“Being a good person” is an ongoing process
Written by Joy Livingwell, 26 November 2011
Comments: 2
In this 12-minute talk, Jay Smooth makes some excellent suggestions for switching important aspects of one’s self-concept from digital to analog:
Posted: under relationships, strategies.
Tags: self-concept, self-image, videos
2 brilliant comments
Comment from Joy Livingwell
Time 26 November 2011 at 2:47 pm
Thanks, Duff!
I particularly like that Smooth discusses several types of digital-vs.-analog distinctions:
- Focus on person vs. behavior: “Martin said something racist” (limited to one incident at a particular time and place) vs. “Martin is a racist” (globalized in time and space).
- Digital vs. analog categorization of the person as either “racist” or “not racist.” What if Martin’s behavior is non-racist 90% of the time, actively anti-racist 7% of the time, and (unintentionally) slightly racist 3% of the time?
- Permanent category vs. ongoing process: Martin is considerate of race issues today, but that doesn’t mean he won’t ever slip in the future. And when he does slip, that doesn’t mean he is a (globally, permanently) “bad” or “racist” person.
To which I would also add:
- Universal vs. personal categorization: “Marin said something racist” (implying that anyone would think it racist) vs. “I think what Martin said was racist (but you might disagree).”
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Comment from Duff
Time 26 November 2011 at 12:59 pm
Thanks for sharing this. An excellent talk, and an excellent example of digital vs. analog.