fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
I am eco-conscious. But I smoke.
By: Ganesh Selvaraj
Tags: Nature, Climate Change, Environment, Health, Sociology

You can call this — the confession of a half-organic crusader. Or something like that.

I am a serious supporter of all things natural, of products and practices which are pro-environment. But sometimes I wonder if my own metaphorical backyard is clean in the first place.

I used to maintain a data sheet of my consumption pattern to monitor the waste generated. And the facts showed me who I really was.

I ordered food from restaurants and ended up generating packaging waste — not to mention the pollution contributed through the logistics of it. So

I stopped doing that. I smoked and discovered that I am adding carbon-monoxide in the atmosphere. I even found out that the cigarette butts are plastic and not cotton. So I stopped doing that too — but just for a while.

I am not a serial smoker. Or for that matter, I am not even a regular smoker.

I fall in the bracket of ‘leisure smoker’. I smoke when I drink or when I am sleep deprived — essentially when I can’t think straight. I think I lack resolve. And that gives me a very obvious insight.

We as individuals are at different points of our life journey. Some of us have the resolve and some of us don’t, and some don’t want to have any resolve.

We still want cars that maybe gas guzzlers, order in food, get extra plastic bags for our purchase, take planes across continents. Or smoke. Many of us are just not ready as individuals yet. The collective green consciousness is not very alive yet. And probably won’t be in a long time to come — until perhaps the turd hits the fan.

I will speak for myself. I think I have done a lot to cut down my carbon footprint. But I continue to enjoy my beef (a serious contributor of C02 emission) and smoke once in a while. While it’s cheating on my side, it is also a behaviour that has in a way been humbling.

I accept who I am with my less greener habits and also accept people with no green habits at all. Because I am in no way better by doing more than what an average man does to his environment. An occasional cigarette might still cause a little dent in the ecology — little but nevertheless a dent. I am saying this so nobody who isn’t practically ‘green’ should feel guilty about it.

And historically speaking, the world and its people never changed together as one, and will never change in the future too. We all might start using greener alternatives only because we won’t have a choice. The world today is not a better place because everyone collectively subscribed to one consciousness. We are just pushed forward by the greater human culture.

While this is in no way an excuse to my habits, I believe that human psychology plays a major part in social changes. And on that note, I am going to think what will change MY behaviour from smoking to no smoking. And that’s a promise I give to myself.

<I wrote this after the dopamine rush gained from smoking a cigarette. Irony.>
Could that be friendship?
By: Marco Felipe
Tags: Relationships, Friendship, Thinking, Perspective, Sociology

Could that be friendship?

Gabriel and Leon.

These guys would meet every day and soccer was all they talked about. It was a very easy subject for both of them. They cheered for the same team. Whenever they met it was all about soccer. They’d tell memories of their favorite players, argue about the coaches that would build the best teams… They’d even remember each other whenever it was game night, in case the other one had forgotten about it.

Okay, okay… to be fair, they’d chat about other things every once in a while. Leon knew a bit about Gabriel’s personal life, not about his job though. Gabriel used to work with advertising back then. And he felt like he couldn’t talk to his mate about it. Leon wouldn’t talk much about himself either. On the other hand, he was quite a curious guy. So he’d ask Gabe a bunch of questions about himself. Eventually, he ended up got getting to know about Gabriel’s hobbies, about his girlfriend and some other stuff too.

But, whenever the subject was soccer, that’s when they really connected. They’d always meet and boom! Just like that, soccer here we go. They’d either meet before or after Gabriel’s work hours. Leon would always be there by Gabe’s home waiting for him. They’d been doing it for so long it almost felt like they were really good friends.

Actually, both of them had bigger interests besides soccer. Gabe was a big cinema guy. He’d go for the movies every week. On Leon’s side of things, his favorite sport was actually car racing, Formula 1. That was all he was able to watch when he wasn’t at work on sunday mornings. So, I guess you must be asking yourself now: Why the hell would they make the effort to meet every single to talk about soccer, since clearly they weren’t that close and had better things to do?

Well, Leon was Gabriel’s home building doorman. Soccer was all they could ever talk about.
The Party
By: Seth J. Stubbs
Tags: Politcal Satire, Politics, Society, Criticism, Sociology

They’re going to give you shit for it no matter what.

The petty shit they give you cannot do shit.

Their shit cannot act itself out,

cannot have a definition that isn’t infinite,

cannot be itself,

and if it isn’t even being shit, itself, then what can it

accomplish (without an accomplice — another entity)?

The shit that they give you

isn’t different than Kool Aid or Goodyear tires

sharing ingredients

like reptiles and people share a common ancestor.

It won’t make your dick look any different.

It won’t give your BMs regularity.

The shit they ‘give’ (mandatorily!)

can’t add up to a revolution.

It doesn’t even seem to add up to a ‘democratic’ election

just CRISIS after CRISIS.

