance, and now with a cancer center, I found it funny that you blame the people doing the coding for not seeing the harm it could cause. First, most scientific advancement has dark elements, and it is usually not the science but how it is used and sold by business people that is the problem. This leads to the second problem, in that it is not coding that is in itself problematic, but specifically how technology is harnessed to sell. It is normal and desirable to track users, to log actions, to collect telemetry, so as to monitor systems, respond to errors, and to develop new features, but that normal engineering practice has been used to surveil users for the purpose of selling. Blaming coders for this turn is like blaming them for the 90s internet bubble. As it is now, it is a rush for profits, not the technology, that is a problem. Many famous historical innovations were driven over the edge by corruption and wealth, not by the people involved in designing and building the systems, although we are so far along in commercialization that it is now part of many developers roles to further the business model.

#2 - Link

@Ben - I completely agree. Most scientific advancement has dark elements, and it is usually not the science but how it is used and sold by business people that is the problem. This leads to the second problem, in that it is not coding that is in itself problematic, but specifically how technology is harnessed to sell.

As for its depictions of coders, I imagine many people not in tech think of coders as young bros' that make apps at cool companies, while in reality, the average is a 38-year old married male with 2 children that makes intranet website and desktop applications for mainstream businesses.

The art aspect if funny, as it is more about soft decision making where one has to weigh the value of one architecture over another, the viability of technology in the future, the ability of coworkers to support and understand the work, the aesthetics and usability of a website. All of these decisions can be made analytically or quantitatively, but more often than not, it is one's sense based on reason and experience.

As for the bug, yes, a missing character might be a problem if I was writing COBOL in 1982 (real story). Nowadays code checking built into IDEs immediately flag such errors, before compilation.

#3 - Link

@Eugene - 10x itself has gained mythical status, but mostly as a misunderstanding, then maybe usurped by an absurd culture of competition.

1 - “In one of their studies, Sackman, Erikson, and Grant were measuring performances of a group of experienced programmers. Within just this group, the ratios between best and worst performances averaged about 10:1 on productivity measurements and an amazing 5:1 on program speed and space measurements!” – The Mythical Man-Month

2 - The original study that found huge variations in individual programming productivity was conducted in the late 1960s by Sackman, Erikson, and Grant (1968). They studied professional programmers with an average of 7 years’ experience and found that the ratio of initial coding time between the best and worst programmers was about 20 to 1; the ratio of debugging times over 25 to 1; of program size 5 to 1; and of program execution speed about 10 to 1. They found no relationship between a programmer’s amount of experience and code quality or productivity.

#4 - Link

I can see that many developers chimed in to complain about the characterization of coding as something that anyone could do, or that coding is primarily syntax. As for myself, I've been in tech for over 30 years and was a CS major in the 80s, learning COBOL, PL/I, and BASIC, but over the years working with numerous scripting languages, and then progressing to using other languages and tools, VBA, SQL, VB.NET, C#, JavaScript, F#, R, Python, as well as numerous related IDEs.

That is one aspect, but behind that is lots of reading, often more articles than books, but covering design (UI/UX), patterns/architecture (GOF), algorithms, database design, best practices, management, social sciences, and operations (Deming to agile). All of this informs the decisions I make when building something for an employer. Granted I am fairly bright, so would have acquired knowledge regardless, but to define coders as simply working with syntax is demeaning. Even people that are deficient in the broader sense of the world can be deeply knowledgeable in their respective domains.

He Has Driven for Uber Since 2012. He Makes About $40,000 a Year.

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Thu, 16 May 2019 10:57:00 +0000

#1

This is an example of exactly why I've hated these services, except when the employees actually benefit, is that the corporation takes most of the profit and drives down cost, turning workers into wage slaves and often breaking existing laws, while serving to make the lives of affluent people easier.

At times, when I need a car for the airport I opt for car services over Lyft or taxis - I deleted Uber years ago - because the workers seem to get treated better, although I pay twice as much. Overall, I think we should be paying more for many things if we are to guarantee the welfare of the people doing the work. And it's not just that, we need to enforce labor laws, as well as tax the wealthy and corporations making profits off employees backs, those same investors that are giving little in terms of benefits.

