Category: philosophy

privacy vs. transparency

On By Rick McIn government, internet, philosophyLeave a comment

Assume that everything you do and say on the internet is monitored.

Google, your ISP, or ebay, or Amazon (or someone) is making a record right now.

I might be wrong. But I definitely may be right.

How serious a problem is this lack of privacy? Personally, I am not worried.

Privacy is … the sense of vulnerability that an individual experiences. When people feel exposed or invaded, there’s a privacy issue.

– danah boyd

That’s not me.

The benefits of having wrongdoers exposed; the crimes prevented by fear of getting caught may outweigh the problems caused by lack of privacy.

Ask me my opinion again if I am ever brought to task for a some misdeed.

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Things are worse now than when Time published this 2001 cover story.

Adbusters – get mad about corporate disinformation

On By Rick McIn economics, philosophy, product endorsements, TVLeave a comment

I have long appreciated Adbusters.

Adbusters offers … activist commentary from around the world addressing issues ranging from genetically modified foods to media concentration. In addition, our annual social marketing campaigns like Buy Nothing Day and TV Turnoff Week have made us an important activist networking group.

Ultimately, though, Adbusters is an ecological magazine, dedicated to examining the relationship between human beings and their physical and mental environment. We want a world in which the economy and ecology resonate in balance. We try to coax people from spectator to participant in this quest. We want folks to get mad about corporate disinformation, injustices in the global economy, and any industry that pollutes our physical or mental commons.

Big issues. Surprisingly, Adbusters has a sense of humour.

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source

I want to make clear that adbusters is not really about “busting ads”. They have their own website visuals that almost look like ads:

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Adbusters are about educating folks about useless consumption. Stupid consumption. Manipulating children to empty consumption.

As for me, I actually want better advertising. For example, I really want to know when new Lonely Planet travel guidebooks are published. But in 2006 neither the Lonely Planet website nor Amazon offer this functionality. I wish they would email me a daily advertisement on new travel guides.

Instead I get a daily dose of an ad for Clean and Clear zit cream with my MTV video podcast. A waste of their time and mine.

“Lhasa Vegas”

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, government, philosophy, travelLeave a comment

pf01.jpgXeni Jardin, the popular BoingBoing.net blogger, has a good podcast on NPR radio:

Tradition vs. Change in ‘Lhasa Vegas’

When I was in Tibet in 1997 there were already good internet cafes. It seems the more remote an area, the more important the internet becomes.

Needless to say, the Dalai Lama is jive to the technology, but with a caution:

The internet’s contribution to the diffusion and dissemination of knowledge and information is truly remarkable.

“By itself the internet cannot feed the poor, defend the oppressed, or protect those subject to natural disasters, but by keeping us informed it can allow those of us who have the opportunity to give whatever help we can.”

helping the homeless

On By Rick McIn economics, government, philosophy, TVLeave a comment

Is money the answer?

What would happen if you gave homeless man $100,000?

That’s the question posed by a Showtime documentary called Reversal of Fortune. Ted Rodrigue lives under a bridge in Pasadena and agrees to participate in a documentary about the homeless, though he doesn’t know he’s goint to get any money.

He finds it unexpectedly in a dumpster half way through the film.

Reversal of Fortune (2005 film) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I quite liked Ted Rodrigue before he got the money. He had adapted to decades of living on the street and had a “life” of sorts.

As you probably guessed, money was not the answer for Ted. You could say it ruined his life.

video – Matt Harding – dancing fool

On By Rick McIn humour, philosophy, travelLeave a comment

On his WhereTheHellIsMatt.com website, you can follow computer-game-playing slacker Matt Harding dancing his way around the world.

Click PLAY on the video below or watch the clip on YouTube.

Music by Deep Forest.

Matt thinks Americans need to travel abroad more.

Homer named philosopher of the decade

On By Rick McIn humour, philosophy, TVLeave a comment

Men’s Health UK magazine Top 10 Men of the Decade

HomerPhilosopher – Homer Simpson
Activist – Bob Geldof
Sportsman – Lance Armstrong
Musician – Damon Albarn
Manager – Sven-Goran Eriksson
Visionary – Jonathan Ive
Designer – Sir Paul Smith
Writer – Ian McEwan
Scientist – Craig Venter
Chef – Jamie Oliver

I’m not sure about the other nobodies, but the Brits got the philosopher right.

Details on BBC News.

I’ve often felt that The Simpsons gives one a reason to live.

The Career Break Book

On By Rick McIn books, philosophy, product endorsements, travelLeave a comment

Lonely Planet Career Break Book (General Reference Series)

Live your dream. … ditch the nine to five, say ciao to the rat race.

They call it a “gap” year in the UK.

Greg and Lori Chartier took off with two teenage boys through New Zealand and Australia. And loved it.

I thought the book would be filled with dream travel itineraries. The Lonely Planet Planet Earth that I have long been anticipating.

Actually, most of it deals with practicalities: house, pets, finances, vehicle, job. Where to kennel the kids.

dispute management – Feel, Felt, Found formula

On By Rick McIn philosophyLeave a comment

I was out skiing with Garth today (excellent conditions!) when he explained a dispute management procedure.

listenerAs a poor-listener this is something I need learn.

When I disagree with someone in future, I need to:

1. Listen carefully – “I hear you.”

2. Acknowledge – “I appreciate / recognize how you feel.”

3. Offer proof – “I know how you feel. I felt the same way when…”

4. Share your discovery – “What I found that worked for me was…”

Disagree — without undermining.

No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.

combating Information Anxiety

On By Rick McIn philosophyLeave a comment

A few tips:

>> Find the best aggregators

>> Get summaries

>> Cut the redundancy!

>> Unsubscribe to as many things as possible

>> Recognize that gossip and celebrity entertainment are black holes (but following professional hockey play-offs is time well spent)

>> Pick the categories you want for a balanced perspective, and include some from OUTSIDE your main field of interest

>> Be a LOT more realistic about what you’re likely to get to, and throw the rest out.

>> In any thing you need to learn, find a person who can tell you what is:

* Need to know
* Should know
* Nice to know
* Edge case, only if it applies to you specifically
* Useless

Sound interesting? Read the article.

philosophy – happiness

On By Rick McIn good news, philosophyLeave a comment

“Positive Psychology,” has become the most popular course at Harvard — superceding “Intro to Economics”.

A controversial professor is teaching kids that getting rich does not make you happy. And they are buying it!

NPR : Finding Happiness in a Harvard Classroom