They’re going to give you shit for it no matter what.

Let them take responsibility for the world.

Let them walk the treadmill and die

before never running out of episodes to stream.

They’re going to give you shit for it no matter what.

Let them compare your shit poetry

to some successful poet

because they don’t know shit

give a shit about shit

and yet the shit they have keeps piling up.

They’re going to give you shit for it.

A tattoo is as ineffectual with regards activity

as the human body stamping itself

with all the jabberwocky of A and not A

like a peaceful coexistence of idiotic organs

that can’t do shit

while the brain generates CONTENT after CONTENT.

All the shit is piling up.

The shit is piling up out of everyone’s pockets

like coins weighing down the pockets

of scurvy-brained pirates

probably as keen on imaginary pussy

as on the heroin chic of any purchasable object.

They’ll shit from any possible perspective

no matter how unrealistic

no matter how ineffectual

no matter how redundant.

They’ll shit on you for your best

your worst

your stability

your inconsistency

and if you make a sound in their direction,

they’ll come shit all the shit that’s been shat on them

right down your ears that work as well as the eyes,

direct lines to the brain,

but the body doesn’t do shit —

it just stands there communicating

doing nothing…just like the shit that they give.
3 key learning to adapt to the “new normal”
By: Carla Jreidini
Tags: Change, Mindfulness, Psychology, Behavior Change, Sociology

Source: Amman Wahab Nizamani via Wikimedia Commons

Millions of citizens around the world are on lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has created a global social empathy but also impacted our routine and taught us how to cope with drastic changes.

Our built-in resilience to face all kinds of challenges is being tested once again and today in this new type of world, we need to adapt to the “new normal”. No public and social gatherings, learn and work from home, exercise through online platforms, refrain from traveling, and be mindful to observe your feelings and thoughts.

With this context in which we are living these changes, I’m sure you are trying to adapt to this new reality by changing your behavior. To stay healthy and enjoy the present moment, follow these methods:

Do not be affected by the infodemic — defined as a plethora of accurate and fake news that makes it complicated for people to find the reliable sources when needed. Read instead just a few trustworthy international and local news outlets, and social media accounts to stay informed on what’s happening.

Create new routines at home — we all want to make good use of our time spent at home and benefit from this self-isolation to organize our days and get things done! Besides working and exercising from home, you can consider finalizing the pending list of books to read, cooking new recipes or doing an activity involving all members of the family such as organizing old family pictures. Don’t halt your creativity, because this could be an opportunity to use your time wisely.

Enjoy the slow pace — maybe in all this chaos there is an opportunity for us to remind ourselves of what really matters in this unpredictable world, and practice self-reflection to find our purpose and learn new skills in this changing global work landscape. Try at your own pace to be open-minded in your approach to reflect on your priorities, goals and values. Your slow thoughtful reflection will grant you clarity in your major life decisions.

How are you adapting to the “new normal”? I would love to read your thoughts.
Inter-Relation Among Institutions — Sociology
By: Usman Khadim Kamboh
Tags: Government, Institutions, Sociology

Inter-Relation among Institutions

An economic organization is a structure in which the population is created and supplied with goods and services. Ideally speaking, the production and delivery of these products and services are driven by sound economic motives, i.e., by optimizing efficiency and minimizing costs. This ensures that the production factors are put to full use at a low rate. That’s the depiction of an ideal economy. This is far from accurate in real experience, however. As the economic organization forms part of the social structure, it should be regarded as a sub-system related to other social sub-systems, such as religious, family, educational and political sub-systems. Therefore, for understandable reasons, the economic sub-system is very much influenced by other sub-systems’ operations.

Max Weber concluded that a community’s functional ethics arising from its religious orientation played a very important role in promoting the acceptable work culture among people. Different empirical results have shown conclusively that all segments of the population do not respond in the same way and to the same degree to economic incentives (a perfectly rational economic device).

There are many cases of which improved ‘take home pay’ continues to increase job absenteeism and alcoholism rather than motivating them to perform harder and improve. It is argued that if the members of a society who work for their own sake have an ideological outlook, that attempts are to be made to obtain a better standard of life, society will demand a dedicated labor force.

“This-worldly” altitude fostered by Protestantism, according to Max Weber, contributed greatly to the development and development of capitalism in Western Europe in the initial stages. Some writers point out that the “other-worldly” mindset, promoted by Hinduism, hampers the production among Hindus of an acceptable working culture.

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Is ‘Good and Evil’ Even a Thing?
By: Amal Abrar
Tags: Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Psychology, Perception, Sociology

While drawing conclusions and judgments human bias plays a significant role

Classification of man into either of the two, or in between is a common, yet simplified assumption. We tend to adhere to such assumptions on account of our own experiences, thoughts, and ideals and in the midst of it all, we ignore man’s intrinsic value. Another question arises; how can anyone’s intrinsic value be assessed as all judgment is clouded by bias, intentional or unintentional.

