The researchers and Stanford's communications department overstated their conclusions and let major media do the same, trading nuance for juicy but misleading headlines. Here's how and why.
This is a great study review. Coincidentally I saw this study prior to reading this stack article and had many questions given what seemed to be some ‘ginormous’ assumptions by the study investigators. However, Paul correctly points these out and appropriately questions the hypotheses and
Their take-aways . I’m in Healthcare and all should know that if one has an agenda , it is quite easy to craft the data to meet the desired narrative. The agenda here may have been the investigator’s /media’s thirst for click bait. (In my humble opinion) I’ll continue to read and follow Paul and his work.
Like others, I read this after seeing the headlines across the many outlets and thought, "Hmm... 44 was a pretty great year. This doesn't add up for me." Thank you for doing the work and making sense of the noise for us, Paul.
Human’s acting more from fear than truth. It is not hard to understand, given the state of what it means to be human in our current age, as it seems to have not changed for thousands of years.
What is interesting are acts of courage and leadership that imbue honor to those participating.
Bern, thank you for making these points. If you don't mind me asking, What do you mean by "the state of what it means to be human"? How can we encourage more acts of courage and leadership, as you mentioned?
You and I live moment by moment in an environment that sustains our physical existence. The air we breathe, the gravity that keeps it all together, the inner workings of our bodies we seldom notice unless something is awry. For the most part, these life-giving aspects of our lives are outside our everyday awareness.
While it is not difficult to turn our attention towards these elements that allow life, our “beingness” is an entirely different matter to bring to awareness as being doesn’t have the physicality of a thing that we can represent or even evoke. I suggest that when you dwell in the question of being, what you come to is that being is beyond language altogether and you are left being astonished!
From this, you may notice an irritation, a movement of what could be termed a grasping “will to know” that is frustrated by the elusiveness in discussing being.
This will to know seeks to “thingify” even that which is not a thing into a thing is an element of what it means to be human. This will to know seeks to dominate by declaring, insisting, that only things exist. This will to know seeks to always be right and makes others wrong or invalidate others. This will to know seeks comfort and security in control and never surrenders. This will to know instantly rejects and has no interest in anything other than its own continuance. This will to know rejects death and seeks eternal life. There is no acceptance, no truth, no honor in this will to know. This is what it means to be human. This is our failure to be. That’s hardly the tip of the iceberg, and you get the flavor. Glad you asked, right?
Why bring up horror, you might be asking. Because what is possible (like being courageous) for the being of human being is accessed by telling the truth. To tell the unvarnished truth is exactly like dying. It’s not something we do almost ever.
While that was insufficient, let’s move on to your next question: “How can we encourage more acts of courage and leadership?
Encouraging courage is a bit of a tail chase, and that’s where one ends up when getting close to speaking truth. Truth spoken as truth is tautological. It reflects back on itself endlessly. Truth is not a thing, and therefore unspeakable. Speaking happens with words, and yet, there is that which goes beyond words that is also spoken. I know that doesn’t make sense as written, yet it can communicate. It really depends on an honest commitment to communicate.
I have no tips, formulas, slogans, or memes that, if followed, will reliably get you to your truth. Each one of us realizes it for ourselves. I suggest that it starts with a willingness to be truthful with ourselves. Are we really living with honor? Are we living with integrity and experiencing wholeness and completeness? Do we honor our word? Do we do what we promise, even honoring the spirit of the promise and clean it up completely when we don’t keep our word, or do we wiggle off the hook and justify and rationalize that it’s ok if we don’t because, hey, no one else is or it’s impossible? Are we true to our ideas and standards? Have we looked deeply at our principles? Do we even know what they are? Have we created an inspiring future for ourselves to live into, or are we merely projecting our past forward? Are we our own hero? Do we admire, nay, love ourselves just as we are, today?
One must lead for oneself before leading others.
When the best leader's work is done, the people say, 'We did it ourselves.' - Lao Tzu
People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything. - Thomas Sowell
This is probably true about writing. 😉
This is just, maybe, an opening as arriving at being is a nonlinear progression. As is said in various ways in various traditions and teachings, “Not sudden, not gradual” and that’s about all we have room for.
I appreciate your organized clear format and your intelligent contribution to the public dialog. Yes, there is a lot of uneducated noise out there and the media were lazy and uncritical. Good job, Paul.
I appreciate you reading, and your comment, Robert. Here's to researchers hewing closer to the actual facts, instead of forcing us to read the fine print and send 3 (as yet unanswered) emails to their communications team.
Thank you for the clarification and the ability to cut through the static (as usual).
Tom, thanks for reading! If you found this post valuable, please hit the like button and restack and share it. Every lil' bit helps.
Thanks for this. The original study came out the week of my 60th birthday and it was quite a downer.
