The City of Shenzhen: Symbol of the Benefits (and Drawbacks) of Technological Progress

So my relationship with the digital world is a rather interesting one. I find technology inherently fascinating but am also terrified of its potential consequences. On one hand, it can drive humanity to connect in a variety of ways and help us solve problems together while on the other hand, it can sow division and mistrust and drive us apart, i.e. today’s world. Yet my main concern remains the erosion of humanity and the lack of human touch.

That said, it is indeed technology that has brought you dear reader to this page of my blog, which enables me to communicate with you in such a personal form coming at you from my hometown to yours across the globe. Like in a letter I have been given the opportunity (or taken the opportunity) to share some of my innermost thoughts and often feelings on different subjects of interest and concern. Yet unlike in a letter, I do not know who the addressee is or will be and almost always do they not respond or comment, hence turning this into a peculiar one-way means of communication.

The important thing is that you are here and that you are willing and taking the time to read my post. For that I am truly appreciative, and it would have not been possible without the aid of technology. But all this is serving as a prelude to a place that has in my view fully embraced technology as a part of their existence, lifestyle, and raison d’être, which is mostly quite fascinating and inspiring, albeit, as it pertains to anything, it comes with a few caveats of its own.

In fact, few places around the world are as modern and as technologically advanced as the city of Shenzhen in China. We may claim to be living in a technological world here in North America, but it seriously pales in comparison to how this Chinese city is run and operated by fully integrating technology into daily life as well as their way of life.

Full disclosure: I have not been there myself (yet), and all my knowledge is based on a French-speaking documentary that I have recently seen. What was demonstrated in this program was mind-blowing to say the least and only proves how backward, in fact almost cavemen-like, we and our current lives are in contrast, technologically speaking.

Shenzhen is a fascinating case because not only do they fully embrace the latest and most innovative technology of the times, but this is fully integrated into the society at large. I have always seen technology as a means to having more ease and comfort but there can be two issues with this.  Either the technology does not work as advertised or intended (yes, I’m looking at you cursed printer!) or it is filled with glitches. That urgent payment you need to make becomes impossible if the server is down regardless of if it be yours or theirs that is lacking.

But in Shenzhen everything has moved to the technological domain. So much so that any vendor, food stand, or panhandler will not accept cash but only automatic payments, which are often accompanied by a QR code. All this is even taken further in certain stores where you pay with your handprint or, in some cases, the store camera may use facial recognition, see what you have bought and then automatically charge you the amount on your credit card or bank account on file. The idea of simply walking into a store, taking items and just walking out without archaic forms of paying cash or card - and certainly not committing theft - is a wonderful idea to me.

People might object about privacy, but they tend to be the same people who then overshare on social media. At the same time, who cares if other people can see what I am purchasing, which could be accessible by gaining access to credit card statements. And if you do not want to be seen entering a store with someone, then don’t enter with them. In this case, a lack of privacy is a minimal cost to pay for major convenience.

In fact, younger generations may simply love the fact that there is no interaction whatsoever with a salesclerk. If you prefer your interactions online, the city of Shenzhen has it all in one place, one app that allows you to do practically anything. If you want to make bank or mortgage payments, buy food, hail a cab, bet on sports or buy pretty much anything online, you can do it with an app that includes various single apps under one umbrella.

Also, if you want to have food delivered to you in a park, you can access the vending machines that actually sell real fresh food. You order whatever you want, and the restaurant delivers it to you in a drone by dropping off your order in the said vending machine, which you unpack and you can immediately recycle its packaging in the adjacent bin: voilà, now you can enjoy your hot freshly made food outdoors or anywhere you find yourself. This was shown in the documentary, but I am certain soon you could order the food from wherever you are and have it delivered to you promptly with a personal drone service.

Apart from cameras throughout the city, robots are also everywhere. That includes various self-driving cars that yield to pedestrians more than human drivers would. In fact, your hotel service will be a robot taking your luggage, effectively operating the elevator, and providing room service at any hour of your choosing.

Cameras will also be found at the workplace, which would be part and parcel of a smart building. You enter your workplace and do not need a security card as facial recognition will let you enter. You will be easily tracked, so employees who want to cut corners or kill time will have a more difficult time but at the same time, you can be easily located in case of an emergency, a fire, a natural disaster or what-have-you.

Every place with the exception of the washrooms has cameras. The smart building will tell you of available parking spots in the building so you do not waste any time or effort; it can automatically regulate the temperature of your office or workplace, and it can easily detect intruders or address threats in a prompt manner.

Speaking of intruders, there was a case of a foreigner who in a moment of oversight had left his laptop unattended in an outdoors café, which was stolen a few minutes later. The security guard assured him that he would be in possession of his computer in a few hours’ time. And so, it was. They went through the cameras spread throughout the city and were able to locate the thief, follow his movements to his home and easily identity him through the large database at hand.

This was the other amazing bit that crime is literally non-existent in the city of Shenzhen. It is not due to the virtue or moral conscience of its residents but simply due to the fact that you would get caught. What better and more effective way of preventing crime! Residents can leave their bikes unattended and their cars and houses unlocked, ironically hearkening back to a good old era - at least in certain small towns - where life was just safer and more peaceful. Unless you are a potential criminal or you are supporting crime, this situation is a win-win for all residents.  

What exactly are the drawbacks here? As eluded in my earlier prelude, technology can be misused, abused, or used improperly. You could track an ex and hence invade and impinge upon that person’s rightful private life; you could watch people’s movements seen as a potential political or ideological threat and not so much for the sake of public safety. The owner or supervisor will have absolute control through constant surveillance of the workplace. All of these are valid concerns that should not be downplayed or ignored and should be accounted for.

There is also a different darker side to technology that the documentary looked at as well in the form of AI and having an artificial companion or a sex robot. Those are also parts of technology that would, as I mentioned, undermine the human touch and replace it with something much less fulfilling or satisfying.

It comes not as a surprise that this trend would also thrive in a technologically sophisticated place like Shenzhen or any other place in the world. Yet like with blogs, videos, and social media, we also have accountability and the responsibility to act with integrity. At the same time, we need business, political, and community leaders to help and support us in this endeavor and to put certain guardrails for our overall protection.

All in all, I believe that Shenzhen is a symbol of how modern technology can make life not only easier and more convenient but also safer and more satisfying for everyone. That is the whole point of technology: to facilitate and not complicate our lives. This can be taken a step further to solve problems and even come up with solutions not only regarding daily interactions but also offering avenues for a better, more peaceful and sustainable future. We have the means, know-how and technology, so why not delve into it and make it part of our future lifestyle?

Out of this World: My Lower Back Pain and Space Genetics with Christopher Mason

Over the past years, I have attended the Don Rix Distinguished Keynote Addresses with great enthusiasm and almost religious fervor. And no, it’s not just because of the food and wine (full disclosure: we receive a complimentary drink coupon) but it is for the distinguished speakers who share and present their research and various insights with all of us.

In fact, I have seen a number of speakers on different topics at this wonderful annual Genome BC event starting with Dr. Clare M. Fraser on the human microbiome in 2019, the pandemic-induced virtual event with Carl Hansen in 2020 (alas no food or drink for that one!), then had Dr. Caroyln Hogg talk about koalas and Tasmanian devils in 2022, followed by the always interesting and outstanding Wade Davis (the author of The Serpent and the Rainbow) talk about "The Wayfinders of Genomic Wisdom" in 2023, and just last year, we had Dr. Sam Aparicio help us decode cancer and its management via the genomics revolution.