If you had to describe a good person, you would think of empathy, altruism, and generosity perhaps. You would think of a self-sacrificing person who prioritizes the needs of others over himself and shows concern for those other than himself. The list could go on.

Now, on the other end of the spectrum, evil is what we view as selfishness, envy, and maybe even vindictiveness. Today, society forces us to believe that such people may engage in criminal activities and prisons are their rightful temporary abodes, where they may be rehabilitated to conform to society and its ideals.

In this puzzle, we ignore the situational factors at play. Why does man engage in this so-called good or evil behavior? How did we characterize certain actions as good or evil in the first place? Can a judge’s human bias ever be detached completely? Would people from different areas differently categorize the same people? It is possible.

Humans act in ways that serve their interests, which could be collective or individual. The notion of ‘Selfish Gene’ as posited by the English theorist Richard Dawkins emphasizes that natural selection occurs and self-interest allows man to survive and flourish. While this view may be criticized, the belief it shed light on is widely internalized by humans — selfishness permits men to survive in the competitive world.

Selfishness, in this context, does not necessarily refer to actual stealing or taking bread from someone’s mouth. However, when looked at under the lens of social Darwinism it gives meaning. It elaborates man’s inherent selfish desires that deem him fit for survival — Selfishness to survive, to grow, to prosper, and to procreate. Is the survival of Capitalism and the win of the Free World a manifestation of the views of Richard Dawkins and Social Darwinism? Is it not selfishness that has allowed most men to sustain themselves?

This leads us to believe that the very ideals we glorify and celebrate are always viewed under the lens of bias and heuristics and are thus mere perceptions. What we perceive to be selfish, we view it as evil. What we perceive as selfless, we view it as good.

The good that we commonly think of is all that we desire and the evil is all that we attribute to those we dislike. It is not strange to see in world-history or international politics the vanquished most often receives the most dreadful and selfish traits while the victor is praised with virtues. Thus, cementing the perceptions that we build.

The views are my own and I do not claim them to be facts. You may disagree with them.
What I’ve been reading #1
By: Gerard Clos
Tags: Psychology, Interesting Reads, Big Idea, Rationality, Sociology

Studies on Slack, a great example of how abstract principles apply to seemingly unconnected phenomena: from competitive markets to natural selection, players require some slack to thrive. It starts slow but it ramps up quickly.

You Will Not Live To See Your Next Birthday, short and thrilling throughout, it makes most personal hardships feel like minor inconveniences.

Complex Is Not The Same As Complicated, recovered from my archive. Not your typical comparison of complex vs complicated but rather a recipe on how to deal with each type of system. In short, complicated stuff can be completely understood, complex phenomena cannot. Aspire to understand the former, only to manage the latter.

Dithering And Open Versus Free, the podcast announcement can be glossed over, the interesting part is about how platforms are monopolizing content distribution and production, slowly killing off open distribution platforms and independent creators. See also how Netflix went from distribution channel to one of the biggest content producers in the world, or how Amazon trades the value of AMC every second and is bidding to buy it.

When Tailwinds Banish, the early age of internet companies is coming to an end and most low-hanging fruit has been taken. How will the next batch of tech companies make it to grow at past rates VCs have come to expect? I mostly agree with the author’s take.

AlphaGo — The Movie, great documentary, more for how it’s told than for what it tells. After further reading, I’ve come to think the claims about AI are overblown, but whatever you think you know about AlphaGo, this 1-hour film is well worth your time.

The Climate Club, past agreements to tackle climate change have failed. The author proposes another approach to implement an international agreement that will ensure countries comply with emission targets. Good if you enjoy game theory.

Behind the Mask of Corruption Jeffrey Epstein drama through the lenses of cinema and Kubrick’s Wide Eyes Shut. It made me re-watch the movie. As leftish an approach as you can find, but you’ll enjoy it if you are remotely interested in cinema.

50 Ideas That Changed My Life, a case of an article that’s worth more for what it summarizes rather than for what it brings of new to the table. You’ll know most of these, but it’s nevertheless a good piece to keep in your back pocket and re-read every once in a while.
I think Ms. Taylor is now equipped to, and destined to … become a writer!
By: Bolivar Shagnasty
Tags: Socio Economic Insecurity, Sociocracy, Sociology

I think Ms. Taylor is now equipped to, and destined to … become a writer!

She is trying to reach out, outside the cocoon. She is already fully equipped with the language and the trappings of discontent, a powerful self-motivator.

Indeed each of us needs to feel somewhat restless with our own Self … until we have thoroughly examined our own patterns - of thought and expression. And then searched and probed the various pathways toward our cherished outcome(s).

Then, learn to make lemonade out of the lemons in your life, Ms. Taylor!

Can you harness your experiences and your fantasies, your memories and your whims, even your own triumphs and tragedies … into one focused and balanced and appealing portrait you can offer?