I am not a Luddite, it is simply that that services that allow employees to be used as 'task rabbits' are harmful to workers' lives. Although older, I work as a software developer and my online profile looks like a 32-year old's according to various systems, but I've often worked as a 'contractor', and although it paid well, it provided no benefits and little security. That was fine for me. I made a decent six-figure income and was lucky enough to use my spouse's generous health benefits, but even then, one realized that it was partially a way for corporations to avoid liability.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31504152

#2

@Frieda Vizel - It brings up an interesting point, that all of these systems are forms of control, from the review system, through the algorithms that 'incentivize' workers to be out on the street, essentially fooling them into driving down the value of their own time. The logic is such that it gives the drivers enough of a reason, or at least the illusion of one, to work, while not providing them enough to live on. Much of this can be modeled via behaviorism, with the reward system, along with the potential for punishment, forming a system of manipulation, the same type of modeling that occurs with social media, addiction, and gambling.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31504598

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31504051:31505653

#3

@Jonathan - Uber lies and misrepresents its viability to workers, and the idea of starting a business is, in fact, a road to failure unless you are already well-placed...

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31504005:31505370:31505611

#4

@EB - A friend in LA, unable to drive my spouse and me to the airport, ordered us a ride via Uber. I like to chat, at least sometimes, and he was bright, but found out that he had a Master in Computer Science that was not being used in his regular work, checked on houses along the coast for foreign owners, and was thinking of selling insurance, all the while working doing logistics for a shipping company. He even brought over his parents from China to reduce his costs. Yes, he drove Uber as a side-gig, and some might laud his ambition, but I couldn't help but see someone that was struggling to make a decent living.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31504725:31505768

#5

@MHB - It's also an issue of security, and increased women bear to avoid mass transit. Ride services allow women to bypass subways and buses, and for many, the cost is an issue.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31504152:31505745:31505833

#6

@Vanessa Moses - It's also an issue of security, as well as an increased cost women bear to avoid mass transit and to stay safe. Ride services allow women to bypass subways and buses, as well as avid standing alone on a street.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/technology/uber-driver-ipo.html?comments#permid=31508270:31517968

Universal Health Care Might Cost You Less Than You Think

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Thu, 16 May 2019 10:56:00 +0000

#1

The facts behind this idea are persuasive, but the biggest resistance will come from business interests determined to destroy the possibility, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceuticals, insurers, hospitals, and the AMA. Then there is the distrust of government held by many, sown by the same business interests. Although overall costs would be lowered, conservative media would gladly push 'testimonials', created and supported by industry groups, attesting to the increased costs on middle Americans. It is possible that most Americans would be for universal health care (UHC?) in some form, but there will be a barrage of propaganda, along with historically business-tilted laws and courts, that would make this a tough proposition.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/opinion/medicare-for-all-cost.html#commentsContainer&permid=100227199

#2

Although costs to business would be reduced from health care, and from the HR costs of managing benefits, businesses would lose the leash that ties many to their jobs. Americans would be free to leave employers to find better companies irrespective of insurance, not stuck with bad employers. Sounds like a win for employees, but it would change the degree of control that business has over employees. This would be good for us, but there might be some disgruntled employers as turnover increased.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/opinion/medicare-for-all-cost.html#commentsContainer&permid=100227251

#3

@Karekin - Debatable win-win, since although costs might decrease, many industries would see increased turnover, and that is expensive. No longer tied to an employer, many will leave for better environments, and companies might then need to do more to retain employees, maybe even including enhanced medical services beyond UHC. Additionally, the higher income people would pay more in taxes, and that tied with their freedom to move might push up wages. Just some thoughts...

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/opinion/medicare-for-all-cost.html#commentsContainer&permid=100227137%3A100227290

#4

@EWood - I assume you are not responding to what I wrote unless you misread it, but you can see that the response from others is that it will cost business. My posts in this forum have been about the political realities, so although I strongly profess advancing human welfare, and argue against the culture of work, it would be foolish to not consider the hurdles and roadblocks hindering a better society.

#5

@Bethannm - Capitalism isn't about competition, and never has been. I best remember that capitalism is about rewarding the owners of capital, nothing more. It is the essence of our plutocracy. Market systems, at least in theory, are about competition and/or the lack of it. Just my view...