So here we are in 2025 and I was looking forward to Dr. Christopher Mason’s talk entitled “Space Genetics: Epigenetic evolution in Cancer, and a 500-year plan for Synthetic Biology” which was almost as bonkers as Wade’s brilliant address and I should have expected it based not only on the title but the slightly erratic and idiosyncratic spelling thereof. As someone who can be analytical and structured, I found the random capitalization or rather non-capitalization of certain words like evolution and plan to be equally disconcerting and enticing.

That Monday started off with a low-grade lower back pain, which I decided to completely ignore and disregard and went to the gym, nonetheless. I wanted to embrace the “No pain, no gain” mentality for a change. That said, the subsequent walk to the Convention Centre was difficult to say the least. Not only was I space walking in slow-mo with various involuntary stops due to sharp back pain but I realized and understood why lumbago is called “Hexenschuss” (literally "shot by witches") in German. I pictured three witches in black rolling with laughter and putting pins in that precise area of my back as I was trying to walk down the streets.

There were moments I considered dropping by the emergency room worried whether I would be able to make it there if the pain continued and increased proportionally. And yet, the pain-gain correlation was still fresh in the back of my mind, and I really did not want to miss out on this talk on space and genomics. I made it there in one piece, found my seat and decided to sit still and not budge for the remainder of the address.

Next to me were a couple of math teachers – I assume this because one of them was marking a bunch of math exams before the talk commenced. Those numbers and symbols were the root cause of some trauma for me, and I was going to tell her this was giving me PTSD. Then, I thought, she probably did not want to hear this from me and instead noticed how the lack of physical movement was good for my back.

And so, the event started after the usual predictable openings, introductions, and formalities, which I would have gladly skipped on a recording but unfortunately, you cannot really do that at live events. I was eager to see what Dr. Christopher Mason was all about and I was not to be disappointed. He did not mince words and started right away with a journey to Mars and asked us whether the body can survive such a physically and mentally demanding voyage.

What were the potential risks and hazards and how could they be circumvented or be accounted for? There were drills and exercises starting in parabolic flights in the 50s to simulate and prepare for such trips to space, including a rather hilarious video of cats floating in microgravity. This was not all fun and games as the scientific question of whether cats would land on their feet when in space was probed and examined in rigorous detail. The answer is no. I wondered if people felt back pain in space and whether one could say “no gravity, no pain”? The question did not occur to me at the event, so unfortunately, I did not ask him there and then.

By using NASA Twins Study, with Mark Kelly being on earth and Scott Kelly in space, scientists were able to discern and note some key differences between the two. Scott Kelly, who was in space, had certain changes to his genes: he got taller and younger! Sadly, those effects did not last but the interesting finding was that his telomeres were longer. These had something to do with the aging process, i.e. a positive effect, but they seemed to be also somewhat corelated with cancer. You just can’t have it all, can you now?

The interesting observation here was how the immune system responds to gravity and how gene expressions could be turned on and off in that process. Everyone is different, not only on earth but also in space and we all have different stress responses. By engaging in space omics studies, there is a lot that can be learned from all of this. (There are the inherent drive and desire to study pregnancies in space but that is obviously ethically questionable. Apparently, according to the records, there has been officially no sex in space, but that statement seems rather doubtful and perhaps unrealistic; anyhow, this particular study has been put on hold for now.)

The other aspect to study is the effects and changes of the microbiome. Dr. Mason gave the examples of crowded elevators or physical sports where microbiomes are shared and exchanged freely and copiously, which sounds like great fun. The most telling and slightly disturbing example of microbiomes was his daughter’s first visit to New York in which she licked a subway pole, which would be a most terrifying event in any parent’s life but putting on his scientific hat, he found the question rather intriguing.

As a result, they swabbed whole areas to find out. A simple lick snowballed and led to a full-fledged study, which demonstrated that 50% of found organisms were unknown. I found this shocking and terrifying, but Christopher Mason seemed rather at ease and nonchalant about it all including the discovery of 11000 new viruses. He claimed that they were not dangerous and that it all depended upon one’s immune system but licking random poles may be “probably fine” as he was later (mis)quoted in the media.

Now the question is how could we improve not only the microbiome but also make genetic modifications that could help an astronaut survive (and may I add thrive) in space? This would form a sort of protective shield or mechanism where certain genes could be turned on or off at will. For instance, apparently, we have a gene that can produce Vitamin C but that is turned off and no longer used.

Why would that matter? Well, here’s an interesting tidbit of information: both cats and dogs can produce their own Vitamin C, and this is why they do not get scurvy. Us humans, however, need to ensure we get our dose of this vitamin to protect ourselves from this disease. Why not just turn on the gene and be all right? And what would be the repercussions in terms of other diseases and the treatment of cancer and genetic illnesses? These are realities and possibilities thanks to many advances made in genomics and gene technology, such as epigenetic CRISPR.

This was an interesting mix and exploration of genetics and space, merging the micro with the macro world. As Chris (we are on a first-name basis now) remarked our time on this planet and this universe is limited seeing that we shall experience either a Big Crunch or a Big Rip sooner or later. It is shocking that regardless of what we do or don’t do to each other and our species on this planet, there is an expiry date attached to the universe.

And that would make space exploration a necessity for survival. And one of the biggest takeaways here is that we should preserve and keep hope alive and not be crushed by worries or back pain, which incidentally went away after a couple of glasses of red wine, courtesy of Genome BC.

Ode to Psychoanalysis: The Sigourney Award Interviews

It was not until last year that The Sigourney Awards came to my attention but ever since, I am a great fan and supporter not only of the Trust itself but also everything it supports and stands for. The organization is built on and around the lifelong work, dedication, and passionate activism of Mary Sigourney (1927-1988). Not only is psychoanalysis at its core, the heart within the heart of her worldview, but she encouraged and applauded its expansions into other disciplines and territories by not neglecting or overlooking pressing environmental, social, and community issues.

In fact, Mary Sigourney intuitively understood the wide-ranging potential and myriad and unparalleled benefits of psychoanalysis, which could be applied to diverse fields and disciplines, not only its neighboring cousins, psychiatry, psychology, and child development but also its more distant relatives and friends, such as anthropology, law, and criminology. We have already seen and are indeed aware of how psychoanalysis managed to revolutionize the arts and literature, and to a wider extent, the humanities themselves.

In its heydays, psychoanalysis may have wanted to distance itself from other fields so that it can state and proclaim its independence and to carve out and establish its unique identity and characteristics but now and especially nowadays, it is of the utmost importance for it to emerge, merge with and reach out to other branches to create an interdependent unit. As a result, it is wonderful, encouraging, and accommodating that the Sigourney Awards gives recognition to international individuals and organizations that use psychoanalysis in creative and inventive ways across the globe.

Recently, The Sigourney Trust, the independent nonprofit organization established by Mary Sigourney, has announced their new Co-Trustee Dr. Robin A. Deutsch, a psychoanalyst and licensed clinical psychologist who, alongside Attorney Co-Trustee Barbara C. Sherland, is inspired to not only continue with the excellent work, community, and global outreach but to also expand and build upon it in various ways, to seek more inclusiveness and diversity and to continue to reward and promote groundbreaking psychoanalytic thought leading to the betterment of humankind.

It is important to not only focus on theoretical and academic effects and benefits within the field but to harness, realize, and underscore its practical implications and positive impacts on people’s lives everywhere. It is with great thrill and anticipation that I await the winners of this year’s Sigourney Awards and the opportunity to meet, interview, and talk to them towards the end of this year, which would then add to the already impressive number of 136 Award recipients from 22 countries.