Instead of suckling on one’s own bottled-up bitterness … buttered all over the universe … you might just be surprised how much respect and acceptance you actually get from your sociology encampment. Be sure to offer something both genuine and germane to some worthy action.

o- Do you want to become a credentialed sage in the very bureaucratic structures of either academic or governmental Sociologists? Locate and treasure a sincere Mentor.

o- Do you want instead to become a dedicated and recognized functionary in any one of the shifting tides of street-movement sociologists, earning some street cred?

Not likely that you can be a mover in both of those worlds. Pick out one, throw your disciplined brain and muscle into it.

Locate and treasure a sincere Mentor. Be sure to get adopted.

>>> Meanwhile, please do locate and treasure a worthy text-processor or author-guide to uplift your diction and usage … achieve a smoother and more professional written product.
How Covid-19 divided us all from each other
Tags: Relationships, Pandemic, Psychology, Life, Sociology

Everyone knows what’s been going on in the world for the past 10 months and sadly there’s no end in sight.

However, even if it might not seem that way to everyone, this pandemic has absolutely shattered our social lives and divided us all socially.

Our society is very fragile and unstable, and this pandemic REALLY showed us how fragile it really is and how we take things for granted.

The very trivial thing of going shopping without a mask and without being afraid of people and potentially infected products is gone. Looking back at it from where we’re at now, it’s a luxury and privilege.

Going back to the fragile nature of our society, due to being locked away, we lost touch with each other. We were all under lockdown, and we’ll be again by the looks of it. We all got distanced from each other, one reason is that people are afraid of getting sick, understandable, some because everything was closed and there was no public transport, some got infected and sick and people started avoiding them.

All of that is really sad.

Right now we have the highest ever rates of suicides, divorces, violence, breakups, substance abuse.

All the negative things caused by people being required to keep distance.

Don’t get me wrong, Covid-19 is a really dangerous disease and we should be very careful BUT we need to appreciate each other. Appreciate the little things someone does for you even in these dire times, it’s all in the little things.

Hug those you live with, love your partners, don’t fight!

If you see your family, friends and partners rarely, then make the best of it!

Don’t make anyone feel any less loved because they live a bit further, because they lost their job and are down on their luck.

We are all in this together and ONLY together can we get through this!

Love each other, care for each other and remember, being nice can only bring you good things in life!
Why Did I Decide To Major in Sociology?
By: Kljajic Thea
Tags: Majors, Degree, University, Jobs, Sociology

When I was about to choose my major at the University people around me were full of advice. My family was determined to make me major in computer sciences while my friends tried to convince me that the best major ever was economy even though they knew that I hated math and economy was full of it.

Even before my studies, I was interested in what is happening in society, which affects both the individual in general and society as a whole. When choosing my studies, I was exclusively guided by the stated interests, and therefore the choice itself was easy.

People around me were really discouraging since they didn’t really know what sociology was so for them it was kind of fear of the unknown.

So, let’s first answer that question.

What is Sociology?

Sociology is a major branch of the social sciences which focuses on society and social behaviour. It examines institutions and phenomena within groups of people and delves into both causes and impacts of these social structures.

Sociology is popular with those interested in social change, activism, and humanitarian action.

Sociology has its own subject of scientific research, these are social phenomena and social relations and their social essence, regardless of whether they are economic, legal or other relations.

If you are the type of person who does not necessarily follow the crowds (but are fascinated by their behaviour), the type who is truly interested in what is going on in the world, then sociology should interest you.

As a sociology student, you would be able to see things from many different points of view.

Sociology has always been a degree with a very diverse studentship. As it attracts people interested in exploring society through many different avenues, you are unlikely to find a more unique group of people on any other degree course.

Also, a sociology degree is real adaptable since with it you can work in many different fields.

My major is actually called Applied Sociology. Applied sociology is the use of sociological theory, methods, skills and research in order to resolve particular issues in real-world settings. So basically, you can work in many different industries.

Top Jobs for Sociology Major

By focusing on the external forces that affect attitudes, values, and behaviours, sociology helps us better understand ourselves and the motivations of others around us. Sociology provides the tools and skills we need to take a more active role in creating, participating in, managing, and advancing in social groups.
The Halo Effect
By: Sunay Ragi
Tags: Evolutionary Psychology, Psychology, Sociology, Halo Effect

“The first impression is the best impression” is a quotation everyone has heard at some point, but it is misleading. A better version of it would be, “The first impression is an important one,” because;

it is not misleading you do not have to write ‘impression’ twice

Googling ‘first impressions’ will yield you millions of results, but, likely, you will first find things like ‘Making a good first impression.’ Most of us asked the question too; “Why does a first impression matter?” and the obvious answer is that someone else would be drawing presumptions of our personality and start acting accordingly.

