Bits and pieces

I just read this New York Times article on how some people, in spite of the fact that they don’t have jobs, still maintain appearances by taking the same commute and donning the same attire. The difference is that these people, instead of going to a construction site or to an office, might be going to a local coffee shop or the library (which reminds me of this article about how librarians nowadays often deal with newly laid off people, but I digress). Stories like these are sobering looks at how everyday people are being affected by the economic downturn, and they’re doubly good because they manage to penetrate my college bubble and allow me a more informed perspective on current events.

Anyways, after the article presents this new phenomenon of unemployed people maintaining their daily routines, it speculates on the psychology behind their actions. The crux of the article is that this could be a healthy activity, at least in the short term. Just as smiling may offer a fleeting but actual boost to your overall happiness, expressions of pride can motivate you to be proactive.

It’s well known that expressions of pride will cause others to perceive you as high status. This by itself is old news, but recent research (detailed in the article) demonstrated that all pride looks the same, whether authentic (stemming from real accomplishments) or hubristic (stemming from narcissism or arrogance).

Then there’s the question of whether proud people will be perceived as arrogant and full of themselves. The results from yet another research study seem to say no. Instead, more prideful people strike others as both more dominant AND more likable. “We found that pride is quite undeserving of its negative reputation,” said David De Steno, associate professor of psychology and co-author of the study. “Pride actually constitutes a functional social emotion with important implications for leadership and the building of social capital.”

In a nutshell, temporary false pride is a useful psychological crutch for those who are now in hard times.

Take a look at this map. It displays the different spending proclivities of the average person in different countries, with spending separated into a number of different categories. Just from this map, you can really tell which countries are on top, just by which countries spend mostly on recreation. Plus, the sheer scale of the spending on recreation (ie, more than the total average expenditures in many countries) is notable as well. The last interesting thing I noticed was that the alcohol and tobacco purchases in the lower tier of countries was almost always roughly the same as the recreational expenditure, if not more. It’s not a perfect case, but I wonder if that says that poorer countries are more likely to use their leisure time to drink.

And what’s up with Brazil, anyways? Does that imply they party all the time? From reading the comment thread, it sounds like the equivalent amount purchased is even understated because alcohol can be gotten so cheaply in Brazil. Perhaps a trip to Carnaval is in order to see for myself.

Last.fm is a site that lets you keep track of the entirety of your listening history, and have it viewable by whoever cares to look at it. On the flip side, you can also eliminate songs from your listening history.

Last.fm keeps a record of these most unwanted songs, and I could have told you, without looking, that Britney Spears - Gimme More, and Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend were going to be on there. But I had no idea that people were so embarrassed about their Radiohead and Beatles listening. You can see for yourself.

from http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html

Wow. J.K. Rowling actually delivered an outstanding commencement speech. As for my doubts that the Harry Potter author could say anything of value, she blew right through them. I must say, I never knew that she had a stint at Amnesty International. And I also must say, I never really understood the importance of Amnesty International itself. I definitely learned something from this speech.