In fact, I had the honor and privilege to interview all last year’s winners and proudly featured them on my podcast. My first interview was a fascinating discussion about skin and psychoanalysis with Dr. Jorge Ulnik, a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and Associate Professor of Pathophysiology and Psychosomatic Diseases as well as Adjunct Professor of Mental Health at the Buenos Aires University. 

As part of his interdisciplinary approach of psychodermatology and the realization that diseases often tend to be intertwined with life events and emotions, Dr. Ulnik worked with skin patients to uncover unconscious trigger factors related to the expression and apparition of skin issues and problems. Our discussion then uncovered various underlying social, cultural, and psychological effects of advertising alongside its perception and depiction of beauty as well as the different uses, applications, and expressions of tattoos.

I tend to consider myself to be creative and like to see seemingly unlikely and hard-to-spot but existent connections between events, but I found Dr. Ulnik’s ingenious views and ideas quite stunning. So much so that we agreed to do a follow-up discussion in his native Spanish on psychoanalysis and cinema, the movies and themes of Woody Allen and Pedro Almodóvar, femininity, beauty, and the case of Marilyn Monroe as well as insights into Melanie Klein’s mother and daughter relationships.

Nowadays, for better or for worse, we are immersed in technology, but it was fascinating to see how the amazing analyst couple therapists Dr. David Scharff and Dr. Jill Savege Scharff had no qualms about technology; in fact, they were visionaries and pioneers in its use and capacity in terms of distance education and training. To train psychoanalysts remotely may seem quite a possibility by today’s standards but this forward-thinking psychoanalytic duo brought forth and highlighted various years ago the many benefits of the use and application of technology in terms of worldwide teaching and continuously growing and expanding learning communities. 

Not only does this give opportunities to people who live in remote regions but also facilitates the lives of those who cannot for various economic, social, cultural, or political reasons and circumstances physically travel to places, hence making the access to education more diverse and inclusive and leading to a truly connected global economy.

Finally, by making their books available electronically and free of charge, the precious knowledge and wisdom of psychoanalysis can be accessed and reached from every corner and every socioeconomic stratum and level in the world creating a stronger and more connected, and interconnected community. These types of goals and ambitions combined and complemented with driven and focused activism match and fit perfectly into the work and worldview of its founder Mary Sigourney.

The other recipient of the award was an entire organization, the Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy, which is part of the Austen Riggs Center, a not-for-profit psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts that has been dedicated to and engaged in outstanding research and insights into psychoanalysis. I had the opportunity to interview psychologist/psychoanalyst Dr. Jane Tillman who received the award on behalf of her organization, and we focused on her research on suicide, the process of how a person becomes suicidal, and how to deal with suicide loss, its effects on survivors as well as resilience and suicide prevention.

Dr. Tillman explained how each person is built and wired differently and will deal with pain and adversity in various ways but that regardless of their individual differences and psychological and temperamental variation, social and emotional support and healthy relationships and connections are of vital importance. She also outlined the different warning signs of suicide that one should look out for, and she discussed the stigma of suicide loss and that it is a different, complicated, and traumatic grief process for the families and loved ones involved. Finally, she explained how psychoanalysis today looks quite different from its past, that it has been rebranded and re-packaged and has advanced in various ways and manners leading to a broader field of inquiry, outlook, and knowledge in the current era.

In fact, one of the fascinating aspects of psychoanalysis is that it is not afraid to tread into uncharted waters and territories and nothing is off-limits to this field. It is open and open-minded in its approach, and it is flexible and can bend easily by welcoming and embracing everything from life to sexuality to death, from pain and suffering to joy and bliss, from the unknown and the unconscious to the conscious and consciousness and the mind.

It is the inherent possibilities and potential that have always drawn and attracted me to psychoanalysis, but it was the actual application and its wondrous benefits that converted me and made me a believer in its inherent power for positive and life-changing, and life-affirming change. 

It takes work but it is magical and powerful, and its liberating and healing powers are not that far off and rather quite within reach for each of us. It is the sunrise that comes after seemingly endless and sleepless nights, and I am most pleased to know and acknowledge that there are organizations like the Sigourney Trust that bring forth and shine a light on this luminous path and reward its innovative proponents, thinkers, and leaders.  

How the Brain makes Coffee and dislikes Multitasking: A Book Review of On Task by David Badre

For various days, which then gradually and imperceptibly but persistently morphed into months, David Badre’s book was gathering dust at the edge of my writing desk right next to my computer. It is a book that was awaiting a review and I take my self-claimed voluntary assignments very seriously, and yet, for one reason or another, I was too occupied or too busy on the job front; the various demands of the teaching profession were upon me as I wished to ensure a relatively decent living for myself and my family. As a result, I was forced to postpone this joyful and rewarding task for much longer than anticipated or expected.

This hesitance or resistance has very rarely anything to do with the quality or the subject matter of the books in question. All PR solicitations that I accept and take on are not only taken very seriously but are also of great personal and educational interest to me. I am mentioning all of this here not only to excuse my delay but mainly because of the palpable irony and apparent contradiction: the book I am reviewing is about how our brain gets things done, while, uncharacteristically, I was not getting anything done for an unusual amount of time. It is like procrastinating while at the same time finding out why one is doing so and still procrastinating, nonetheless.

First off, there is the dichotomy of work and leisure at play here. The previously mentioned example of job demands alongside work tasks was given priority over my so-called leisure activities, which significantly hindered and paused the contributions to my blog in different forms and formats, hence slowing down book reviews and interviews. The second reason is that this particular book On Task: How Our Brain gets Things done written by cognitive neuroscientist David Badre was also relatively complicated for a non-scientist like myself as I delve into the field of neuroscience not headfirst with a full-stream dive but with dipped toes and protective floaties around my arms.

And yet, David Badre’s book starts off so easy, and the hook is immediate and irreversible. He does not start with life-changing decisions or ethical dilemmas or psychological and philosophical issues and problems, no, he starts with the process of making coffee. He is also humble about his motivations (although he slightly compromises and jeopardizes that goal towards the end of the book) that the whole book is about how we do and go about doing the ordinary things in life. Keep in mind that the ordinary includes and entails some complex processes, so supposedly simple daily acts like brewing coffee or brushing your teeth are not only uniquely human; they also involve highly sophisticated brain patterns going hand in hand with specific actions and behaviors.

In fact, we tend to do the simple things in automatic fashion and without much thinking. Unless this is your first time brewing coffee or you just acquired a smart coffeemaker, the process should feel automatic to you. You have already accumulated a storehouse and library of learned response pathways ranging from the simple to the complex, and you are accustomed to it by now and can easily translate your goal and turn your desire into a concrete reality and hold a freshly brewed cup of coffee in your hand every single morning to prove it.

And yet, the devil lies in the details. We generally go about our regular business and may not think twice about or even notice that we are doing routine tasks, such as making coffee unless something goes wrong, or an unexpected event gives us pause and reflection. That unforeseen something would require problem-solving on our part because it throws a wrench into what should have been an easy and smooth process.

The proverbial wrench, just like the real one, can come in different shapes and sizes. There are some hindrances related to the completion of the task itself. God forbid but maybe we have run out of filters and forgot to replenish them last time we were at the grocery store. Suddenly, we experience conflict, and, in certain cases, the value associated with and assigned to the action may jump to the foreground, and you may question yourself.