Wikipedia writes, “a first impression is an event when one person first encounters another person and forms a mental image of that person. Impression accuracy varies depending on the observer and the target (person, object, scene, etc.) being observed.”

That is the halo effect; A type of cognitive bias in which our overall impression of a person influences how we feel and think about their character.

What is “halo”?

That blue ring.

The Decision Lab writes, “The term halo alludes to the religious concept of a glowing circle crowning the heads of saints and bathing their faces in a heavenly light. In terms of the cognitive bias, the halo represents the positive light that we place upon people or things because of certain external characteristics.”

An experiment

In 1920 American psychologist Edward Thorndike, who pioneered the Halo effect, experimented where commanding officers were asked to rate their subordinates in intelligence, physique, and leadership qualities, never actually having spoken to them. Thorndike observed that the officers rated the attractive and taller subordinates as more intelligent and better soldiers.

Another experiment

Solomon Asch, a pioneer of sociology and Gestalt psychology, experimented in 1946. The participants were read two lists of adjectives that describe two people. But the catch, like with any social experiment, was that the lists contained the same adjectives just in a different order. List1 had the adjectives listed in a positive-to-negative fashion and List2, negative-to-positive. The participants scored the List1 person as more favorable than the List2 one.

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Conformity
By: Sunay Ragi
Tags: Evolutionary Psychology, Psychology, Sociology

The Story of Kitty Genovese

Kitty Genovese was a 28-year-old bar manager. On a March night back in 1964, she was raped and stabbed to death in Kew Gardens, Queens. Police say at least 38 people heard the screams but did nothing to help.

The hypothesis was that each one of the witnesses assumed someone else would call the police, so no one ended up calling, and Kitty Genovese died. This is called the Bystander Effect; People are less likely to help victims if other people are around.

That story may not have been all true. 38 people did not witness the crime. In fact, the witnesses may have been as few as two. A witness, Samuel Hoffmann, waited on hold for 3–4 minutes before reaching the police.

So, where did the number 38 come from?

It is theorized that the police officer lied to a reporter to cover-up why it took them so long to reach the crime scene. But the story of 38 New Yorkers turning a blind eye to a woman’s murder spread like a virus*, making headlines all over the world. This is called an Information Cascade; Several people making the same decision sequentially. The conformity was on the part of the news channels.

*😏See what I did there?

A more obvious example of conformity would be the Asch’s Conformity Experiments, where a subject is placed in a group of people. That group is asked to select an answer to a few questions. What the subject would not know is that everyone else in the group is an actor instructed to pick the wrong answer to see if the subject would conform or be bold enough to pick the right one. Approximately 75% of the subjects conformed at least once.

The groups were asked questions like this: Which line on the right correspond to the one on left?

The Big Question: Why do we conform?

Conformity has its roots in our evolution. We traveled like herds in our hunter-gatherer days, keeping each other healthy and safe from the wilderness.

N ational Geographic writes, “Until approximately 12,000 years ago, all humans practiced hunting-gathering. Anthropologists have discovered evidence for the practice of hunter-gatherer culture by modern humans (Homo sapiens) and their distant ancestors dating as far back as two million years”.

It helped us survive in a constant-threat environment. We had to belong to a group. Clearly, conformity is not necessarily bad.

“Conforming can be a form of social lubrication. It’s easier to do what someone else is doing because to break from that norm would be to slow things down,” says Vsause.

Conformity worked wonders back in those days where one’s purpose was only to hunt, gather, eat, and reproduce. But now that our goals and purposes in life are long-term achievements, we have to stay aware of the effects of conformity. Other people can influence us in good ways, but also not-so-good ways. We try to fit in everywhere we go, even if it means going against our values.

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Star (-spangled banner) Struck!
By: The Cinnamon Sociologist
Tags: Immigration, Racism, Sociology

Walking into the United States definitely takes some time to get used to. Especially if you are from a third world country. I should know, I did it last year. And don’t get me wrong, I am not here to talk about racism, or xenophobia.

It wasn’t startling at all to see a white man screaming at a black lady at the immigration desk for having mangoes in her luggage.

She said her son (nine or ten years, judging by height) put the three mangoes in her check-in luggage. I do not believe her. Kids almost never do anything extraordinary at all. In fact, mangoes are a popular way people of colour infiltrate the job market and take away the jobs from Americans. Their jobs, which they were not doing before some riff-raff with a degree in neurology, took it away.

Neither was it startling when a white family turned up at the airport demanding a flight be called back from the sky, because it wasn’t their fault that they were late.

Their previous flight got delayed. The very co-incidentally African-American man at the gate to the airplane, tried very hard to explain you couldn’t call back flights that have left. They were not ready for another flight, or overnight accommodation.

I was sleep-deprived, slightly nauseous from travelling around the world the last twenty hours. The really loud lesson in principle the white family was trying to give the black man entertained me for a bit. The flight, apparently, should have been called back because the earlier flight messed up and they were being “punished” for no fault of their own.

