Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Biases

The Business of Popular Causes

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Starbucks:Championing Progressive Causes, While Undermining Unionization Efforts Starbucks has long been celebrated for its progressive image and support of social justice causes. But when it comes to unionization and better benefits, the company’s actions tell a different story. Internal policies—like cracking down on union activities—raise doubts about how committed it truly is to the values it champions.

Starbucks is a prime example of a wider trend: companies quickly embrace progressive causes, but only when they don’t hurt the bottom line. This is Bandwagon Branding—when businesses latch onto the latest popular cause, whether it’s social justice, climate change, or equality, to align with dominant public values. They roll out hashtags, social media campaigns, and limited-edition products to show support. But once the spotlight fades, they quietly move on to the next issue. Remember when founder-CEO Howard Schultz launched the “Race Together” initiative, letting baristas at 12,000 locations write it on cups to spark conversations about race?

This cycle—big gestures, minimal change, quick pivots—reveals a harsh truth: corporations are profit-driven. Their true loyalty is to shareholders, not social causes. Corporate virtue-signaling often rings hollow.

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Being Situational

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Situational Leadership: Effective Leaders Adjust Their Approach When someone asks, “What’s your leadership or managerial style?” the best response often comes down to, “It depends.”

Leadership doesn’t mean sticking to a fixed style—it requires adapting to what the situation demands. While leadership models like authentic, transformational, and servant leadership offer useful insights, taking a situational approach works best. You need to assess the moment and respond with the right style.

Evaluate what the situation calls for. When you need to set firm boundaries, showing frustration sends a clear message. If your team lacks the necessary skills, getting hands-on and micromanaging the tasks drives results. On the other hand, when your team knows what they’re doing, stepping back and offering periodic guidance keeps things on track. Using the same style everywhere rarely delivers the right results.

Idea for Impact: Right style, right time. That’s effective leadership.

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How Ads Turn Us into Dreamers

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How Ads Turn Us into Dreamers through Emotional Baiting Advertisements used to be straightforward, focusing on what a product did and whether you needed it. Simple as that.

Then came a shift—a bit of sleight of hand, really. As consumer culture evolved, advertisers tapped into the power of emotional appeal. With the rise of mass media, lifestyle advertising emerged, connecting products with aspirational images and ideals.

Pioneers like David Ogilvy and Leo Burnett led this change, showing how products could enhance personal identity, success, and social status. Ads for brands like Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz started selling more than just cars—they sold desires like power, achievement, and prestige. The message became, “Own this, and you’ll get that.”

To me, the problem isn’t the desires themselves but the ineffective ways we pursue them. Recognizing what truly fulfills your desires can lead to mindful consumption—you’ll spend in ways that align with your values and reduce impulse buys.

Idea for Impact: Materialism is shallow. The symbols of prestige, security, power, and self-worth—like Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton—are empty. Unless you project meaning onto them.

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How to … Escape the Overthinking Trap

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Escape the Overthinking Trap: Shift Focus, Let Go, and Cultivate Resilience Spending too much time trapped in your own head, especially when those thoughts are critical or judgmental, can take a serious toll on your emotional health. This is particularly true when you’re stuck replaying unwanted memories or negative experiences. We often give our thoughts more weight than they deserve, and rarely do we see ourselves with the clear-eyed objectivity needed.

When you feel overwhelmed by these thoughts, break the cycle by redirecting your focus to a different activity or line of thinking. It’s important to remember that rumination isn’t the same as problem-solving or planning—it’s unproductive dwelling.

One effective strategy is to set aside a specific time to address your concerns. Give yourself a set window to think things through. You’ll often find that you either run out of things to worry about before the time is up or make progress, even if it’s just a small step forward. This “worry time” helps prevent rumination from creeping in throughout the day, allowing you to stay on track with other tasks.

Another tip is to write down your thoughts instead of letting them spiral inside your head. Constant self-criticism is counterproductive and only deepens the problem. Jot down a brief summary of what’s on your mind. Remember, many issues tend to work themselves out with time or lose their importance altogether. Talking to someone else can also help you gain a fresh perspective.

Idea for Impact: Focusing too much on yourself can set impossible expectations and lead to frustration. Instead of worrying about things you can’t control, shift your energy toward what you can influence, and let the rest go. Resilience—the ability to bounce back from setbacks—is one of the key traits that distinguishes successful people from the rest.

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Can’t Control What You Can’t

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Stoic Control Test: Can't Control What You Can't During the period spanning from 300 BCE to the third century CE, Stoicism flourished as a profound source of guidance, providing comfort to many individuals enduring profound adversity. Its significance declined with the emergence of Christianity, but the essence of Stoicism has experienced a revival in the present era. An increasing number of people are now reconnecting with its enduring significance and gaining valuable insights into the complexities of our modern world.

The crux of Stoic philosophy finds its essence in the Control Test, articulated in the Handbook or Enchiridion, a collection of lectures by the Roman Stoic Epictetus. He succinctly states: “Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever is of our own doing; not within our power are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own doing.” This underscores that our sphere of influence encompasses our actions, reactions, desires, character, and interactions with others. Everything else—our physical bodies, the actions of others, our reputations, and our material fortunes—lies beyond our control.