How badly do I want that cup of coffee this morning? Are the stores open so I can get the filters that I need for coffee-making? Can we, just for today, switch to non-filter and less complicated alternatives, such as tea? Yet that is a no-go for ardent coffee drinkers like myself, and we would even drag our unwashed selves out in our PJs to stand in a queue at the closest coffee shop only to get that much-needed fix of the day.

But the brain’s analysis of cost and benefits can find other ways of circumventing the filter problem. It can suggest using the long-neglected but gloriously filter-less French press idly and patiently standing on your kitchen shelf and pleasing for occasional use. You would have to quickly run through the process itself and make sure that you have all it takes to make the switch for the day.

Other issues may be less dramatic in scope. You have not forgotten to purchase your filter, but you have placed it in a different spot and must try hard to retrace your steps from your latest shopping excursion to retrieve the much-needed object for your coffee-making needs. Our phones have trackers, would it not be great if everything in life came with a GPS?

But for the sake of argument let us assume that everything goes according to plan and the coffee-making process is flawless. It follows a clear pattern that is both chronological and hierarchical in nature. They may vary and be interchangeable, but the essential bits and pieces are the same. No matter how you prepare the coffee grounds - I, for instance, have been lately investing more time into hand-grinding my coffee beans - it is imperative that you first put the grounds and then add and run the water, and not the other way around. Then, voilà, a new batch of coffee shall be made, you will pour it steaming hot into your mug, you will even health challenge yourself by holding back on sugar and cream for the day and maybe even the rest of the month, or you may even forgo both altogether for the sake of potential health benefits projected onto the future.

Yet this idyllic, calm, effortless, and uncomplicated process is not what we generally experience during our hectic and stress-filled days. In reality, you would have to multitask. If you have family members, they will happily intrude and interrupt your coffee-making routine. You would have to leave things on pause or half-done and attend to their needs first and then be able to pick where you left behind. Or you may receive calls or emails from work, the ever-present looming ring and notification tones that alert you that something is in the offing, most of it harmless, but your brain would often perceive it as otherwise and consider everything as potentially dangerous and threatening.

If it is not a meltdown that interrupts your coffee-making process, you could overload yourself, either because you want to get a head start in the day or you are just bored with daily routine tasks and want something more challenging to start your day with and are looking for something to do during the idle gaps when water is filtering through your machine. So you browse your phone, read emails or snippets of news items or do some online shopping as you are waiting for your cup of coffee.

These are self-inflicted minor distractions that can potentially hold you up or even divert you from your predominant task of coffee-making. These distractions may include an urgent matter, a call to be made, a fire, literal or metaphorical, waiting to be put out in the office, a family emergency, or an unexpected, good piece of news. If it is anything major, the coffee will have to wait for a bit and in certain unusual but demanding cases be scrapped altogether, at least for the moment.

The brain was built to alternate and fluctuate between two general states of existence, stability and flexibility. We generally seek stability, but at the same time, it is important to have balance and harmony between the two states. Stability is basically your ability to focus on a given task. All other things would be background noise and distractions that you would need to filter out so that they do not interfere with your task at hand. Certainly, simple and automated tasks like making coffee will not need as many resources, nor need much concentration and focus as compared to writing emails or reports, for instance, but it is still essential to see the task through and get it done. Nobody fully enjoys a half-made coffee.

These interruptions, such as email notifications, will be then deemed in terms of their value and importance. Does it warrant halting the given task and attend to it, a clear case of flexibility, or should we continue doing what we were doing and attend to it later. In that case, we would shelve and conveniently lodge this information in our working memory, a place of limited storage that can be retrieved at will or it can pop up triggered by given contexts and situations or it could just hit us over the head like a flash of lightning or bolt of inspiration.

Yet our brain chooses, uses, and evaluates this cognitive control via a cost and benefit analysis. If the house is burning down, you must be flexible and reasonable enough to abandon your task. Forget the coffee: priority should be given to saving lives. It reminds me of an anecdote I read about a king who was supposedly so engrossed in a chess match that soldiers ended up invading and taking over the palace and killed him before he was able to checkmate his opponent. Although stability is good and even desired, we still need to be flexible and evaluate the given situation while often adjusting on the fly.

The context is very important since the same actions may not be permissible, advisable, safe, or even legal in other types of situations. Let us look at the case of texting and driving. Responding to texts is seen as normal in most aspects of our lives. In fact, it is a habit. Like Pavlov’s conditioned dog, we, metaphorically speaking, salivate, and our heartbeat increases for incoming texts and mail as we feel the urgent need to check and read them on the spur of the moment.

Yet we must be able to forgo that temptation when we are on the road. The context has changed, and we must act differently in this type of situation, if not for our own safety and the safety of our loved ones, then because the law requires it. To make that happen, we must gain and activate cognitive control by first gating the new context into the working memory. That is, we store the information in our memory and tell and remind our brain of the following: anytime I hear a ding on the phone, remind me not to respond to it immediately. Ideally, this condition shall apply until and as long as I am inside the car, but certain safe arrangements and compromises may be made in the process.

Put differently, to avoid texting or responding to text messages and phone calls while we are driving, our cognitive control system must override the learned impulse to check the phone. Hence, our specific context and situation of being on the road and driving would have to differ from the environments we are habitually used to. This is akin to control flow of computer programs where the relevant gating policy will allow the right task demands to come to the forefront, with specific conditional algorithms attached to it, such as if phone buzzes, then respond, unless driving on the road, in that case, ignore and do nothing.

Nonetheless, sometimes the habit is so ingrained and strong that we completely forget the context that we are in a car actively driving. At other times, the temptation is so strong that we cannot help ourselves. We know it is the wrong thing to do but we really want to know who is contacting us and what it is they want from us, and we give it prevalence and priority over the case and danger of distracted driving. In that case, we cannot plead ignorance and it is not just a memory lapse or failure; it is our will accentuated by the force of habit that pushes us in the unwanted or ill-advised direction. This push and pull between staying focused and being side-tracked, intentionally or unintentionally, is the story of our lives alongside the often-seen dissonance between thought and action.

What about multi-tasking? Personally, I have always suspected it to be a myth, and now, all thanks to David, I have cerebral evidence to support that claim. In fact, we are really bad at multitasking and, ironically or not, those who claim to be good at it tend to be the worst. This is mainly because our working memory has limited storage. We can only input a certain number of items, ranging from three to four memories that can be active at a time; after that, we either start forgetting or confusing them. Moreover, when we hold multiple items in mind, we would have to switch back and forth. Each time, we switch, let us say from chatting on the phone and back to the work on our computer, we would need to adjust to the circumstances and update the information in each of the contexts.

This dual-task alongside task-switching takes a toll on our brain, especially if they are bottlenecks. The same way we can fixate on only one location with our eyes at any given moment in time, there are perceptual processing limits at play here. In fact, studies show that not only is more time spent (i.e. wasted) on tasks but at the same time efficiency is reduced leading to an overall decrease in workplace productivity.

To spell it out even more clearly to all those multitask braggers and achievers out there, people take longer and make more mistakes when they attempt to do two or more tasks at the same time. The only time you can have your cake and eat it too is when the tasks are not interfering with each other and do not create a bottleneck or impasse between similar neural pathways. In other words, two activities may be able to continue without much hindrance or impediments, such as listening to classical music while writing a blog post. But others would interfere. Overall, I would not do a good job writing my article while cooking a meal at the same time. While I am trying to focus on my writing, I would have to gate the fact that food may be burning on the stove, and if push comes to shove, I may be burning down the kitchen and the whole building with it.