It wasn’t fair; the white gentleman was correct. I watched from a distance as his voice and tone sobered up and they quickly got ready for an alternative flight as soon as a white, blonde woman took over the situation.

Not that I come from Utopia Central. This gentle-family (puns intended) was already strongly bringing back memories of the Brash Brahmin Boys from back home. But where was my really startling experience?

Where was the ‘Murica? The land of the rich? By the time I took a tiny American Eagle to a university town that would be home for the next five years, I had given up. Then I stepped out of the airport.

Within an instant, my life transformed. Hollywood was correct. This was it! It was like I had taken off the orange-toned glass and nothing was sepia anymore!

First world, I had arrived.
Traveling of tomorrow starts today.
Tags: Digital Nomads, Travel, Covid 19, Experience, Trends

A new deal for the Travel industry

For many of us, travelling is a way to preserve both physical and mental well-being. 83% of respondents declared that planning a trip works as a stimulus for looking into the future with optimism. Undoubtedly, the Travel industry is one of those which experiences consecutive lockdowns very severely. By ‘Travel’ I mean the numerous entities, starting from hotels, restaurants, carriers, car rentals, and ending with local guides and all the tourist services staff. There are, however, premises to be positive about the future. Nearly 80% of us want to go away this year to pay ourselves back for the stress connected to the pandemic. For the industry, this means a new deal coming which will emphasize even more the meaning of travel experience and everything surrounding it.

Over a half of the respondents admit they miss vacation so much that they are willing to plan a trip, even if it means cancelling it later. This makes the flexibility of hotels and carriers especially appreciated. The new reality has also redefined the perception of luxury. The most desired conveniences are privacy and maintaining perfect cleanliness, which give us a feeling of safety.

The pandemic reality has spurred the emergence of a completely new customer segment — the digital nomads. The fact that many of us work remotely means we can do our job from anywhere. In reality, 54% of respondents claim that the possibility of working and traveling around the world at the same time is now more attractive than before the pandemic. It does not mean, however, that the destination of our trips has become less important. 59% of respondents admit they would be willing to choose a destination based on possibilities to support local communities.
The Things You Need To Do Remote Work In A Harsh Environment.
By: Insights Success
Tags: Digital Nomads, Remote Working, Internet, Work From Home, Remote Work

The Things You Need To Do Remote Work In A Harsh Environment. Insights Success Mar 22·2 min read

You may have a job that requires frequent business travelers or maybe the occasional overnight stay. If you travel to a harsh environment, you need to have a list of handy items that will save you the hassle and reduce stress. While traveling for work sounds like something fun, it has its fair of challenges. The transition from your office to sharing the same room with your colleagues is not easy to handle.

Additionally, you might have to bear with the harsh weather, unfriendly locals, or even temperature variations. All these changes also require you to be in the right mental state to handle everything that’s thrown at you. This post will look at some necessary items you need to survive in an unfriendly environment.

1. Internet Service

In the 21st century, the internet plays an integral part in every working environment. Working in a harsh location isn’t the same as your office where you may have high-speed internet. As such, you also need an Enhanced Micro Data Link System that can withstand even the harshest of conditions since it allows revamped situational awareness for better decision making. For many of us, the internet is the key to getting things done. If you want consistent productivity, we recommend having the best reliable internet service. We also recommend having a mobile spot if you are traveling in the remotest of locations. Such areas may not have the privilege of having access to wired internet. In this case, a mobile hotspot is your best chance for communication.

2. Think About Remote Desktop Applications

If you’re working remotely, we recommend utilizing remote desktop applications. They help to ensure that you’re working at maximum efficiency. The significant advantage of these applications is that they create a secure connection to a computer at any given location. Additionally, this feature offers the same ease and familiarity of working from your desktop. As an employer, your employers can access computers at your headquarters when working away from the office. You can also research more companies that offer solutions to facilitate remote working.

3. Convenient Desktop Setup

While your desktop may be suitable for other functionalities, it will help expand your capabilities with some extras. This may include spreadsheets that will manage your accounts. Additionally, you also need to have backup storage to store important documents. This is why we recommend having business-oriented software. If your employer doesn’t provide one, or if you’re working on your projects, you can shop around for some of these products. They will make your life more comfortable in the long haul.

Continue Reading: https://www.insightssuccess.com/the-things-you-need-to-do-remote-work-in-a-harsh-environment/.
Secondhand Sweaters, Siamese Cats on Leashes, Best Microphone Ever
By: Dana Leigh Lyons
Tags: Self Care, Simplicity, Digital Nomads, Fall, Holistic Health

Fall, secondhand sweaters, siamese cats on leashes, best microphone ever.

Late August already… How’d that happen? How are you doing? I wrote earlier this week about the shift in seasons, including what to eat and why we should rest from choice. Get that post here.

