Violence in movies, violence in life

Keanu Reeves says it is difficult to link violence in films to violence in life? And we think his opinion is valid based on what?

We keep insisting that because you can't draw a straight and immediate line from any particular film (or video game) to any particular act of violence then there is no connection. People don't watch "The Matrix" and then go on a shooting rampage as the credits roll. That's not how it works. People also don't eat a chili dog and then drop dead. What does happen, is that over time, exposure to violence accumulates into an increasingly aggressive personality and a significant decrease in compassion. The chili dog analogy holds: eat a chili dog a day and over time your heart will pay for it.

The science is clear about the negative impact of violence, but because we like our violence and facing our culpability is uncomfortable, we allow ourselves to ignore the science and grab on to the opinions of people who let us keep our violence guilt-free. Need I mention that the people most vocal about the insignificance of violence in the media are a)people who profit from the media and b) people who are profiting the media by spending their money to get vicarious violent thrills.

Am I a violence free zone? No. In fact one of my favorite shows, "Supernatural," is a weekly violence fest. I will return to the food analogy. One chili dog a week is not going to kill me; especially if I supplement my diet with beneficial foods and activities. Here is my question: What is the media equivalent of a vegetable, or a workout? If you insist on consuming violence, then how can you do that conscientiously? What are you doing to undo the negative outcomes? (Here I am assuming that you don't want to be an aggressive, un-compassionate person who treats others badly.)

Karen Armstrong has a new book out Twelve Steps To A Compassionate Life. The Dalai Lama has some great ideas, too. Maybe check out the New Testament? I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I do know that it is important to ask the questions.

(For a much, much better exploration into this topic, check out Karen Dill's work: http://www.amazon.com/How-Fantasy-Becomes-Reality-Influence/dp/0195372085/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1)

Congress should sit together

Colorado's Sen. Mark Udall is on to something great with the simple suggestion that Congress people sit together.

In "Click: The Magic of Instant Connections" by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman, the authors make a strong argument for the sheer power of proximity.

"We usually don't give much thought to where we sit in class or in an office meeting. But in fact a couple of feet of space make a world of difference. The likelihood of clicking, of forming a meaningful connection, with someone increases exponentially the closer we are to that person."

And--

"Moreover, employees who worked in different departments but sat close to each other were six times more likely to form collaborative partnerships than they were with counterparts in different departments who worked on different floors."


Exponential increases? Six times more likely? One possible explanation relates to spontaneous communication, which is that chatting about little things that just happens when you see people. I think sitting down next to someone and shooting the breeze about the weather may make it harder for you to demonize them as anti-American, or whatever your favorite epithet may be. You might even be inspired to talk about more meaningful topics and strike up a collaboration.

Comedians have been making fun of this idea of sitting together, but the Brafmans and the research they cite make a compelling argument that something so simple could make a difference. I propose that once a month Congress move to new randomly assigned seats. Imagine, if being close to people is enough to make you like them more, and more likely to collaborate, then the partisan divide could start to mend.

It could happen.


Cheers.

Two great quotes on media influence

As I delve ever deeper into the study of media psychology, I become increasingly horrified by the degree to which we are influenced by media. The inconvenient truth is that we are influenced by media, significantly and permanently and despite all our protestations to the contrary.

These two quotes are food for thought:

"Sealed away from crowds,we let the media teach us what other segments of humanity are like and, as a consequence, cannot help but expect that all strangers will be murderers, swindlers, vain celebrities, crooked politicians, and pedophiles, a trend that reinforces impulses to trust only those very few individuals who have been vetted for us by preexisting networks of family and class." ~Alain de Botton

"All media work us over completely. They are so pervasive in their personal, political, economic, aesthetic, psychological, moral, ethical, and social consequences that they leave no part of us untouched, unaffected, unaltered."~Marshall McLuhan


Yeah--what they said!

~Dawn E. Mc-A aka Dawn McMillan-Austin

Spread some empathy willy-nilly please!

Stuart Brown says play is more than fun | Video on TED.com

Stuart Brown says play is more than fun | Video on TED.com

Rose Bowl Floats

Today we're off to see the astonishing beauty that are the Rose Bowl Floats. The combination of human ingenuity and natural beauty is awe inspiring.

Yesterday, at the Autry Museum, my sister and I admired the inventions our ancestors made. We marveled at how the human spirit absolutely requires us to *make* something. Every culture, in every time, is resplendent with tools designed to solve problems and objects of beauty for their own sake.

I am reminded that people are amazing and that the sucky things we do are contrary to our nature, not proof of it.


Cheerio Mates!

Happy New Year

This year I challenge you to do at least one fun thing every day. EVERY DAY!

Got it?

Good.

What to blog about?

I haven't been blogging for the simple reason, that I'm unsure what I should blog about! My own interests, both professional and personal, range across a wide array of topics. However, I've been advised that if I actually want people to read my blog, I have to keep it to a niche. Being the eclectic person I am, I find that difficult. Ergo, a little less blogging from me. I shall shortly rectify that situation. In the meantime, I've been pitched several business opportunities in the acting realm, and I'm considering amongst them.

Word of the day:

insouciance |1nˈsusiəns| |1nˈsuʃəns|
noun
casual lack of concern; indifference : an impression of boyish insouciance.
DERIVATIVES
insouciant |1nˈsusiənt| |1nˈsuʃənt| adjective
insouciantly |1nˈsusiəntli| |1nˈsuʃəntli| adverb
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: French, from insouciant, from in- ‘not’ + souciant ‘worrying’ (present participle of soucier).