That being said, preparing a large meal on its very own would involve quite a bit of multitasking as one may be chopping ingredients while other food items are boiling in the pot and others roasting in the oven. One of the greatest feats of cooking is not only making sure that nothing gets burnt but that all the meals are ready and, in many cases, hot at or around the same time.

Although multitasking is inevitable in many circumstances, it is best to keep it at bay and at a minimum if you can help it. In the end, you would be doing a half-decent job instead of a good one, and the trade will simply not be worth it, neither for you nor for your employer nor for the end product and the task in question.

In fact, David gives a simple but convincing example in his book. Most of us can cite the alphabet and count to thirty easily. But if you were to combine them by saying A1 B2 C3 … you would take a considerably longer time to get the task done. My advice: better to cite the alphabet, and then, do the counting if you can help it.

It all comes down to cognitive control. It is about being aware of your habits and finding ways to manage, adjust, change, or modify them. It starts with the idea of having a healthier life and then implemented the steps to attain that goal. It is about being aware of the significant gap, dissociation, and disconnect between knowledge, thought, and action and of trying to find ways of bridging, mending, and uniting them. 

Of course, it is easier said than done, and yet, it is worthwhile and liberating to engage on a path on which we are not blindly driven by habits and automatic behaviors but on which we make the best possible choices for ourselves, our loved ones, our society, our country, and our environment. It is also about not being constantly distracted or permanently lost within labyrinthine confines of our multitask smartphone or computer but also finding the time to smell the roses and to drink the freshly brewed coffee we managed to make on that particular fine day of our lives.

Biohacking and Tapping into the Brain: An Interview with Dr. Patrick Porter

Two of my passions are technology and the brain. The former has been fascinating to me not only because of the promises and potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence but also in terms of using technological advances on a personal and societal level to help humanity and to make life easier and more convenient. Moreover, the brain has always intrigued me not only because of its significant role in overall health and psychology but also as a means of better understanding ourselves alongside our thoughts and emotions.

When I heard about an upcoming conference entitled biohacking, which features neuroscientific expert and the founder of BrainTap Dr. Patrick Porter, I was immediately intrigued to have an interview with him. There were various questions and a few concerns on my mind, but I was rather surprised that Dr. Porter was not only able to assuage and dispel my fears and worries but he also provided me with significant and highly interesting information to boot.

My first concern was related to the brain itself. Currently, many psychologists are using the brain as the focal point for treatments that follow the lines and logic of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Positive Psychology. Although I support both, I also caution against them because they seem to minimize other processes at work that are equally important and essential. We are more than our brain, so to focus and locate all and everything on this admittedly highly significant organ of our body would be misleading while overlooking the unconscious processes occurring in the background hidden away from our purview would be counterproductive.

Secondly, the idea of simply motivating and blindly cheerleading yourself with happy and optimistic thoughts regardless of the facts and circumstances of one's current reality and situation can pose risks and dangers. By zooming into the positive without acknowledging, learning from, or appreciating the power of negative emotions, one can cause more harm than good. We are more than our brain and thoughts and there is more to the brain than we think.

Yet Dr. Porter is a visionary not only in having used technology at a time when most of us had not given it much thought but more importantly using it in conjunction with the brain itself. When he said that most of the processes of the brain are situated in the unconscious, it was music to my ears. It was also music to my ears when he mentioned that we are living in the best of times in which we have easy access to classical music when compared to various decades and some centuries ago, all thanks to the advent of technology. 

He further explained that there are three brains to speak of that are interconnected and that work together. We have the level of thought in our cranium, but we also have a heart-brain connected and tied with our emotions as well as a gut-brain, which is in constant communication with the rest of our nervous system. 

When we say things like, my heart is not in it, we are pointing to that kind of experience. This becomes also important for the choice of profession as there tend to be more heart attacks on Monday mornings as opposed to any other day and time of the week.  Likewise, we feel those butterflies or knots in our stomach, where our gut-bio is in direct communication with our brain via neuron connections, not to mention our gut feeling, the cradle of our intuition.

As to Positive Psychology, Dr. Porter agreed with me that it is important to go through different processes to reach a healthier and higher state. We cannot look past or ignore current difficulties nor the predicaments and traumas of the past. However, we need to be aware of them, process them, and deal with them but should not unnecessarily harbor or linger there for too long. In many cases, sensations and feelings of gratitude can help us bridge the gap.

Yet it is of utmost importance to have a positive outlook on life, something that both Dr. Porter and I strongly and intuitively believe in. It is not a matter of deluding or misleading oneself, and it is also not merely about seeing the glass as half empty or half full. It is rather an essential building block towards happiness because negativity would always stop you in your tracks and pull you down. In fact, while positivity has the power to turn on gene expressions, negativity can do the exact opposite. Furthermore, keeping the brain positive will help to keep the immune system functioning at its highest level, generally referred to as psycho-immunology.

Our optimistic outlook was not the only thing we had in common. We both believe in the influence of evolution on psychological processes, ancient traditions that form the often unconscious matrix, and collective basis of modern habits and proclivities. For instance, it comes as no surprise that our romantic dates often include candlelight to set the scene, similar to how we would gather around the fire to relax, unwind, and tell stories at night after a long day of work, an activity that may have led to love-making, even for our ancestors. A similar influence has been the correlation between watching cave paintings under the influence of flickering lights and our modern equivalent of watching movies in a dark room via projections on a white screen.

What exactly is Brain Tap and how does it work? My answer is that I am not so sure. Dr. Porter gave explanations of the processes of how and why it works, but I think that it would be one of the cases where one needs to personally experience it to get the full gist of it. Also, he has such a profound in-depth knowledge of the brain, energy levels, and technology with a combination of various fields including quantum physics that it becomes a bit difficult to follow and keep up with the theoretical frameworks. Nonetheless, I will try to paraphrase it to the best of my knowledge, but it is my recommendation to listen to him explain it directly (you have a link to the interview at the bottom of the post).

It appears that it consists of the integrated use of light, sound, and vibration therapy that would affect and elicit certain specific and targeted brain waves and frequencies, all of which are part of a process called biohacking, a measurable and scientific manner of using technological and digital tools to upgrade our biological systems. This has been mainly used for treatments of brain recovery, such as dementia and concussions, but it can also be applied to PTSD, different types of trauma as well as conditions like attention deficit disorder and dyslexia. Moreover, it can also be used to boost and improve overall mental health and life satisfaction. 

This technology-driven meditation would include guided imagery. In fact, visualization can have a significant impact in terms of health and well-being. Studies show that simply visualizing events can reduce anxiety and improve performance. Athletes often prepare before important events and matches by mentalizing their movements, while job seekers would mentally and emotionally go over and rehearse their interview, and some may even do the same before a romantic date.

To throw light into the mix is indeed ingenious. In fact, it is not surprising that it would have profound effects. First off, when we immerse ourselves and bask in the sunlight, various healthy and soothing, feel-good conscious and unconscious processes are set in motion. It is the lack of light, the darkness of night during which our body prepares for restful and refreshing sleep. It is then not surprising that light plays a significant role in our sleep cycle via the production and regulation of melatonin.

However, light, sound, and vibrations can also be part of meditation practices. Different colors and sounds evoke different kinds of feelings and sensations, and one can purposefully use light to address and heal certain parts and aspects. With BrainTap, Dr. Porter is using his knowledge and experience to channel the effects of light onto the person’s health and well-being.

Light in its purest form is also a staple of spirituality, whether we talk about, figuratively or literally, seeing the light, whether in front of us or at the end of the tunnel, or whether we refer to spirits and angels as moving points in light, with auras and halos of light emanating from them as well as the quintessential experience of enlightenment of the Buddha; all in all, light is quite often associated with spirituality.