LingXu, resting from choice

Personally, I love edging towards colder months and have been relishing the hint of fall on recent mornings. I do feel spoiled this summer, having escaped hot days in Nelson with my move to Victoria (though I sure do miss that mountain tree line at dusk).

LingDao, never resting

The hood

My rental apartment has been quite noisy lately, which is unfortunate — construction across the street during the day, and loud visitors above during the night. Sigh. My entire being thrives on quiet.

In lighter neighbourhood news, there’s a man who walks his very large, male siamese cat on a leash around the block and past my house each morning, afternoon and evening. He’s often smoking a joint (the man, not the cat), sometimes drinking a beer, and occasionally engaging in pleasant conversation (with the cat, not me). In view of my own crazed (un-leashable) siamese companions, watching this is a beautiful, calming, miraculous thing.

Also, a woman dropped off a $15 pile of used sweaters the other day. They were her daughter’s, aren’t really my style, and will find their way to a donation box shortly. But I wanted to wrap myself in someone else’s clothes for a minute. Sweaters. At home. Like a no-strings-attached hug (which, turns out, was just what I needed). Is this weird? I’m okay with that.

Home recording studio, Alchemist apprentices included

Microphone magic

After weeks of audio recording for Alchemist Academy’s first course — Roots + Shoots: An Alchemist Guide to Chinese Herbs — I chose to scratch the tracks and start over. In brief, my piece-of-shit headset was not cutting it.

So I broke down, walked to Best Buy, and bought a Yeti Blackout. OMG what a difference. I am in love. This is one of those purchases I will be grateful for with each and every use. Makes starting back at the beginning worth it (did I mention I have a perfectionism problem?).

If you want more details on the first course, find them here. And stay tuned by signing up here.

Not a Chinese Med student but still interested? Contact me and we’ll chat! Also, sign up at the same link to receive word on coming eating and lifestyle courses.

Meanwhile, some consciously curated…

Oh that the whole household were this quiet…

Recipes + Links

Lemon olive oil sorbet for a father’s birthday. Plus a deeply resonate story of relationship.

Simple, beautiful tomato eggs. I’d sub out the canola and rice, but this looks lovely.

Might even add Magic Green Sauce. Another simply delightful creation.

A listen on wishing well for difficult people. After all, we are someone’s difficult people!

A listen on things you can do for depression. Psst…it starts with food.

P.S., Are you ready for fall? What’s your favourite part? xo.
Live and work remote: Nomads discussion
By: Anna Avetisyan
Tags: Digital Nomads, Clubhouse, Takeaways, Russian, Meeting Notes

Live and work remote: Nomads discussion

Main topic of discussion: Experience sharing of Russian digital nomads in different countries, tips, pros and cons of various locations.

📱Apps mentioned

Applications mentioned during the discussion for easy reference

https://nomadlist.com: Digital nomads community content, as per Pavel Gurov, worth subscribing, good content and possibility to network.

https://www.gojek.com: Delivery app mentioned by Kris Vazovsky, operating good in Bali.

http://www.enjoyurbanstation.com : Urban Station, chain of coworking spaces in Latin America

https://www.rappi.com.co : Delivery app mentioned by Antonia for Colombia.

Payment services : https://paysend.com, https://transferwise.com, https://www.paypal.com

🌎 Highlights on locations

🇰🇷 Seoul, South Korea

Cool but expensive

Tiny apartments with high rent, sometimes even without windows.

Super fast internet connection

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Great apartments in Airbnb, with quite reasonable prices.

Tasty restaurants and not expensive.

Great people.

Not bad internet connection

Great wine and steak is TRUE! Prices are x10 cheaper than in Moscow.

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

Even in tiny village you have wifi and payments via cards.

Nice environment for nomads

🇲🇽 Mexico

Great location for nomads, cool networking possibilities.

Merida as a location recommendation, less tourists there but good options for nomads.

🇨🇴 Columbia

Speaker stayed in Medellín in Columbia, didn’t have bad experiences.

Safety in Columbia is debatable, in Latin America in general there are defined safe not safe lanes, streets, which needs to be always considered. In some region in Columbia it is still restricted to have 2 men riding the bike together, since 1 can shoot when other one is riding.

👀 Basic tips when starting Nomading
Distributed culture will win
By: Hampus Jakobsson
Tags: Company Culture, Digital Nomads, Startup, UX, Remote Work

In an office, everyone says “communication is important”. But most behavior is ‘emergent’ rather than ‘deliberate’. In an office, you might do a quick meeting because you’ve been tapped on the shoulder by someone who wants your attention. This works. In a distributed office, this doesn’t work. So you’re forced to think: “What kinds of communication should be immediate? Which should be asynchronous? What protocols work here?”.

