Wonderosity

Again, Soul Tech: Restoring balance to our Tech-intense lives

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I’m not a fan of ‘cool’ -though I’m just as guilty as most people of using the word. Cool has become an increasingly ‘default’ adjective over the past few decades, and yet its net effect has been primarily to further segment and dumb down our culture. The statement “That concert was cool” not only has less value than “I really liked the lead singer’s harmonies”, it also seeks out an affirmation from the hearer that they too think it was ‘cool’. And what in the world does that use of the word cool mean anyway?

I like ‘cool’ attitudes even less.   Coolness makes it really hard to get to know a person, to connect with them on an authentic, free level.  When I’m in a compassionate space, I remember that behind the neutrality/indifference of ‘coolness’ is most likely various protective layers and fears stemming from a variety of relational hurts. You may think I’m over-analyzing this, but every time I’ve had the courage, patience and care to probe beyond somebody’s icy cool walls, they begin to melt down and I’m able to cross over and connect with them on a deeper level. Now that I’m writing about it, I’m realizing that wonderosity, -a vulnerable free-flowing following your curiosity to a child-like wonder and awe at Life, is on the opposite pole from icy coolness.

Anyway, in the hope that you might seek out a little wonderosity warmth if you need it, I offer these top ten signs (not in order) that you might just be getting a little too cool:

1. You rarely look at people’s eyes because, well, its just not cool
2. You either strive to wear what’s right, or to look like you don’t care what’s right to wear
3. Sarcasm or other humor/language that only a few people will get frequently pass through your lips
4. Your primary mood is ‘indifferent’
5. You find conversations whether there is personal disclosure uncomfortable or unpleasant
6. You frequently find yourself afraid, worried or insecure about what other people will think about you
7. You would prefer conversation with your gadget, than with the real person just a few feet away from you
8. You frequently use the word cool to describe things, people, music, experiences, events, whatever.
9. You avoid certain people (or categories of people) because, well, their just not cool
10. You are more afraid or distrustful of people than trusting

I’m sure the above list could be consolidated, re-ordered and added to, and maybe that’s just what I’ll do. Or is that not a cool way to blog?

I’ll end with some very uncool cliches: Be free! Be yourself! Have fun! Screw your fears! True friends will like you for who you are. Let your true colors shine, go for it!

Technorati Tags: killingcool, cool, breaking, wonderosity, leifhansen, sparknw, fear, freedom

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Exciting News! Spark Northwest is teaming up with 8020Vision to offer another Humanity 2.0-ish workshop in Seattle, entitled:
Soul Tech -Restoring balance to our tech-intense lives

You know how when going on a vacation it takes a few days to relax and get in the vacation mind? It is like that with our tech-intensive world. Technology can be fun and effective, and yet it can be addictive, stressful and soul-deadening as well.

During a recent Spark Northwest Humanity 2.0 workshop on balancing technology and need for human fulfillment, participants identified several major challenges, including:

• How do we deepen awareness of when we are too consumed by technology?
• When we become aware, how do we consciously choose new behavior that deepens our happiness and connection with others?
• As we work to establish a balance between technical and soulful aspects of living, how do we stick with it?

The Soul Tech workshop will address these challenges.…{More Details}

Just found a great presentation and video over the National Institute for Play’s site.  Check it out.

Some lady emailed me this morning to tell me that my experimental video of begging for an iphone on the street was mentioned in the London Times. It was listed (as #3) in an article entitled “50 reasons not to buy an iPhone“:

“3. If you’re still determined to get an iPhone, you could of course try innovative ways to raise the money like begging on the street like this guy.“

It was also mentioned a while back in Computer World magazine in an article entitled “Top 10 — plus one — funniest iPhone Youtube videos“.

Phone owners can always take to the streets to beg for the funds to pay a bill, as this man did in an attempt to procure the pricey device.

I haven’t seen a view hit jump yet (its been over 20,000 for a couple of weeks I think), but who knows, maybe it will make another comeback…it’s still timely and relevant and pretty funny, I think at least.

I REALLY do need to update the iphoneplease.com site though to say that I am now a proud iphone owner, thanks to the money the site raised and to the generous surprise birthday gift from a group of friends and family members.

Leif w/ hacked iphone

Technorati Tags: iphone, viralmarketing, youtube, londontimes,

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Thanks to two friends, I found this excellent piece of audio journalism from American Public Media, “Speaking of Faith” about the science/nature/wonder of PLAY…I highly recommend it!

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Wow! Have you ever wondered if you’d be able to grasp the basic of String Theory’s ten dimensions? Well, here is a really fun, trippy video that might just help you out. It helped me out…now I just want to find that portal, the tesseract, the portal, the ‘fold’, onto other dimensions. And I’m not kidding, I really think its possible…
Technorati Tags: tesseract, stringtheory, wonderosity, leifhansen

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