Happy Friday,
This has been an especially restful sabbatical week for me. You don’t realize how much rest you need until you actually rest! If you’re unfamiliar with sabbatical weeks, this post has all the information. Today, though, let’s get right to the links.
Here is what I’d like to share this week:
A few weeks ago I dove into the Puritanical roots of the American work ethic. It’s been fascinating to learn which parts of our obsession with work are inherited from the founding members of colonial America and which aspects developed later. This paper is an excellent summary of the history of work attitudes in American culture from the Puritans to the Present.
We’ve discussed Jerry Seinfeld’s strategies and work ethic before, but there is plenty more to learn from the most successful comedian of all time.
Ross Douthat’s recent Reaction inspired me to watch The Ten Commandments this week for the first time.
“That’s the funny thing about curiosity; it’s less about what you don’t know than what you already do.” Why do we -humans and animals alike – continue to seek out more and more information, when it doesn’t present any tangible improvement to us?
Finally, how’s your BS game? Researchers looked at the impact of pseudo-profound titles in modern art, concluding “BS Makes the Art Grow Profounder.”
Currently reading: Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Have a great weekend!