In an office, everyone says “a social culture is important”. On Fridays when people get tired, someone asks: “Should we grab a drink?” So you grab a drink. It works. In a distributed office, this doesn’t work. You’re forced to think: “How do actually foster the kinds of meaningful relationships that make working together a joy?” Out with drunken Fridays that leads to exclusive social behaviour, leaves those who don’t drink feeling left out, etc — and in with small conversations amongst people who don’t get to work together day to day with a little nudge to talk about others things than “So, where did you go to school?”

In an office, people say “inclusivity is important”. We might all agree that we should hear everyone’s opinion, but the body language of the Highest Paid Person In the Office signals “I go first”. When we are all commenting on a shared Google Document that behavior doesn’t emerge naturally. In writing, the playing field is more level by design (though never completely level, by any means).
The office with the best climate in the world.
By: Miguel Adams
Tags: Canary Islands, Digital Nomads, Startup, Work From Anywhere, Recruitment

Or, as the Canarian Tourism Board would say, “la oficina con el mejor clima del mundo.”

The inexorable advance of technology, coupled with the turbo boost effect of the global Covid-19 pandemic, has accelerated the rise of the digital nomad.

A digital nomad’s work is location independent. Quite simply this means they are not constrained to a physical office but rather work remotely across borders and/or time zones. It is estimated there are currently some 5 million digital nomads with many more set to follow the footprints in the sand.

As a digital nomad you’re most likely to be working in software development, SEO, digital marketing or design. We can expect this list of sectors to grow as remote working becomes an increasingly accepted business practice.

Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash

Once you’ve made the life-changing decision to become a digital nomad, the next question is invariably “where in the world…?”

Well, the Canary Islands are hard to beat. And here’s why:

• Mild, subtropical climate with warm temperatures all year round? Sí.

• Favourable time zone compatible with major European and global hubs? Sí.

• Excellent transport connections to Europe, a mere 2hrs flying time from the mainland? Sí.

• Familiar Western living standards and a single currency usage? Sí.

• Excellent broadband infrastructure ensuring connectivity to the rest of the world? Sí.

• A reasonable cost of living, with an easy-going, laid-back island lifestyle? Sí.

• Low Covid-19 prevalence thanks to their geographically independent, Atlantic Ocean location? Sí.

• Compelling scenery, from majestic mountains to fantastic beaches? Sí.

• Foreigner-friendly, with English widely spoken, and a low crime rate? Sí.

• Actively promoted as a remote working destination by the Canarian government? Sí.

• Digital nomad-friendly environment, with co-working spaces opening all the time? Sí.

Did you think choosing a remote working destination was going to be a tough decision? Think again. Es pan comido.

. . .

CANARIAS TECH JOBS | Work. Rest. Play.™
Riding the Digital Wave: 5 Reasons Why E-Learning is the Way to Go
By: Glenielle Geraldo Nanglihan
Tags: E Learning Solutions, Digital Nomads, Edtech, Online Learning Platform, Online Course Creator

The old ways are no longer in vogue in a rapidly-changing world. The internet has redefined every aspect of our lives from commerce to entertainment and even our interactions.

More and more people are discovering the endless opportunities e-learning can offer.

It is not surprising then that even the field of education has changed, with learning practices evolving with the rise of e-learning. But the possibilities do not end at online classes for students, in fact digital learning offers various benefits for any young professional out there looking to build in-demand skills.

E-learning is dynamic

Going beyond the four walls of the classroom doesn’t just mean you’ll simply be changing your location. It means you can enroll in a diverse range of courses and topics with instructors from all over the world. It also means that in digital learning you’ll have access to various interactive content such as videos or short modules. No longer do you have to wade through lengthy readings when there’s engaging online courses waiting for you!

2. E-learning saves you money

A traditional education racks up so many costs from transportation, miscellaneous, and other fees. Online learning doesn’t just save your wallet, but you’re getting a quality education in the deal too. In fact, more and more universities, organizations, and companies are pivoting to online classes and training because it is cost-effective.

3. E-learning is flexible

In online learning, you get to learn at your own pace. This will allow you to spend time on other interests and activities. You wouldn’t have to go through a stressful schedule, or pick which aspect of your life you’d have to prioritize. You wouldn’t feel pressured because e-learning will allow you to focus on your own development.

4. E-learning cultivates important skills

Aside from the skills you will gain in your chosen digital course, you’ll also get to develop essential value-adding skills such as multitasking, versatility, and communication. Moreover, you’ll also be immersed in digital spaces that would train you in the necessary technical know-how for today’s world.

5. E-learning is the future

With relatively-low costs and flexibility, more and more are turning to online learning. This will allow you to equip yourself in the digital era by being in the forefront of change. You’ll have more marketable skills that will benefit you not only in the workforce but in life as well.

Whether you’re a student looking to finish a graduate degree or someone who wants to broaden your horizons, e-learning is the place for you. Dynamic and freeing, it opens the opportunity for people to gain meaningful learning experience on their own time and space. Education is at your fingertips, you only have to grasp it.