I hope it helps, John. Anyway, 60 is the new 50.
Whew! So glad to read this as when I first heard the study, I was dreading the news — and turning 60!🤣 Thanks for sharing the other side of the story!
This is a great study review. Coincidentally I saw this study prior to reading this stack article and had many questions given what seemed to be some ‘ginormous’ assumptions by the study investigators. However, Paul correctly points these out and appropriately questions the hypotheses and
Their take-aways . I’m in Healthcare and all should know that if one has an agenda , it is quite easy to craft the data to meet the desired narrative. The agenda here may have been the investigator’s /media’s thirst for click bait. (In my humble opinion) I’ll continue to read and follow Paul and his work.
Gunner, thanks for your comment. It seems like an open secret in academic research but doesn't mean it's right.
Like others, I read this after seeing the headlines across the many outlets and thought, "Hmm... 44 was a pretty great year. This doesn't add up for me." Thank you for doing the work and making sense of the noise for us, Paul.
Human’s acting more from fear than truth. It is not hard to understand, given the state of what it means to be human in our current age, as it seems to have not changed for thousands of years.
What is interesting are acts of courage and leadership that imbue honor to those participating.
Bern, thank you for making these points. If you don't mind me asking, What do you mean by "the state of what it means to be human"? How can we encourage more acts of courage and leadership, as you mentioned?
Hi Paul, thank you for asking.
You and I live moment by moment in an environment that sustains our physical existence. The air we breathe, the gravity that keeps it all together, the inner workings of our bodies we seldom notice unless something is awry. For the most part, these life-giving aspects of our lives are outside our everyday awareness.
While it is not difficult to turn our attention towards these elements that allow life, our “beingness” is an entirely different matter to bring to awareness as being doesn’t have the physicality of a thing that we can represent or even evoke. I suggest that when you dwell in the question of being, what you come to is that being is beyond language altogether and you are left being astonished!
From this, you may notice an irritation, a movement of what could be termed a grasping “will to know” that is frustrated by the elusiveness in discussing being.
This will to know seeks to “thingify” even that which is not a thing into a thing is an element of what it means to be human. This will to know seeks to dominate by declaring, insisting, that only things exist. This will to know seeks to always be right and makes others wrong or invalidate others. This will to know seeks comfort and security in control and never surrenders. This will to know instantly rejects and has no interest in anything other than its own continuance. This will to know rejects death and seeks eternal life. There is no acceptance, no truth, no honor in this will to know. This is what it means to be human. This is our failure to be. That’s hardly the tip of the iceberg, and you get the flavor. Glad you asked, right?
Why bring up horror, you might be asking. Because what is possible (like being courageous) for the being of human being is accessed by telling the truth. To tell the unvarnished truth is exactly like dying. It’s not something we do almost ever.
While that was insufficient, let’s move on to your next question: “How can we encourage more acts of courage and leadership?
Encouraging courage is a bit of a tail chase, and that’s where one ends up when getting close to speaking truth. Truth spoken as truth is tautological. It reflects back on itself endlessly. Truth is not a thing, and therefore unspeakable. Speaking happens with words, and yet, there is that which goes beyond words that is also spoken. I know that doesn’t make sense as written, yet it can communicate. It really depends on an honest commitment to communicate.
I have no tips, formulas, slogans, or memes that, if followed, will reliably get you to your truth. Each one of us realizes it for ourselves. I suggest that it starts with a willingness to be truthful with ourselves. Are we really living with honor? Are we living with integrity and experiencing wholeness and completeness? Do we honor our word? Do we do what we promise, even honoring the spirit of the promise and clean it up completely when we don’t keep our word, or do we wiggle off the hook and justify and rationalize that it’s ok if we don’t because, hey, no one else is or it’s impossible? Are we true to our ideas and standards? Have we looked deeply at our principles? Do we even know what they are? Have we created an inspiring future for ourselves to live into, or are we merely projecting our past forward? Are we our own hero? Do we admire, nay, love ourselves just as we are, today?
One must lead for oneself before leading others.
When the best leader's work is done, the people say, 'We did it ourselves.' - Lao Tzu
People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything. - Thomas Sowell
This is probably true about writing. 😉
This is just, maybe, an opening as arriving at being is a nonlinear progression. As is said in various ways in various traditions and teachings, “Not sudden, not gradual” and that’s about all we have room for.
I appreciate your organized clear format and your intelligent contribution to the public dialog. Yes, there is a lot of uneducated noise out there and the media were lazy and uncritical. Good job, Paul.
I appreciate you reading, and your comment, Robert. Here's to researchers hewing closer to the actual facts, instead of forcing us to read the fine print and send 3 (as yet unanswered) emails to their communications team.