gratuitous.

Old article on how different kinds of praise affect children’s achievement and self-image. The two kinds of praise the author discusses are praise for intelligence (seemingly innate) and specific praise for effort expended (relating to how one was challenged). In considering my own trevails, I could definitely relate to how willing I have been to take part in something difficult in relationship to how smart I think I am, in general and in whatever particular subject.

I think the prevalence of the first kind of praise may contribute to what a bunch of articles/studies/whathaveyou are terming the current “Quarter Life Crisis,” my generation’s nebulous dissatisfaction with our lives. I often think a lot of those articles are over-generalizing bullshit that fail to take into account a lot of different factors and the diversity of previous generations, and are overdramatizing this need to define the Millenninals, or whatever they’re calling us now. However, the analysis present in this particular article kind of adds some structure to those arguments about why we are flailing and failing (or at least why we seem to think we are failing). Interestingly, the article was written by one Po Bronson, who wrote the well-recieved What Should I Do WIth My Life?, a diverse collection of stories on how people ended up doing what they do (and often, love doing). (My mom bought me a copy I have yet to read. I think I’m mega defensive on all of this stuff and don’t want the pressure of someone else’s life as a guide. It’s not that I think I’m doing it right, it’s just that I’m afraid to feel like there is a wrong or a right. I also don’t want my options to appear limitless. so. hmm.) What I have read of his I like.

Nothing about what he says about the movie’s message is especially revelatory for me, but it’s interesting to learn about critics’ responses were when it came out. Some (white) critics suggested it might incite violence. As if black people had been asleep and seeing anger in a movie would suddenly wake them up or some such shit. Black people already knew about anger, thank you. This movie is about the question more than it is about the answer, thank you.

[I would just embed this video but The Root won’t let me. pssh]

The link is to a project this guy, Arun Wilta, did in 2007 where he traveled to all operating subway stations in New York over a period of about 10 days. He photographed or sketched each station and its immediate surrounding areas. At one point, the police detained (!) him for photographing within the stations. You can read more about Arun Wilta and his experiences in this Gothamist post.

I’m personally excited about this project because I love the subways immensily and had been thinking about doing something similar myself. I am thinking of spending a day riding maybe the A, E, F, 4, or 5 trains from end to end, but I need to put some more parameters on it. Def. into taking pictures (get bonus indie cred for polaroids?). Maybe timing the endeavor/time between stops? Afraid of falling asleep. Also, the time of day I pick for certain stops will really change the project. Is it about the ride itself or seeing each station? How about my fellow straphangers*? Obviously, some more planning needs to be done. But major props to Arun Wilta.