Wonderbringers Newsletter with Monica Parker
View this email in your browser
Hello wonderseekers!
I’ve started a fascinating book by neuroscientist Tali Sharot & law professor (and prolific author) Cass R. Sunstein entitled Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There. (Thanks to reader Edward for this one!) As one who always harps on the importance of novelty as a means to finding wonder, it has been interesting to read more deeply on the science of dishabituation (i.e., seeing things freshly.) It reminded me of how habituation not only stops us from seeing the wonderful in our life but also the lousy (and how it can even foster authoritarianism!)
One tip? Shorter holidays make us happier! Apparently, the sweet spot is 43 hours, and after 3.7 days, the ‘holiday feeling’ is gone!
Below is a bit I learned about countering habituation (warning, though—you Atomic Habits fans may not like it!).
Some wonderbringers for me this week:
Watch: Cool free webinar TOMORROW: Reid Hoffman on “the cognitive industrial revolution.”
Listen: David Eagleman and Tali Sharot: Why do familiar things lose their shine (& what can we do about it)?
Read: When a civilization drinks together, it stays together: The Wari people used beer to spread their culture across Peru.
Back in Ireland again next week (!!). I’ll be in Belfast speaking at QUB for the International Society for Research on Emotion conference, the world’s biggest emotions conference. I’ll be talking about how to take academic ideas and write them for a popular audience. Come say hi if you’ll be there!
With wonder,
Follow Me
Copyright ©*|CURRENT_YEAR|* Monica C. Parker. All rights reserved.
Want to unsubscribe? That’s ok! We’re sad to see you go, but you’ll still be a part of our Wonderbringer community in spirit.
Mailing address:
10 Colosseum Terrace
London, UK NW1 4EB