Mama loves disaster movies

This is apropos of nothing except that I love disaster movies.

Working and playing

Today's fun and easy involved going to the elementary school to see elder child get an award. Yay!


In business, wheels are turning and things are moving. Good things are arising.

So a quote for you today:


"Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing."

William James

Fun and Easy Thursday, June 11, 200

Check out what came in the mail from http://www.tut.com/?

"Dawn, it's supposed to be easy. Everything is supposed to be easy. Everything is easy. You live in a dream world. You're surrounded by illusions. And the illusions change when you change your thinking!

Tell yourself it's easy. Tell yourself often. Make it a mantra. Eat, sleep, and breathe it. And your life shall be transformed.

It's supposed to be easy,
The Universe"


How do you spell “vindicated?!” Okay, that doesn’t really work in print, but the point is I’m right. Yes Universe, I’ll do it the easy way thanks.

I had a great, easy, fun meeting with Kent moving forward on the solo work-out kit. We have even more refined ideas about what to suggest people do for a good half hour workout.

I expect to have a prototype in the very near future.

Other fires in the oven?

Usable Reusables: such a great idea: Reuseable bags that are actually attractive! Go figure.

YOR Health: This stuff seems to make hubby feel great. I'm looking forward to getting my products.

The Universe Agrees with Me!

An interesting thing happened yesterday after I declared my intention to choose only Easy and Fun. I was inspired to pick up a book I’ve owned for a long time, but never really “done”. It’s called "The Energy of Money". And it’s about healing your relationship with money.

The author defines success as: doing what you said you would do, with ease.

Is that not awesome? I was immediately validated in my choice by this book. The perspective is not unique, of course, but I took it as a “God nudge:” a little hint from the universe saying “Heck yeah!!!”

My task today is to get back to basics with my business ideas. I am creating an exciting project for actors. The idea is to empower actors to be the masters of their own craft by giving them the opportunity to work-out their thespian muscles in a way most acting classes don’t. My partner, Kent Molyneaux, and I developed this idea primarily for the sheer joy of it. We LOVE acting and want to share that with other actors.

Lately, though, I’ve allowed myself to get distracted by what Mike Dooley calls “the cursed ‘how’s.”

How are we going to get people to come?
How are we going to pay for the space?
How are we going to make a workout that satisfies EVERYONE (and yes, in my brain its EVERYONE”
How am I going to find time?
How how how how h ow how…..


OY!!!!!!!!! Struggle--not fun.

So now, I’m refocussing.

In my ideal vision ,what does this play-shop look like?
Who is there?
What kind of super-cool, exciting, and innovative techniques are we exploring?
How much fun are we having digging deep into our talent and setting it free?

I have a booklet I’m working on called “The Field of Dreams as a Manifestation Manual.” Remember in the film the voice kept saying, “If you build it, they will come.” That’s my answer too. Build this experience-- this wonderful, rich, gratifying experience, and by golly, the people will come.

Most actors do it because there is no greater rush. How could I ever doubt that there will be people--and probably lots of them-- who would love to enjoy what we have to offer? Yes, the website needs to be designed. Yes, there needs to be branding and advertising and stuff and stuff. Yes, I will have to “sell” the idea to people at some point. For now, though, It’s time to build! Yee ha! I am inspired and excited again.

By the way, I haven’t forgotten that I promised to share more of my projects with you. I have some eating plan ideas I’m working with as well as some exercise plans. More on those soon. And on the screenwriting. And on the coaching. Promise.

Easy and Fun

EASY AND FUN!

I have decided to establish a new set of criteria for all decisions:

If it ain’t easy or fun, then I ain’t doin’ it!

Simplistic, I know, but strangely powerful. You see, I’ve been struggling and trying for so long: struggling and trying to lose weight; struggling and trying to make more money; struggling and trying to make big life decisions.

All that “struggle and try” is exhausting. Worse, it’s ineffective. I have accomplished many wonderful things in my life. I’ve had career success, personal success, wonderful experiences--and the best ones never involved all the angst. In fact, the best things seemed to come out of the blue.

(I had a minister once, Reverend Della Reese, who would say that “out of the blue” meant straight from God.”

The most gratifying, satisfying, fill-in-the-blank-ifying experiences have seemed easy. That is not to say that there was no effort involved, or action; rather, all the actions had some joy built into them. They flowed naturally and organically out my interests and skills. One thing would lead to another and then, lo and behold, a dream fulfilled.

I don’t know if I am doing a good job of explaining myself. An example, maybe? I was once a very serious flute player. I remember working for hours and hours, tackling a particularly tricky musical piece in preparation for solo and ensemble contest. My arms and fingers got tired, my head got dizzy, my brain was spinning and yet, at no point did it feel like struggle. I was working really, really hard, but I was not struggling. I was not trying.

I am reminded now that struggle has started creeping back into my life that it is no way to live. So, from now on: Easy and/or Fun.

I will share with you some particular goals and tools I’m exploring in the future.

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

is cooking up some goodies from my psych research to share with my actors!

today I commit to letting enjoyment be my guide. I invite you to join me

needs to re-read the 4hour work week and get back in to focus. Keep my eye on the prize.