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Labels, We All Fall For Them !

4/15/2016

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Humans are very complex in makeup, yet we  to simply things where possible, it makes sense it makes the world easier to understand.
 
See back when we were walking around hunting and gathering, fast decisions were very important. Well kind of life and death important , it's that thing friendly is it going to kill me ? , can I eat that brightly coloured insect ?. You know the stuff we’ve seen enough natural history and nature programs.
 
This kind of labeling things has worked pretty darn well for us to become the dominant species on the planet (for now at least) . However there is a bit of a problem with this system let me explain.
 
We make sense of the world by labeling things, situations, societies, people. These are very generalized rounded views, so when we talk about a culture or a people lets say someone from Scotland. What is the imagine that pops into your head. Someone in a kilt with ginger hair swigging whisky whilst doing the highland fling?. To some extent these stereo types hold some truth but they are like cartoon drawings of people, the elements are they kind of , we sort of know who the drawings of but its exaggerated image of reality. You kinda get the point I think .
 
Now we take this labeling to a whole new level when we look at groups of people & their traits, conditions or disabilities. For me dyslexia, ADHA, Autism  & dyspraxia is classic of this, we establish a label for this group of people, exaggerate it a cartoon image of reality. People that cannot learn properly, struggle to fit in cannot read basically are totally different and don’t function like “normal people”.  
 
The irony is these people are more than that just wired different but no less normal than everyone else “what ever normal is”.  The labels reinforce the stereotype the misconception the ignorance of the abilities, aptitude or skills.  Why. well remember we have been programmed  from way back to try and make sense of the world around us and those things that are different.
 
Let's take dyslexia the stereo-type is someone that cannot read, words jump all over the page, have problem learning. Therefore the assumption is they have a problem and are less able or intelligent than the person that is a Grade A student of English language. Well here is the thing that may help flick your paradigm on this cartoon figure.
 
I take a mixed group of people, artists, designers accountants etc to lets say Russia . None of the group speak a word of Russian or can read it either. Does that make any of those individuals any less talented, able or intelligent? I say not. They may have an issue communicating but fundamentally those people are still intelligent, able and have value in their respective fields. So why do we relate comprehension of the written word to equal intelligence or ability THE LABEL. It's time to stop labeling and start understanding , learning.
 
So next time someone mentions the word dyslexia think about the Scottish guy in his kilt. Look past the label and discover the true drawing not the cartoon.
 
Dyslexia Rocks   
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Social Media What a Waste Of Time 

4/14/2016

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Like everyone we are bombarded with social media day in day out. Some political updates silly cat videos and other less interesting stuff.
 
I know a lot of people look at social media thinking “what a waste of time”, well it is when you get sucked into some of the shizzle people post. “Worthless meaningless posts”, I mean we cannot afford time on things that don’t add value to our lives can we.
 
Daily I get contact by people trying to “sell me their stuff” you know the thing, your website needs updating or we can help you with this or that. I had one such private message a few months ago here is how it went.
 
 
“Hello can you tell me a bit more about your networking group!”, so I looked at the persons profile and noticed he was in India. I thought oh this is a new way of trying to draw me in , I had a few mails that week and was a little frustrated with it, so I replied
“What you trying to sell me as not really interested”.
 “no am really interested tell me more”,
oh this guy is not giving up is he. So I thought ill give ya the information and explained what we did where we met and what the benefits were of being involved. I ended the message saying
 “As your in Delhi I’ve no idea why you would want to know” yeah I was a little abrupt.
 
A few weeks passed and this guy walks into my group and introduces himself, I nearly chocked on my coffee, yep he had come from Delhi to MY group. He explained he was an entrepreneurial had decided not to go to university but get out there go meet other entrepreneurs, network and see what business was like in the real world.
 
We’ve become really good friends to the extent I am an admin and contributor to his Facebook page “Learnsmart” . Its been a really interesting experience with people ive never met in Delhi corresponding with me and asking
 “kirk  when you coming to India we need you here , looking forward to meeting you”.
 
Its crazy, people that live thousands of miles away are aware of me interested in what I have to say and want to meet me.
 
Yeah so Social media is a waste of time when you don’t use it right or just post meaningless topics or post.
 
I am sure at some point in the future ill be posting some photos and video from Delhi 
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