The Digital Conversationalist

The polycrisis

#170 Weekend reads – we need to understand our brains

The hits just keep on coming, with news of Iran shooting bombs into Pakistan and Pakistan responding in kind (thankfully that’s over now but bloody hell), dangerously freezing conditions across the Northern Hemisphere while Australia burns at 50C+, Trump’s success in Iowa and all the conversation that’s generated, the devastating impact of the war in Gaza, the Houthi’s spinning the world around, Davos and all that entails, 160 elephants dead in Zimbabwe from extreme heat and drought, AI starting to take jobs with 40% at risk, and a report detailing that bottom trawling is releasing 370m tonnes of planet-heating carbon dioxide a year – an amount “too big to ignore”.

It’s hard yakka taking on board all this horrible stuff sometimes, but how can we continue to ignore the peril we are in? An epiphany I’ve had over the last few years is we need to get a handle on our brains. We need to understand how they work, how marketing is manipulating us, algorithms too, what our basic brain does and how that translates in a modern world, and while we’re at it, we need to study philosophy and history too.

If we don’t get a handle on this, and the world continues as usual, especially with technology advancing so quickly now, we could be in a whole host of trouble, the kind we are struggling to see as a species.

If you’re committed to this path of understanding humanity and how we tick, I really recommend one podcast I listened to this week, from The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett – Yuval Noah Harari: The Urgent Warning They Hope You Ignore, “More War Is Coming”, Yuval’s Chilling Future Predictions! It’s a very thought provoking listen.

From the perils of AI to what future humans will look like, information overload, war, manipulation, rising extremism, and more, this podcast is an amazing round up and look at some of the key issues we face as a species.

Lots going on in the world this week, so click on the image below and it will take you to the Weekend Reads.

But before you leave, let me know what caught your attention? Or share with me what you’re paying attention to? I love that! It’s always great to get feedback so I know I’m delivering something of value.

Cheers

Andrea

Uncommon Courage: an invitation

Uncommon Courage is an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It’s also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. But it’s more than a book; it’s an invitation to join an inclusive community that wants to better understand humanities challenges – both global and personal – in order to take courageous action and create a better world for everyone. If Covid19 has given us the time and space to reflect, Uncommon Courage gives us the nudge we need to create lasting change.

You can buy it on AmazonApple BooksBarnes & Noble, Book DepositoryBooktopia, SmashwordsKobo, Gardners, Odilo, Indie Bound, BookShop by BookTrib and Scribd.

Better yet, order it from your local bookstore, so you can #SupportLocal.

You can read the reviews, including a new five-star review on Book Commentary, another five-star review on ReaderViews, a review on BookTrib, and three more on Booklife, another on Book Commentary and Blue Ink Reviews. I’m also collating reviews on my Website too. Have a look and grateful to everyone who has written or recorded one.

Come and join the conversation in my Facebook Group Uncommon Courage.

Listen in to the Uncommon Courage, the podcast on Apple, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are published.

The Know Show

Check out The Know Show. It’s a fortnightly wrap up of the news! Starting again 2nd February.

Climate Courage

A fortnightly conversation on issues that matter to you and I, focusing on the actions we can all take. I am yet to confirm the return date for this, but it’s coming.

18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile 

Listed by Book Authority in the 100 Best LinkedIn Books of All Time and 22 Best New LinkedIn eBooks To Read In 2021 and 2022 categories. Grab it today if you want to take your professional presence to the next level! When it comes to LinkedIn, it really is time to ask — can you really afford not to have this book in the hands of every employee?

Are you a Social CEO? The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You A Stronger Leader. 

Want to claim your stage? Unleash Your Voice – Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman 

Feedback

Have I done a great job for you? Can you write a reference on my LinkedIn profile or on my Google Business page? If not for me, why not write one for someone else who inspires you or has helped you? Join the #GivingEconomy.

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