#9 - Feeding Frenzy

Feeding Frenzy is a weekly round-up of reading, listening, or watching that is worth your time. These posts will act as a weekly boost of signal above the noise that you can chew on over the week!

Worth listening

America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up (Ep. 391) - Freakonomics

My own personal opinion is that there are few things more valuable in the modern world than “data fluency.” By that, I mean a basic comfort with data; an understanding of the difference between correlation and causality; the ability to evaluate claims that others make with data; maybe even to take a pile of data and make some sense out of it.

In the modern world, we are creating an unbelievable amount of data, and the above quote from Steven Levitt exemplifies how vital this skill is. It's also important to note that this skill is not applied in a vacuum. What we mean is application across domains. This podcast was recommended to us by Todd Myrick a previous guest on the podcast.

Worth reading

Play May Be a Deeper Part of Human Nature Than We Thought

Other types of play help animals learn how to follow complex rules, how to switch roles, or even how to build a theory of mind. In general, games are critically important in establishing healthy social interactions, and failing to play them can result in inappropriate aggression, anxiety and social isolation.

As we age, we tend to forget about playing because it is childish. In many ways, playing is similar to an intellectual debate. It's a safe context to figure out how a complex system works. Play is embedded into us, and we can't remove it. We believe trying to reconnect to it even in adulthood can even more valuable. The study covered in this piece is fascinating with the way the data presented. The study attempted to answer an age-old question: Why Do We Play?

With that, we pass it on to you.

What cutting-edge neuroscience tells us about early childhood development

Parent language, understood this way, has been found to influence an individual’s ability to reach their fullest potential in math, spatial reasoning, and literacy, their ability to regulate their behavior, their reaction to stress, their perseverance, and even their moral fiber. It is an essential catalyst in determining the strength and permanence of certain neural wirings.

Parent Language, in this context, is the quality of the interaction between a child and parent. This piece builds on the idea of the "word gap," which the author does warn of its shortcomings. But we can still take lessons learned from that and try to look beyond. What the author tries to get across is not put it solely into parents' hands-on how to nurture children, but understanding that it must go deeper. We must reorient how adults interact with children to foster growth.

Worth watching

A Neuroscientist Explains How to Conquer Imposter Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome is a strange phenomenon, and anyone who is pushing themselves in life will come across this feeling at some point in their life — checking in with this short video may be helpful. In general, we believe connecting to the present like a mindfulness routine or telling others what you are actively working can be useful tools to keep the wandering mind in check.

Worth Pondering

If you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between “for” and “against” is the mind’s worst disease. – Sent-ts’an, c. 700 AD

This week is a wrap and plenty to chew over for this week! Feel free to let us know any thoughts and suggestions that may contribute to these posts. It may pop-up on Feeding Frenzy or develop into a full-fledged post of its own.

Stay Curious, and have a great week!

Previous Feeding Frenzies: #1, #2 , #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8

Check out our recent episodes:

#69 - Alex Behrens: Coffee Roasting and Starting a Business

#68 - How to Train Your Mind: Mindfulness

#67 - Angels and Airwaves Live: Follow the Maybe

Check out our blogs:

JOKER Review: What Made This So…Disturbing? by Jordan Criss

Wearables: Meet WHOOP and Oura Ring by Erich Wenzel

Identify Hidden Health Hazards by Jennifer McGregor

Connect with Us on Social Media:

Twitter: @erichwenzel & @feedingcuriosity1