‘Short-sighted Decisions’ Archive

Ghost Towns: from sea to shining sea

Is the United States ready to compete for the world’s best jobs?  In a study comparing the US to the world’s top 40 industrialized nations, the US ranked 40th or dead last in “rate of change in innovation capacity” over the last decade.  In other words, we’re far behind the power curve when it comes to investing in our country’s future.  While we were playing [...]

Why Societies (and Careers) Collapse

Video provided courtesy of CharlieRose.com
We make decisions today that will eventually shape our tomorrow.  In this video, Jared Diamond talks about his book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, an exhaustive study of the kinds of decisions that lead to a collapse of a society (e.g., Easter Island).   
Through his life’s work in evolutionary biology, accompanied [...]

Synthetic Happiness

Are you stuck in a career that doesn’t fit you, yet have found a way to be happy about it?  Synthetic happiness is a state of mind we create for ourselves when we view our situation as permanent and irreversible.  Our brains are designed to re-frame a “no choice” situation in a positive light, for [...]

Perfect Breasts and Broken Hearts

Some people are naturally gifted for their career, but just don’t care anymore. There’s the plastic surgeon that’s brilliant at sculpting sexy boobs and lips and the corporate lawyer who is masterful at keeping her company out of jail and being sued. But the satisfaction that comes from excelling at what they do fizzled out; [...]

Lowland (career haiku #1)

         
 
 
          Awakened—
when the ice cap
          flooded the market
                              ~Achilles

 
 
On occasion, I will publish works of poetry and visual art by various writers and artists who shine light on the human condition and the long-term impacts of our individual and collective career choices.