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“ Remember the “carrot” and “stick” theories of motivation? If you wonder how you could perform without adrenaline-inspiring deadlines, you may be confessing your dependence on the stick (fear) as a motivating force. Most of us have been brought up and educated, at least in part, by the “stick.” Whether self-inflicted or wielded by others, the stick DOES inspire action. So what is wrong with it? Stick-inspired action is unpleasant, sporadic, and most important, conforming. Fear instills obedience and thwarts risk-taking. If you aspire to independent, creative thinking, you would be well advised to reflect on the role that fear of the stick plays in your motivational life.
Is the “carrot” a valid alternative to the stick? The external carrot, in the form of money, prestige, power and so on, is usually the stick in disguise. Although apparently motivated by reward, the external carrot-seeker is more often moved by fear of failure to obtain ENOUGH carrot. What remains, then, is the internal carrot that draws us to our full potential, that attracts us to perform at our best for the sheer pleasure of doing things well. Truly creative people are most attracted by the nourishment afforded by their internal carrot and relatively less motivated by external rewards and fear. Bob McKim, Thinking Visually (via ninakix)

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Readings of the week...

ninakix:

November 1st - 8th.

Everyday Creativity by Carlin Flora
A great article on how to start thinking more creatively. The magic bullet? Get in the habit. Try to think creatively everyday, flex your creative muscles a bit, not just on the “big” projects.
Ivcevic found that students who practiced forms of everyday creativity share, on average, certain personality traits with their “officially” artistic classmates—qualities lost on the conventionals. They share a tendency toward open-mindedness and curiosity, they are persistent, and they are positive, energetic, and intrinsically motivated by their chosen activities. Whether engaging in everyday creativity could foster such personality traits in the conventionals remains a question, but other studies show that taking up creative pursuits actually makes people more flexible and less judgmental.

The Meaning of Information Technology by Nick Kallen
An interesting take on the next generation of technologies: Now that we’ve turned everything into a heap, and thrown the whole world into our reaches, we’ve got to sort and deal with those heaps.

Thoughts on the ‘fun theory’ by Dan Lockton
Remember this video? Well here’s some interesting analysis of that work: using BJ Fogg’s behavior model, emotional engagement, and questioning whether it will actually cause long-term behavioral change.

How the internet enables intimacy by Stefana Broadbent
Our increased usage of the internet and mobile devices has been supposed to make us more isolated and alone. But Broadbent has research suggesting exactly the opposite, and she tells us about it in a compelling TED talk. I don’t know about you, but there are definitely people I am connected to pretty much 24/7 through these technologies. Also, there’s been other big studies supporting this.

How We See Ourselves and How We See Others by Emily Pronin
Pronin walks us through some interesting research about how we view ourselves and how we see others, and then she ties it all up nicely. It’s not the standard psychology stuff, but it’s not completely blow your mind, either. It’s just written well and reminds us of these little tendencies we have.

Also of note: Judge OKs Challenge to Human-Gene Patents, Raising Money Using Customer Development (totally design thinking (ugh I hate using that word just a little bit), but also some good advice in there).

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"Streams of Content, Limited Attention: The Flow of Information through Social Media"

abbyjean:

Consider the food equivalent [of stimulating content]. Our bodies are programmed to consume fat and sugars because they’re rare in nature. Thus, when they come around, we should grab them. In the same way, we’re biologically programmed to be attentive to things that stimulate: content that is gross, violent, or sexual and that gossip which is humiliating, embarrassing, or offensive. If we’re not careful, we’re going to develop the psychological equivalent of obesity. We’ll find ourselves consuming content that is least beneficial for ourselves or society as a whole.

We are addicted to gossip for a reason. We want to know what’s happening because such information brings us closer to people. When we know something about someone, there’s a sense of connection. But the information ecology we live in today has twisted this whole thing upside down. Just because I can follow the details of Angelina Jolie’s life doesn’t mean she knows that I exist. This is what scholars talk about as parasocial relations. With Facebook, you can turn your closest friends into celebrities, characters you gawk at and obsess over without actually gaining the benefits of social intimacy and bonding. Stimulation creates cognitive connections. But it is possible for there to be too much stimulation. We don’t want a disconnected, numb society. Or a society of unequal social connections. So driving towards greater and more intense stimulation may not be what we want.

not sure i agree with all of this, especially the obesity analogy, but it’s worth thinking about.

December 14

thedailywhat:

Stop-Motion Short of the Day: “Dancing” Matt Harding of Where the Hell is Matt? fame recently visited a school for orphans in Kigali, Rwanda, where he filmed this sweet stop-motion short as part of a course on video production.

So is this guy President of the World yet, or what? He’s pretty much the only one out there trying to make this place worth inhabiting.

[via.]

December 8

“ You hold it, I’ll punch it in the throat repeatedly until it vomits gay and hipster.

Kimber, on fighting tumblr. (via nihilnoetia)

Quit lagging, Tumblr. I’ma fight you.

(via delacroix)

December 5

November 29

How to Conduct Your Own Annual Review

(via lillieinthecity)

November 28

suddenly:

“National Types Of Beauty” - Series of 36 - (1928). (via mando maniac)

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November 27