You’re eyeing someone special and hoping they’ll catch feelings? Sorry, but that’s out of your hands.

Stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic? Yep, out of your control too.

Dealing with family drama during the holidays? That’s a mix. Some of it you can manage with good communication and setting boundaries, but some things are just beyond your control.

Running short on time? Well, you’ve got a bit of control there too. By managing your time wisely and prioritizing, you can make the most of what you’ve got.

Feeling the pressure of academics? You’ve got some say in that. How? Well, by building good study habits, managing your time well, and reaching out for help when you need it.

Dreaming of landing that perfect job? Sure, you can toss in an application, but who’ll hired? Well, that’s not up to you.

Getting older? Well, that’s mostly out of your control, though making healthy choices can slow things down a bit.

Got hit with a cancer diagnosis? You can give it your all to fight it, but sometimes even the best treatment can’t stop it from spreading.

Idea for Impact: Make the lens of Stoic Control the cornerstone of your daily concerns. It’ll aid you in pinpointing where to channel your energy for maximum effectiveness, alleviating stress, and, crucially, maintaining perspective.

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Embracing Cultural Sensitivity: A Case Study of Akira Kurosawa’s Oscar Speech

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Consider the acceptance speech delivered by the renowned director Akira Kurosawa when he received the Honorary Award at the 62nd Academy Awards in 1989. This award recognized his lifetime achievements and his significant impact on filmmaking, both in Japan and internationally.

I am very deeply honored to receive such a wonderful prize, but I have to ask whether I really deserve it. I’m a little worried, because I don’t feel that I understand cinema yet. I really don’t feel that I have yet grasped the essence of cinema. Cinema is a marvelous thing, but to grasp its true essence is very, very difficult. But what I promise you is that from now on I will work as hard as I can at making movies and maybe by following this path I will achieve an understanding of the true essence of cinema and earn this award. George [Lucas], Steven [Spielberg]. Thank you.

In the Western world, some may perceive this language as a display of false modesty. It appears that the legendary Kurosawa, whose cinematic genius revolutionized storytelling, downplays his abilities and achievements, seemingly deflecting praise.

Let’s Be Cautious Not to Impose Norms We Call Our Own

While Kurosawa’s speech might come across as insincere or disingenuous, it’s important to consider cultural relativism. Different cultures have varying values, norms, and philosophical perspectives. What might be seen as a positive sentiment in one culture can be perceived differently in another.

Respecting Diversity: Avoiding Imposing Personal Norms As this case study illustrates, the concept of humility in Asian cultures may differ from that in Western cultures. Many Eastern cultures approach humility not merely as an understanding of personal limits, but as a way to let go of the self, understand one’s place in the larger scheme of existence, and connect with a greater reality. (In contrast, Western traditions, for they’re based in Abrahamic traditions, often conceptualize humility as submission to God.) Eastern traditions encourage adopting a particular perspective on life, focusing on understanding the small role one plays in a vast universe, appreciating others, and recognizing their inherent worth. For instance, in Buddhism, one of the elements of the eight-fold path is “right intention,” which involves freeing oneself from selfishness, partly achieved through humble thought.

Idea for Impact: Cultural sensitivity is essential to avoid unintentional offense. Interpreting sentiments and communication within the cultural and philosophical context of the individuals involved is crucial for effective cross-cultural understanding and respect.

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The Deceptive Power of False Authority: A Case Study of Linus Pauling’s Vitamin C Promotion

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The Allure of the Famous Word

The Deceptive Power of False Authority: A Case Study of Linus Pauling's Vitamin C Promotion In the 1970s and 1980s, Linus Pauling, the American chemist with not one but two Nobel Prizes to his name, started championing the extraordinary potential of mega-doses of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) as a wide-ranging panacea—a solution to a myriad of ailments, in fact—from the common cold to cancer and even heart disease.

The world of medicine and science didn’t greet Pauling’s bold claims with open arms. Skepticism abounded, and rightly so. The reason? A scarcity of compelling scientific evidence to bolster his audacious assertions. Leading medical institutions turned a critical eye toward his ideas, raising ethical red flags. They feared that people might be swayed to forgo established medical treatments based solely on the strength of a seemingly authoritative endorsement of Pauling.

This controversy is a classic case in point of a brilliant person daring to traverse the boundaries of his expertise, venturing into unqualified territories. While a handful of studies explored the potential benefits, a universally accepted scientific consensus on the effectiveness of high-dose Vitamin C for these purposes remained frustratingly elusive. And even today, Pauling’s views on Vitamin C’s health benefits continue to spark fierce debates.

Truth Demands a Deeper Call

Make no mistake; Linus Pauling was a luminary in the realm of chemistry, but his credentials didn’t extend to the domain of medicine. This tale serves as a reminder that intelligence and judgment are not always cut from the same cloth. While Pauling’s claims may hold water in the world of chemistry, blindly accepting his assertions on Vitamin C would lead us down a path of fallacy – the “false appeal to authority,” or “Argument from Authority,” also known as “Argumentum ad Verecundiam.”