I am aware that some may shudder at the mention of spirituality and would perhaps prefer science without any such metaphysical intrusions. But I would disagree. Many psychological and certain philosophical traditions, and, in fact, even certain atheists are not averse to the importance and influence of spirituality to give meaning, shape, and purpose to one’s life and experiences.

This is also apparent in the move towards and embrace of mindfulness in different approaches to therapy. I think that mindfulness is often misunderstood and most likely also misused, but it is easily the most important aspect of connecting with one’s authentic or higher self. But first, we need to be clear about what we mean by mindfulness.

I gasped at how perfectly Dr. Porter captured my own feelings and understanding of mindfulness. It is simply being in the present, and it is not merely doing meditation and yoga once or twice a day. Mindfulness needs to be constant and ever-present. We need to be mindful eaters, parents, students, and teachers, employees and bosses, patients and doctors. It is not one thing that can be separated, but it is all things with each one at a time, and this mindful awareness can help unlock and activate our potential that is patiently waiting to be discovered deep inside of us.

Without mindfulness, the connection with the present and our present thoughts, feelings, and sensations, we could be at best only half alive. But to create any lasting change or happiness, we need to consciously create our life. A lot of people go through their days on autopilot, with their brains stuck in its default mode network, or are driven by their desire to perform, do better, and advance in their careers, or they may simply want to make more money. Although this is commendable, at the same time, it is important to note and realize that time is much more than mere money.

But we also need to let time run its course. On one hand, we need time off. These moments of rest, downtime, and me-time are essential not only for health but also for productivity. On the other hand, there are many cases where we cannot and should not press or accelerate time. When Dr. Porter mentions that you can reach the state of mind of a practicing Buddhist monk, I pause.

I think in matters of health and wellness, it is not time that should be of the essence but making sure that one is on the right path. Many are so driven by quick results and outcomes and are frustrated when that does not occur as quickly as they wish. This is a fallacy. Patience needs to be fostered as one walks towards one's goal. Certain therapies may take years and as long as some progress is made on a regular basis, I certainly see no harm in that.

Healing is a process in both senses of the word. Apart from taking its time and resisting one’s temptation of rushing or accelerating it, we also need to process and digest the information and experiences. The same is true for personal development or spiritual experiences. Although we have an idealized fantasy of being clubbed over the head with a sudden insight, an unannounced visit by the Holy Spirit, or an experience of enlightenment, the truth is it takes a substantial amount of effort. It is best to synergize various aspects and create safe and healthy conditions to release pent-up feelings and energy and reboot our brain before expecting any of it to take place.

In a similar vein, we need to practice our mindfulness and train our brains. We do not just wake up knowing how to do things but like athletes, we need to train our body and mind towards it. It may look easy, but it involves time and effort and constant and consistent dedication. When we come to think of it, the brain itself is a muscle, and there are different ways of strengthening and fomenting it with healthy habits and practices. Although some are born with innate characteristics, those still need to be discovered, developed, and come to the foreground.

Technology can certainly help us along the way, but the onus would still remain on us. As Dr. Porter himself states, he teaches people how to think but not what to think. We need to own our health by stepping up and taking responsibility for our own well-being. The space and the tools are there, but we need to create the necessary change and learn from our challenges and stress. 

We cannot expect technology to give us everything served on a plate or a platter; the world of The Matrix in which you can download languages and skills and make them your own does not exist. And this is for the better. Because when things take their time and are bound with effort, not only do we learn and remember them better, but we appreciate them more.

For the full-length interview on YouTube with Dr. Patrick Porter, please click here.

If you prefer to listen to the interview, here is the link to my podcast: Arash's World Podcast

Think for Yourself: Interview with Critical Thinking Expert Dr. Steve Pearlman

Critical thinking is a buzz word that gets leisurely and sometimes carelessly thrown around here and there and it is a little bit like James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses: Many know it to be a good book, some even have it in their collection and position it strategically on their bookshelves but only a handful of them have actually read the sophisticated brilliant novel. 

We all talk about the importance of critical thinking in our education and in our lives and it ranks high on the list of various companies and corporations that are eager to hire future problem solvers, but many educators in schools and universities do not teach critical thinking or at least they do not do so effectively. In the meantime, many others fail to demonstrate it because they do not have the necessary skills or background and/or because they do not take the time to practice it and cannot be bothered with it.

It is then not as surprising but still shocking that only 4 % of college students show proficiency in critical thinking, whereas education tends to inadvertently suppress it instead of developing, encouraging, and promoting this life skill. The problem is not education alone as parents alongside the rest of society including the media do not play an active role in fostering a thinking culture; in fact, critical thinking may be more often frowned upon or at times even punished by parents and others. Being cognizant that even educated adults may lack critical thinking skills, it does not come as a complete surprise that the world around us seems blissfully ignorant as well as confused about the essential difference between fact and fiction where the dividing lines between opinions and truths become blurred, and why many prefer to ignore or reject important advice dished out by experts.

But things are not as bleak, stuck, or hopeless as they may seem. There is not only hope but significant ways to ensure that critical thinking becomes embedded in our daily life. To talk about what can be done precisely, I had an insightful, enlightening, and delightful interview with someone who is certainly no stranger to the act of thinking: Critical Thinking Expert, Educator and Author Dr. Steve Pearlman. 

Dr. Pearlman has researched and studied the neuroscience and the psychology behind it all and he has written books about them, including his latest book America’s Critical Thinking Crisis: The Failure and Promise of Education. Not only does Dr. Pearlman provide useful tips for schools, students, educators, teachers, and parents, but he can help us become better and brighter thinkers ourselves by embracing and tapping into this critically important and relevant mindset.

There were two main topics of interest for me that I wished to discuss with him, which were the current education system and the current state of the United States. Before we fully delve and jump into the discussion, I wanted to make sure that we would all be on the same page and asked him to define critical thinking. It turns out that we are on the same wavelength in how we perceive critical thinking. It is not merely knowledge nor is it intelligence; they certainly could help in the matter, but they are not necessarily precursors of this domain. In fact, what is a more important prerequisite for the ability to think critically is a curious, inquisitive, and humble mind.

Contrary to popular opinion, curiosity did not kill the cat; it was ignorance that cost its life. Yet why are teachers and instructors not sufficiently encouraging curiosity, this vital aspect of critical thinking? They may wish to do so, but, in fact, education predominantly prefers to instill a respect for and of authority instead of having it questioned or put to the test. While in math and to an extent the sciences, there are often clear-cut answers, the majority of subjects cannot provide us with absolute answers.

Yet this fear or inner reluctance of questioning has its roots in our upbringing where we often have to take our parents’ knowledge (and more often lack thereof) as the ultimate gospel. Instead of being willing to openly discuss and reason with children and help them engage in thinking for themselves and give them acquaintance and familiarity with the reasoning process, parents often shut them down and shut them up with the authoritarian but highly discouraging statement “because I say so”. It often comes attached with the hidden implicit message of “don’t you dare asking” or contradicting the authority figure here. This can, in turn, lead to the dark side of independent thinking in which one erroneously assumes that one’s opinions are as good and as solid as veritable and proven facts.

At the same time, educators may solicit questions but deep inside they are afraid of making mistakes or worse (at least in their point of view) of not knowing the answer. This is where humility needs to come into focus. In fact, nowadays being an expert in any given field is a difficult undertaking because there is an almost infinite abundance of information and knowledge out there. 

