“Make somebody happy today, and mind your own business.”
― Ann Landers
Attending the University of Chicago some 40 years ago and reading the works of Kant, Hume and Hegel, I could never read Ann Landers in public. Today, far removed from academia, I can acknowledge that her columns kept me amused on cold winter nights while struggling to prepare turgid term papers, which would ultimately find their way into garbage dumps throughout the great state of Illinois.
In his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "How People Change" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/opinion/brooks-how-people-change.html), David Brooks would also provide us with advice:
"It’s foolhardy to try to persuade people to see the profound errors of their ways in the hope that mental change will lead to behavioral change. Instead, try to change superficial behavior first and hope that, if they act differently, they’ll eventually think differently. Lure people toward success with the promise of admiration instead of trying to punish failure with criticism. Positive rewards are more powerful."
Fascinating. I think I'll give it a try this morning:
"Of course you know, dear, how delighted I was when you read 'The Secret,' which promised to make us millionaires. And if we didn't become filthy rich, I take the blame - it's all because I didn't visualize the money hard enough.
Your latest preoccupation with 'rebirthing'? Go for it! Good air in! Bad air out! And not to worry about a thing - I've got the grocery bills covered.
That new sporty hybrid hatchback you've got your eyes on? Great idea! But you know, the organic food and vitamins are costing us a fortune, and I don't think we would want to sacrifice them for a car.
You know you don't look a day over eighty."
Well, at least I tried.
Cynical? Me? I don't think that's going to change anytime soon with or without positive rewards or promises of admiration. But of course there's no reason why that should stop me from trying to change the behavior of others.
That 3,000-year-old bronze Luristani dagger you had your eyes on? You know where you can now stick that . . .
ReplyDeleteLove and kisses,
N
Brooks is so predictable in his posturing and idiocy. Did anybody nominate him to be my preacher? BTW, I am Jewish and truly I resent his imposition of his Hellenistic paganism on me everywhere all the time. Hanukkah is coming.
ReplyDeleteChanging behavior is tough. Changing values is even tougher, yet you can't sustain any real behavior change unless you do. I don't think Brooks missed the mark, but he certainly didn't go to any real depth in this article.
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