Celebrity endorsements, expert testimonies, and references to popular figures in non-expert fields can be a deceptive trap for those who unquestionably trust the statements of authorities. The assumption that truth is inherent in the words of a prominent figure, regardless of solid evidence or sound reasoning, undermines critical evaluation and neglects the necessity for substantial support.

Idea for Impact: Brilliance in one arena doesn’t guarantee infallibility across the board. Approach “expert” opinions with a critical eye, assessing them within the context of the evidence and rationale that underpin the argument. In the quest for understanding, always judge each assertion on its own merits. Context matters.

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Tales vs. Truth & Anecdotal Evidence: The Case of Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx

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Tales vs. Truth & Anecdotal Evidence: The Case of Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx Stories and anecdotes can wield considerable influence, often dished out as ‘compelling’ evidence to support specific claims and evoke strong emotional responses. However, as much as they can be persuasive and resonate deeply, their effectiveness is not without limitations.

Take, for instance, the Sports Illustrated (SI) Cover Jinx, a widely discussed superstition suggesting that athletes or teams gracing the magazine’s cover may experience a subsequent decline in performance or encounter some misfortune. Wikipedia maintains a long list of the teams and athletes who’ve been hit by the jinx—some managed to dodge it—since the magazine’s inception in 1954.

An oft-cited example is the August 31, 2015, issue of SI, which featured a cover photo of tennis superstar Serena Williams looking at the ball she’d just tossed in the air to serve. The headline reads, “All Eyes on Serena: The Slam.” No sooner than the issue hit the newsstands did Serena lose in the semifinals of the US Open, thus ending her bid to win a calendar-year Grand Slam.

Anecdotes are captivating because they provide concrete, relatable illustrations of abstract ideas, making them more engaging and memorable. However, anecdotes are inherently limited in their scope and representativeness. Just because something is true in one instance doesn’t mean it holds true universally. Anecdotes are susceptible to bias, selective memory, and cherry-picking.

There is no empirical evidence to support the existence of the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx, yet the jinx has become a part of sports folklore and continues to be mentioned humorously by athletes, sports commentators, and fans alike. Various factors contribute to the jinx, including the fact that these athletes are already at their peak (Serena Williams was nearly 34 when featured on the SI cover,) and statistically, peak success can’t last forever.

Idea for Impact: Overgeneralization and drawing sweeping conclusions based on isolated examples can lead to erroneous beliefs and misguided actions. Always approach anecdotes critically and with a healthy dose of skepticism. When presented with anecdotal evidence, consider its relevance, cause-and-effect representativeness, and the possibility of alternative explanations. Isolated cases do not necessarily reflect broader truths.

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Beyond the Illusion: The Barnum Effect and Personality Tests

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Beyond the Illusion: The Barnum Effect and Personality Tests In 1948, the American psychologist Bertram Forer conducted a personality test with his students, after which he provided what he claimed were personalized personality descriptions based on their test scores. In reality, Forer handed out the same generic newspaper astrology column to all students; therefore his personality descriptions were applicable to the majority of people.

Surprisingly, Forer’s students found these vague descriptions to be incredibly personal and highly accurate. Forer compared this psychological phenomenon to the captivating showmanship of P.T. Barnum, whose acts and deceptions enthralled audiences by making them believe they were witnessing something truly extraordinary. This phenomenon became known as the “Barnum Effect.”

The Barnum Effect, also referred to as the Forer Effect, involves subjective personality validation. This effect helps explain why individuals readily embrace horoscopes, personality tests, and fortune-telling, even when these sources provide generalized, positive statements that appear tailored to them but, in reality, apply to a wide range of people.

Idea for Impact: Be wary of the innate human inclination to seek personal validation and meaning in the information you encounter

In the realm of personality tests, it’s crucial to exercise caution. Many widely used tests have notable limitations and lack substantial validation. Without being employed scientifically and within the appropriate context, along with a healthy dose of skepticism, personality tests may simply serve as enjoyable group activities. They are particularly good at initiating conversations, injecting a playful and light-hearted aspect into social interactions.

In a broader sense, it’s wise to be wary of anyone who promises swift psychological diagnoses. Watch out for charlatans, self-proclaimed psychics, dubious psychotherapists, and faith healers who assert they can unveil the depths of your psyche in a matter of minutes. Stay inquisitive, but discerning.

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Shrinkflation: It’s All About How We Conceive the Changes We Perceive

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Shrinkflation: It's All About How We Conceive the Changes We Perceive Shrinkflation is a pricing tactic where manufacturers covertly reduce the size or quantity of familiar products while keeping the package price the same, or even slyly increasing it. Shrinkflation is a subtle means for consumer goods producers to conceal a rise in unit prices by giving customers less product at the same cost. This strategy is frequently deployed during periods of inflation and impending economic downturns.

But why not simply raise the prices outright? Consumers are generally understanding of price hikes if they perceive them as reasonable. However, when it comes to products like food and shampoo, they might not fully comprehend the reasons behind these pricing adjustments. As they feel the economic pressure mounting, consumers tend to find shrinkflation and the preservation of familiar package prices more palatable than a direct price increase.

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