The Dunning–Kruger effect

We discussed this at a recent tarot reading.

The Dunning-Kruger effect, is a cognitive bias,  where people frequently overestimate their ability/capacity at doing something they don't know very much about.  It was first described by two  psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger in 1999.  

So men who say they could beat Venus Williams at tennis (which was a meme that amazed me at the time) are overestimating their skill set in a big way! Or,  people who think anyone could do that before they try doing that themselves

We were talking about a date my client had where her date kept telling her he could do her job better than she could,  and I said,  yes, the Dunning-Kruger effect.  And then I had to describe what I meant,  and she said, you mean it's so common there's a word for it?!  and we both laughed. 

Book Goblin

 I don't even know where I found this,  but it is so cute! 

I also like my books to match and hate when they put out a series in all sorts of different sizes and fonts (I'm looking at you Liaden series!)  So grateful when I realize that I'm not the only crazy one.

Now I'm off to look at Elizabeth Wheatley's books,  if she's created the book goblin she must be on my wavelength... 

Psychic Moments

I believe everyone is psychic, like everyone can sing. Some are natural singers,  some are trained,  some are wild rare talents,  and some are tone deaf.  So it is with psychic abilities - some are natural, you can train yourself to be better (as I definitely have) and everyone has wild moments of knowledge. 

I met a group of ladies in the dog park,  chatting about not much.  I turn to a woman I don't know very well at all,  and casually ask her if she knows about a local apartment that just sold.  I didn't ask anyone else,  I don't know why I asked her. Turns out, she's the purchaser.  (I actually thought she was joking the first time she said it)

She asked if someone had spoken about it,  but I could say in all honesty that no one had mentioned it to me,  and that I hadn't discussed it with anyone else.  And I laughed to myself.  One of those weird wild quirks. 

Teapots

Last year I did a blog about a woman and expensive handbags.  I had fun trolling the internet for handbags to show as examples.  Then recently I wrote about things I'm not buying today,  and how I create Pinterest files about things I love,  and yet am not buying just yet.  

This reminded me of my love of teapots.  I love tea,  drink it all day every day.  I can do a coffee once a week,  but I have tea three times a day.  So I made the fatal error of looking at my teapots Pinterest folder,  and now I am longing to own more teapots.  I have seven.  I mean,  how many teapots can you justify owning? Especially as I drink from tea bags.  (Marks and Spenser Blue box, Bright and Malty - just perfect!) 

So in order to curb my lust,  putting them in the Pinterest folder is not not enough,  I'm now copying them to a blog piece here. 

My current favorite tea pots,  which I am not buying.  Or at least not all of them! 

Ruby Payne Chart

So I'm wandering around the internet and I see this cute chart and it's talking about socioeconomic guidelines and it says that poor people care about quantity of food,  middle class people care about quality of food,  and the rich care about presentation. 

I take that away and mull over it for a while and decide that I agree with that,  and wonder what else was in that chart.  And do you think I can find it?  I search every which way for an hour,  give up,  try the next day.  I never found that cutesy chart again.  But I did find this:

And it's the same information,  but more formally presented  (the chart I saw was definitely more cutesy,  visually friendly, more my speed frankly.) 

Turns out that Dr Ruby Payne has been writing about class, poverty and education for some time, and has all sorts of interesting and deeply considered opinions.  I fell into a rabbit hole of information about her! 

Each day I've been reading a line from this chart and thinking about whether I agree with it,  if it feels true to me,  what resonates.   It's part of my new year's resolution to keep broadening my interests. 

Find the good stuff

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford." So said Samuel Johnson, man of many literary accomplishments, including writing the very first dictionary.

Sometimes I feel like that about the internet - there are so many jewels,  so much wit,  so many clever thoughts!  And also, so much nonsense,  so much actual awfulness,  so much stupidity.  So while it's hard to be bored,  it can also feel hard to be engaged.  

I'm reading so much enraged triggering stuff - it's like people want to be enraged and triggered.  And then I read fabulous pieces - by Lane Anderson at the Matriarchy Report,  and at  the Great Perhaps by Kim Foster  and I feel so happy and engaged and provoked out of my comfort zone but in a thoughtful and enriching way.   

So I guess like London,  the internet is full of jewels and wonders,  and full of sewerage and idiots,  and it's up to us to find the good stuff... 

I just received an email saying that the authors I recommended on substack are offering 20% off for a their subscriptions.  Go have a look and see if you like them... I have way too many substack subscriptions

Get It in Writing

So a client was talking to me about her work dynamics and she said something so clever I have to repeat it here.

Every time she has an important conversation with management,  or a client,  she writes a thank you email.  Something like - thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me about X today,  your insights were really helpful.  I've clarified that I need to do Y and Z.  I'll start doing that today.  

Or simple words to that effect - which get a written, time stamped confirmation of the talk,  and in effect,  'get it in writing'.  Most times she just gets a 'glad I could help', sometimes she gets further clarification. It's never back fired on her,  but it's a graceful way to get the conversation confirmed in writing.

They're always telling us to get everything in writing.  Here's a simple and elegant way to do so! Also - send that email to your home email as well, so you have access to it even after you leave work...