Comments on: Owning the Dark Stuff

By: Positive Psychology News Daily » Is Mandating Positive News Good for Us?

Positive Psychology News Daily » Is Mandating Positive News Good for Us? — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:34:50 +0000

[…] On the other hand, if you are the owner of a radio station, and you decide to run a “positive news only” radio station, then you are on solid moral ground. It’s when the government steps in to voice its position and forcibly requires new rules that change the content that it’s a violation of principle - the news staff was forced into this new arrangement. On this site, we cover positive stories (such as great schools, praise and performance, and savoring) as well as non-positive stories (such as the Virginia shooting, cancer, and the Holocaust) I happen to be a big fan of the Good News Network and of HappyNews - those sites are positive by editorial choice, which is entirely different from this news story about the new Russian mandate. […]

By: Nick Hall

Nick Hall — Thu, 03 May 2007 04:16:20 +0000

Angus,

I have not come across Hymn of the Universe, though I am picking it up from my library tomorrow (call # 231 TEILH).

I am also a student of Hume, and our reason is science. Our science is what we must use to convince the minds/reason of those that create policy. We must “engineer” a case of the gravity of a sorely needed new ‘heartset’ with the science of positive psychology (and other positive social sciences) and its impact on the health, welfare, and flourishing of not merely our individual cultures, but of humanity itself.

Frankly, this is all not just a “good thing or idea,” it is practical and pragmatic for the survival of our race in the long term.

Thanks for your ongoing thoughts Angus!
Nick

By: Angus Skinner

Angus Skinner — Wed, 02 May 2007 18:44:58 +0000

‘perhaps the world is building a new wavelength’ - what a great thought Nick perhaps that is exactly what is happening. Have you come across Teilhard de Chardin - Hymn of the Universe?
I really like your idea of a new ‘heartset’. Carol Dweck’s work on ‘mindsets’ is terrific, opening doors and challenging much. But it is not just because I am a Scot that I so often find truth in David Hume’s argument that ‘reason is, and only ever should be, the servant of the passions’.
The 19th century - as democracy advanced - heard many cries of ‘we must educate our new masters’. The bahaviourist fallacy was to remove/neglect any notion of agency; Freud/Jung as they probed understanding also came up with analyses that suggested individual agency was overwhelmed by unconscious factors (which it doubtless often is). The lessons of the 20th century seem to have been that we need to learn how to manage our emotions, individually and collectively, if we want to survive. We have a lot to do but the corner has been turned.
And your idea of a ‘heart-set’ seems to me right on the mark.
Best wishes
Angus

By: Nick Hall

Nick Hall — Wed, 02 May 2007 04:41:29 +0000

Hi Angus,

Your piece touched off a thought that I have been having for the last few weeks. I wonder if we’re on the same wavelength. Or, perhaps the world is building a new wavelength…

From disparate arenas of the world, a new vision is NOT being created. It is a new MINDSET. This mindset I believe is housed well within positive psychology. The focus in the typical mind of man is on survival and hoarding because of “lack” mentality. The focus in PP is on growth, flourishing, and building community/relationships. We, as “engineers” must engineer the disbursement of this mindset to the world. We can only solve our problems by rising to a different mindset (and I would also say ‘heartset’) from which we created our problems. This is what these new economists, policy makers, and social scientists are doing. Helping the world to rise above… as Einstein put it…

“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.”

Thanks Angus,
Nick

By: Sherri Fisher

Sherri Fisher — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 23:45:28 +0000

Hi, Angus–

Thanks for writing on a timely topic. I clicked through to the BBC topics and am struck by the “fail before we try” thinking that characterizes some of it. One positive approach regards “social mobilization” and positive change. It made me think of Giselle’s work in microfinance and Positive Psychology. Small sums can add up! Increasing self-efficacy and well-being, as well as building optimism and resilience, are among the most worthwhile things we can do for the world. Thanks for writing!

Cheers,
Sherri

By: Caroline Miller

Caroline Miller — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:59:04 +0000

HI Angus!
Great to “hear” your voice again. Very thoughtful article, and thank you for many connections you make between tragedy and joy. Where I live, everyone knows someone who is either at VA Tech, or who will be going there next year, so the grief feels very pervasive here in Washington, DC. Many people have asked me if Positive Psychology could have prevented a tragedy like this from occurring, and I don’t know that answer, but I do know that teaching children how to be resilient, hopeful, optimistic, and more verbal about what they’re thinking can certainly offer hope. I pray that as Applied Positive Psychologists we can all help to increase “the tonnage of happiness in the world” so that some of these very sad occurrences can either be eliminated, or happen less often.

Hope to see you at a MAPP reunion one day!
Caroline

By: Doug Turner

Doug Turner — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:00:32 +0000

Angus: It is great to hear from you again. Thank you for your thoughtful piece. It reminded me of the big picture and grand potential of Positive Psychology. All the best, Doug