Someone asked me recently about the ability to "Read the Room" and whether or not this was a skill that can be developed. I certainly believe it is a skill and can be cultivated. Perhaps the most impactful maxim which can guide us in this regard was taught to me by a Jedi Knight who went by the name Zenchi from the Temple of the Jedi Order. He told me, "Learn to Observe without needing to React."
The Internet, particularly the social media algorithm demon, has created an incentive not just to React to everything, but to Observe specifically to React. In this way we often bias our interpretation of that which we observe with a skew towards the least charitable interpretation so that our reaction can be as extreme as possible.
To counteract this and hone this skill of reading the room, we can practice several behaviors that will improve our lives.
First, be the last person to speak in an interaction. When you allow everyone else to have their say, it gives you a chance to examine their perspectives and gauge their intentions.
Second, questions are better than statements. The cultivation of curiosity leads to more robust conversations. A statement can often be viewed as dismissive or ultimate in nature, sometimes leaving a conversation partner feeling as though there's nothing left to say. Curiosity, by contrast, is almost always viewed as an invitation to continue discourse.
Third, speak in a way that is pleasant. We've been taught to rely on flippancy and sarcasm in modern discourse as we assume the intentions of others or deliberately misconstrue them to make ourselves look superior. By engaging with someone in a pleasant way, we can disarm hostility. Even if others fail to uphold this standard, we will still maintain our own peace which is of a value beyond measure.
How should numeric probabilities be translated into words? Maybe they shouldn't be.
"Words of estimative probability" wreak havoc in high-stakes communication like #intelligenceCommunity assessments and briefings, in part because intelligence and defense institutions map numbers to different words (!) — see Amelia Kahn's forthcoming work at ameliakahn.wordpress.com.
Another exciting opportunity to join our department: Incoming Prof. Dr. Jing Zeng is looking for a #PhD student with a background in #computational#communication science 👩🏻💻
The number of people on the internet who think using shame will cause people to change or even listen shows the gut belief about the human mid works. Shame only EVER works if paired with respect. You must care about the opinion of a person before shame has any impact at all. Shaming people online especially is dumb with your own assumption that they respect you. Shame is a method of showing a lack of respect and poor opinion. Shame is respect denial but only actually after giving respect. You are being essentially an emotional drug dealer. They need their fix, but you HAVE to get them hooked first. If you haven't do that, people react terribly because literally all you are doing is disrespecting someone, straight off the bat and unless you are really charismatic, your chances of having the impact you want is near zero. #psychology#communication#shame
Apply for the Master's programme „Interactive Information Design” at the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel by 15 May 2024 What drives the topics of our society and our future? And how can these be communicated visually? If you are interested in how scientific topics and todays communication technologies can inspire creativity, then the #master's degree programme in #Interactive#Information#Design with a focus on #science#communication is just right for you. We experiment with current media technologies to find out how scientific topics can be presented in a way that inspires a large number of people. You will be part of a reseach network with designers, artists and scientists from various fields. Artistic, interdisciplinary, creative and inspiring. Become part of a small but dedicated group to push the boundaries of information design and visual science communication. Or simply to engage with the topics of our future yourself. What else would artistic and design research mean? Apply with an expressive portfolio by 15 May and learn more at: https://interaktive-medien.muthesius-kunsthochschule.de/interaktives-informationsdesign/
Some Narrative Conventions of Scientific Discourse
Rom Harré, 1990
"The academic ‘we’ might seem at first glance to be just a version of the editorial ‘we’. Like the latter it is mutedly egocentric but it is not mainly used to imply teamwork. Rather, it is used to draw the listener into complicity, to participate as something more than an audience. "