Our own information and answer can be disputed within seconds by technology readily accessible and available at one’s fingertips. Dates and knowledge can be retrieved very quickly and rather effortlessly but what to do with the knowledge, what it can teach us, how it can improve our lives and our ways of seeing and interpreting the world, that is where critical thinking would have to come into play.

This requires a restructuring of the education system. Although there are some important movements from the traditional teacher-centered towards a more student-centered approach to teaching and learning, not enough is done regarding critical thinking. This is partly due to the fact that it is hard to define as it contains various layers and also because educators are not very clear about it themselves – they may claim that they know critical thinking when they see it. As a result, teachers do not model and teach it sufficiently and clearly enough to their students. Steve told me that in surveys both faculty and students rated critical thinking very highly, but the necessary skills and growth set were not demonstrated nor supported within the student population.

The second reason is that the educational system has had its roots in the Western way of thinking going back to its Germanic beginnings. At the time, the “empty glass” metaphor was used because the initial philosophy of education depended on this conception. This was before the printing press, so few books and texts were readily available, and the professors were indeed the ones who had the knowledge and who passed it on to their students during lectures. 

Back then, knowledge was hard to come by and knowledge was considered a source of power. This has been significantly upended by technology with information being at our disposal at any point and moment of time so this outdated model no more holds but, at the same time, it has not been adapted fully and sufficiently to the new demands and realities.

We also had a discussion on the preponderance of independence. In my view, real independence is one that makes one free to think for oneself; one can become independent in one’s mind through the very act of critical thinking. However, in schools and in homes, independence is often taught in terms of not thinking but of behavioral skills, for instance, being able to tie one’s shoelaces, or cooking for oneself. 

These are relevant skills, no doubt, but they are secondary in nature and magnitude. Having an educated opinion about different matters and being able to reflect on them critically demonstrate more independence to me and are more urgent than being able to perform handstands or to fry an egg. They are not mutually exclusive, but parents and educators focus too much on basic skills at the expense of more profound life skills like thinking.

Thinking is a natural and indeed pleasurable act in and of itself. Children at young ages naturally engage in it with play as they freely use their creativity and imagination. Yet with time, we get distracted and diverted from this path. That can come in terms of indiscriminate use of technology affecting all ages, which then manages to replace or override the pleasurable act of thinking. I was surprised and then again not so surprised to find out that thinking itself accentuates the release of dopamine, our natural happy drug, hence giving us a boost in mood and well-being. Evolutionary speaking, it makes sense to promote and develop thinking as it is a necessary component for personal and social development and advancement. Nowadays, we revert to our smartphones to give us that much desired and welcome boost but without the same benefits and advantages that accompany thinking.

Reading books would help as well and, in fact, unlike thinking, reading is somewhat unnatural. The brain needs to be trained and wired for it as the eyes are connecting to the language centers. I myself am an avid reader and a lover of books but I also do not read as much as I used to, courtesy of technology. So I asked Steve what I can do to encourage my son to read.

He told me one way to do so would be to ensure technology-free or device-less time periods. Incidentally, I had implemented a day of being without technology as a family unit and I must say although liberating, it was a rather difficult if not painful experience for us all. But having time set aside and designed and designated for reading and to ensure that your child is not lost in or absorbed by their technological devices is of great importance for their health and well-being.

Age becomes a factor as well. When is a good time to introduce my son to Dostoevsky was my question and Steve had another brilliant answer - whenever they are ready. Yet it is also important to keep in mind that what they read is far less important than that they read. Often parents try to push their kids to start reading too early, yet at the same time, they would hold back presenting children with important information about life and the world.

We should not push them too hard but also not underestimate nor limit our children in these matters. This has been something I have noted not only in interactions with my son but with children in general. They are often smarter than we think or give them credit for, and they can think critically in their own way and at their own level and rhythm as long as we do not scare, intimidate, or underestimate them.   

Interestingly, the brain prefers to assimilate and it learns better by reading printed books as opposed to reading off electronic screens. The brain responds differently to it, while the awareness of physical paper affects comprehension, depth, and reading time. This comes with advice against the current trend of moving towards electronic texts in schools and universities; although e-books are cheaper and more accessible, it is, in fact, better to return to traditional hard copy books to facilitate learning and retention.

As to retention, the brain will not release dopamine when we are merely memorizing information that is seen as having little value for the person’s life. Students may try hard to remember the information on tests but would then gladly dump it after it has served and achieved its purpose, namely the grade on the test. But learning that is relevant to and that resonates with one’s life will last for a much longer time and far beyond school and university, and it would help the formation and development of critical thinking skills.

After discussing how we can provide change and promote critical thinking in terms of education and parenting, we talked about what is and has been happening in the social and political landscape in the United States. We brought forth some interesting ideas. To understand the present, we often need to make light of the past and see how it all fits in. History does repeat itself, that is until we realize this and take charge and steer it in a different and better direction for us all.

It all comes down to the concept of the American experiment. Although ahead of its own times and circumstances in many ways, it is important to note that it had its own failings as well. Yet, more importantly, it was deemed an experiment. The founding fathers knew that there would be substantial trial and error involved with experiments and that a union would take a lot of work and effort. In fact, this is why they are striving for a “more perfect” union, meaning that we would keep aiming at perfection and perhaps not be able to reach it any time soon.

Combined with it are the glorious and rather abstract ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Not only are these terms hard to achieve; they are often mutually exclusive. There are other factors in play, which the current pandemic has brought to light and to the foreground. Jefferson might have been naïve in assuming that people would be naturally guided by reason and that if people were left to their own devices - by having more freedom and less government interference - they would also be happier and more peaceful.

The problem lies in the interaction and interplay between freedom and social responsibility. This is where masks play an important role, both figuratively and literally. We think we are reasonable and have critical thinking when we might be irrational, deluded, and even delusional. We think we are exercising our freedom by refusing to wear masks when in fact we are endangering our loved ones and fellow beings. We may think we are protecting our lives and safety by owning a gun when it can lead to unprecedented and unwanted acts of violence.

Furthermore, the pursuit of happiness is a quest; a desire to become happier. That would not only entail personal satisfaction or monetary wealth but would also expand to our family, friends, our nation, and the world. Happiness is something we must strive for, work for, and actively engage in, and it may take many different forms that we do not always see or perceive immediately. Happiness is also intimately tied and linked with gratitude.

Finally, if we look at our founding fathers, and I have my eyes and heart set on Thomas Jefferson, we must take him as a human being who meant well, but who had his own share of failings. His failure was not always following what he preached and coming up short in a number of different areas of his life and within his politics.

On one hand, Jefferson opposed slavery, yet he was not averse to practicing it. His views of colored people, as well as his actions, are inexcusable and unacceptable. Others around him had freed their slaves but he held onto them. Nonetheless, we can understand his motive, which stemmed from a selfish desire: he wanted to keep up his lavish lifestyle with expensive wine and his many books. Notwithstanding, he kept running up debts and eventually died in poverty.

The world is a messy place, Steve told me, and he could not have said or worded it any better. In reality, we may be taught about the good and the bad in our homes, and in our schools and universities, but the moment we step out into the world, we encounter confusing shades of gray. Life is not easy, and it can get complex and complicated, but if we carry around the following vital and life-saving toolbox, it can help us make sense of the seeming chaos around us: a box that contains critical thinking, the ability to think for ourselves.

There are various very interesting tidbits from our interview that I have left out and have not covered here. I am planning to include them in separate blog posts one on the gap and divide between elites and intellectuals and another one on how failure can propel success in education and in business.

