Episode 29: If I Set Humanity's Curriculum

Anyone else feel like they're still recovering from the 1980s? (Besides the hairstyles.)

In this episode I explain why I actively skipped my 35-year college reunion this weekend. The one-sentence version is that when my Intro to Philosophy class had a reading list consisting 100% of European males (many who seemed obsessed with mind-bending logic puzzles), I internalized the message that “white men are the deep thinkers, and I’m not rational enough.” It’s taken me several decades to feel certain — and I’m adamant about it now — that what's important to me can actually be important to humanity:

Connection.
Empathy.
Creativity.

Book Reports Inside! 🤓 📚

I’m excited to tell you about three books that have my brain lit up right now. Ready? Have a listen to this one-take, unedited recording. 😅 Then let me know what books have been reshaping your beliefs and inspiring new behaviors.

Episode Notes

Spoiler alert: I reviewed — and highly recommend — the following three books in this episode:

The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker (2018)

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards (1979, 1989, 1999, 2012) Each edition includes updated brain research and refined drawing lessons. I’m reading the 4th edition.

Atlas of the Heart, by Brené Brown (2021)

I’ve got several dozen other books to recommend to you — this set is far from comprehensive — but I like how these three complement each other by elevating topics that get undervalued as “frivolous” or because they’re typically the terrain of women or the feminine.

More notes:

Near the beginning of the episode I read my submission to our Stanford class of 1987 35-year reunion class book page. If you happen to be a member of that class, you can look it up online.

The poem I read near the end is by Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet and Islamic scholar. This English translation of the poem is called “Two Kinds of Intelligence.”

What About You?

Read any brain-on-fire, must-tell-everyone-about-it books lately? I’d love to know.

Forever learning 🤓✨,
-Pam