Honest, I'd like a better world, free from corporate and plutocratic control, focused on human welfare, but I was looking at the complexities down the road. There are many self-interested groups, and some backlash will come from corporations themselves. I am not advocating an employment 'tether'.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/opinion/medicare-for-all-cost.html#commentsContainer&permid=100227415%3A100227707

#6

@EWood - Obviously, I am not advocating for serfdom, since I stated that this "would be good for us, but there might be some disgruntled employers as turnover increased." On the other hand, one just has to look at our system of employment to realize that the US promotes a modern-day indenture, and is titled toward employers over employees. Again, not justifying it, but it is naive to not consider the potential blockers. Also, it is naive to not realize that many serfs are indoctrinated in their serfdom.

Work in America Is Greedy. But It Doesn’t Have to Be.

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Thu, 16 May 2019 10:51:00 +0000

#1

Over the years - yes I am a somewhat jaded older worker - the idea of being a good highly productive employee has really turned. I am still highly productive, creating quality software products for people, or leading people to positive outcomes, but I am much more aware that companies don't matter. Few corporations have a mission that is worth devoting one's energies to. They are just business entities that don't deserve our commitment.

I am much more likely to ask, how good is that employer, and how good is that employer for me. After 25 years in the financial sector, I took a role with a major cancer center, and part of the reason behind that was its high rating as an employer. Compared to finance, which is harmful to our collective welfare, my new employer devotes resources to human development and provides a better quality of life, besides having a mission one does not feel ashamed about.

Sadly, the US will never be a country concerned about human welfare - at least in the near future - where life matters more than work.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/upshot/employers-flexible-work-america.html#commentsContainer&permid=100489299

#2

Generally, businesses don't deserve our commitment. Yes, there are entities that combine business with nobler aims, e.g., environmental concerns, healthcare, human welfare, etc., but my sense is that people are fooled into the notion of work as being redemptive and uplifting. It isn't. Across the developed world, more work is associated with less human welfare outcomes and a tendency toward higher inequality. Although Americans might get a little smarter and realize that the US has a huge deficit in social welfare for our cultural tendency toward work, enforced and enshrined in laws and policies that benefit corporations, it is not likely to change significantly.

They are just business entities that don't deserve our commitment.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/upshot/employers-flexible-work-america.html#commentsContainer&permid=100489203

#3

Flexibility sounds good in principle, but for many, it will only mean time devoted to work and irregular scheduling. For myself, I enjoy being able to work remotely a couple of days a week and limited management flexibility on my hours, but for many Slack-like apps on their phones, remote dial-ins and links, and remote work itself will mean more work and more work off-hours. It can reduce stress in one form, e.g., the conflict between one's personal life demands while increasing it overall or off hours. Yes, if managed correctly, it does not have to encroach on one's life and can enhance it, but in many ways, it will only be a way to extract more work from people.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/upshot/employers-flexible-work-america.html#commentsContainer&permid=100490504:100490504

James Igoe's Reviews > Infinite Resignation: On Pessimism

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:40:00 +0000

Infinite Resignation: On Pessimism by Eugene Thacker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Although the first half of the book, devoted to ideas of philosophical pessimism was overly long - so many seemingly repeated ideas - it redeemed itself repeatedly with shots of brilliant laugh-out-loud dark humor. The second half, comprised of mini-biographies of great 'pessimist' philosophers, was straightforward providing background and insight, but again, accompanied with a sharp wit.

View all my reviews

Vietnam’s Empty Forests

noreply@blogger.com (James Igoe) — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 13:24:00 +0000

Actually, humans are the nuisance species, although worse than a mere nuisance. Humans have so encroached, in fact, destroyed, much of the world's habitat, that you oddly think of animals as nuisances when they encroach on your little patch of environmental destruction, e.g., your lawn.

Americans aren't doing much of anything to stop the harm to the planet, considering it elected the destructor in chief, continue to guzzle gas, and build even bigger houses...

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/travel/vietnam-wildlife-species-ecotravel-tourism.html?comments#permid=31337971:31339191:31343387