In the meantime, for the full-length video of our conversation on YouTube, please click here

If you prefer to listen to the interview, here is the link to my podcast, click Arash's World Podcast. 

Moreover, here is the link to Dr. Pearlman’s Critical Thinking Initiative:

https://www.thecriticalthinkinginitiative.org

Thinking Systematically and Empathically: How to build and thrive on Innovation

One of the most successful approaches to success and innovation is the ability to think in a systematic fashion. It does not matter what the endeavor or business enterprise may be, it would benefit from approaching it as a systems thinker. Such a perspective and approach will ensure that there is a lack of emotional drama (we could all do with less drama in these overdramatic times of ours), and we are better able at filtering out noise (it feels like everyone is shouting nowadays whether outside, on television or on SOCIAL MEDIA).

It is a perspective that tends to enhance and underscore focus; one can then pinpoint one’s attention on essential and vital information without being sidetracked by unnecessary or irrelevant details. It is generally analytical, poised, and task-oriented, which would be most beneficial for most plans, projects, and undertakings. A systems thinker would preferentially focus on one issue at a time and not get bungled up in multitasking scenarios, which usually - notwithstanding anecdotal evidence or popular folklore - often lead to haphazard and unwanted outcomes, results, and by-products.

It was some time ago I had the pleasure to attend an ETH talk by Ursula Oesterle on Innovation and Global Citizenry in which she explained her own perspective and approach as a systems thinker. Ursula Oesterle currently works for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and is the Vice-President for Innovation and has head years of experience in Silicon Valley. She considers herself (as I would myself) a global citizen; she is a Swiss citizen who grew up in the Philippines.

It is interesting to note that she projected and embodied both cultures. Her analytic way of seeing and interpreting the world was influenced by genetics and her family but her mannerisms and behaviors, a personal nervousness as well as jittery awareness and consciousness of the other, pointed towards her cultural environment and upbringing of the Philippines. In a somewhat similar fashion, my passion, drive, and dedication are in and from my blood, the Persian land I was born on, whereas my thinking has been shaped by my German upbringing and my mannerisms and behavior are mainly a hybrid between German and Canadian values with a dash of Iranian sentiment.

But we are not only formed by our genetics and our childhood and immediate environment, but we also define and refine ourselves through our choices and education, as well as the lack thereof, and this has significant impacts on her thoughts and behavior. In Ursula’s case, her decision to study for a physics degree first, helped her become even more systematic in her thinking and in interpreting the data as well as the world, including the world of business, the field that she entered at a later stage.

In fact, Ursula Oesterle has a progressive forward-oriented outlook as she sees the future as part and parcel of a fiction that we write and create. The past may have given us some tools and materials, yet the future is not set in stone and there is a significant amount of leeway and agency but also personal responsibility that comes with it. Through personal responsibility and concrete actions, we can achieve a potential variety of subsequent results and outcomes. For our goals to materialize and to become a reality down the misty lane of time, we need to always check and obtain feedback on specific data points.

What that means is that we need to have clear and clearly stated outcomes and then have a progress metric to assess and evaluate each of them. This feedback should be based on scientific and demonstratable standards, but, at the same time, they should not be limited nor limiting in scope and extent. Put simply, we need to set our goals and then evaluate over time if and to what extent we have reached them and establish the length of time it took us to get to that point.

Throughout, it is best to have a dynamic outlook. This reinforces the fact that our goals and plans should be not only clearly set and established but they should also be fluid enough and hence not be set in stone; we ought to allow for necessary and productive fluctuations and adjustments. In other words, one needs to have a learner’s mind and approach when it comes to evaluating one’s own level of success and progress. To have a clear plan and a goal for the future is good and beneficial, but at the same time, one must be flexible enough to upgrade and adapt to changes, whenever necessary or advisable.

This is often difficult as many will stubbornly move and plow ahead until they reach their set goals. But this will come at a cost to one’s business and often to one’s pocket as well, so it is the best strategy to learn to reduce as well as to accept and live with a certain level of uncertainty in life and in one’s endeavors. This can be done with the combination of an open mind and a defined system. The information or data points will then give us tangible information about whether the measures in place are fruitful and productive or whether they are misguided or harmful and need to be modified, or even dropped.

For instance, one thing that Covid-19 has taught us is that the digital era is a moment of opportunity instead of a hindrance or obstacle. Many transitions and changes are necessary now in the face and in light of these new circumstances and situations. In many cases, it is about either adapting to or perishing under the new reality. This also gives us the unique opportunity and excuse, if you will, to do something radically different. It is not so much about patching upgrades or repairing parts but rather about building brand-new operating systems. Grander and bolder changes in direction of technology will offer more benefits than ever for those who dare to take the digital leap and accept the risks and dangers associated with such dramatic change and adjustment.

This switch has been seen and felt in the teaching environment. The traditional classroom - the known and familiar source of comfort and pain - has disappeared for the time being. The new reality for many instructors is to conduct and teach virtual and online courses. Those schools and universities who had previously experimented and flirted with such initiatives as well as those who are ready to jump ship and embrace the new horizon of possibilities with its load of challenges and difficulties will be the ones to succeed and thrive in the future.

Yet those who desperately hold onto old-fashioned and inadequate means and forms of education will not be able to survive. It was surprising for me to find out how ill-prepared many, if not most Western teachers as well as elementary and high school institutions have been in the face of this pandemic, whereas, ironically, developing economies and countries, such as the Philippines and Mexico, have been better suited and more willing to deal with and adapt to the changes. As Ursula herself pointed out, this was due to the already used and trodden path and the prevalent infrastructure of televised teaching methods in poorer and rural areas and it did not require nor represent a fundamental nor a substantial existential shift for them.

Another important and relevant switch is the one from manager to leader. We need to put aside the need to micromanage, steadily and constantly telling others what to do and be seen and perceived as the boss, the always vigilant parent. This is an outdated, and might I add, inadequate and counterproductive way of thinking and of managing personnel. Instead, the boss needs to realize and acknowledge that they do not know everything, and instead, they should ask questions instead of giving orders and be willing and ready to give support whenever needed or required.

This kind of openness will invite others not only to participate in work matters but they will also feel validated in the process. This will make a leader out of the previous boss and manager. A leader is someone who does not give orders but manages to motivate and inspire their workers and employees to do their bidding without expressly having to tell them. There is then no need for vigilant presence to ensure that work is done and accomplished as they will do so on their own accord.

People may follow bosses with a grudge or even against their will, but they will follow a leader not by and via force but through their own desire and volition. Put differently, they will come to do what the leader wants them to do and sometimes be inspired to go the extra mile, as the action or undertaking is considered in both of their interests; a content employee is an important and often neglected and overlooked asset to the success of the business and enterprise.

Finally, a combination of both a learner process and a data-driven process is the best path to take for innovation. It is akin to pinging for immediate data and receiving feedback. Sometimes it is confirmation that one is in the right and has chosen and embarked upon the correct path, while on other occasions the data will counter and go against one’s plans and intentions. The best attitude to adopt is one of mindfulness and of letting go. One’s goal should be not about being in the right but taking and continuing the best direction for one’s business. That often means adjusting to reality and the facts and going with the flow.

But thinking systematically will only get you so far. It is best to combine it with empathy. If you are the founder and manager, it is in your best interest to ensure that all those who work for you are not only treated with respect but also with empathy. This will go both ways. Once you take care of the physical and emotional needs of your employees, they will return you the favor by doing their best to make your business succeed further. It is another win-win situation, and it does not entail much of a sacrifice. In fact, as a business leader, it will make you feel even better, both personally as well as professionally.