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MYSTERIOUS NEW ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEM ON U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ...

SUNDAY INSIGHT: This Perspective on American Extremism will Take Some Time-To-Process

Two ways to process lumping together all this data in clusters of nationality was found to be where there are clearer patterns than in other categories:

Gert Jan Hofstede analyzed these data at what he called “the ecological level.” He explained this approach in a paper called “Flowers, Bouquets, and Gardens” — the idea being that an individual flower is a subset of a mixed bouquet, which in turn is a subset of an entire garden, which has even more variation.

 

Once he saw that differences were driven by nationality, Hofstede sensed he was on to something big. Everyone knows there are differences between people in different countries, but his approach was a quantifiable approach.

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Dimensions of national culture - Hofstede Insights

https://hi.hofstede-insights.com › national-culture

The six dimensions of national culture are based on extensive research done by Professor Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede, Michael Minkov and their ...

 

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Listen and read

The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Ep. 470)

by Stephen J. DubnerProduced by Brent Katz

Freakonomics

> "According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high on indulgence, short-term thinking, and masculinity (but low on “uncertainty avoidance,” if that makes you feel better).

We look at how these traits affect our daily lives and why we couldn’t change them even if we wanted to.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or elsewhere. Below is a transcript of the episode, edited for readability. For more information on the people and ideas in the episode, see the links at the bottom of this post.

In our previous episode, we made what may sound like a bold claim. We said that a lot of good ideas and policies that work elsewhere in the world can’t work in the U.S. because our culture is just different. Not necessarily better or worse — but very different. That was our hypothesis, at least. And we did find a number of learned people who had data to back up the hypothesis.

Michele GELFAND: The people that came to New York early on, they were from all sorts of different cultural backgrounds, and that’s helped produce the looseness that exists to this day. 

Joe HENRICH: Americans and Westerners more generally are psychologically unusual from a global perspective.  

 

Listen now:

Download

According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high on indulgence, short-term thinking, and masculinity (but low on “uncertainty avoidance,” if that makes you feel better). We look at how these traits affect our daily lives and why we couldn’t change them even if we wanted to.

The 6-D model of national culture

Geert Hofstede, assisted by others, came up with six basic issues that society needs to come to term with in order to organize itself. These are called dimensions of culture. Each of them has been expressed on a scale that runs roughly from 0 to 100.

The dimensions explained

For each dimension here is a brief description and a ten-minute video in which Geert Hofstede explains that dimension.

Hofstede's Globe

For interactive world maps and pick-your-own-countries 3-d graphs of Hofstede dimension scores, check Hofstede's Globe in the Geert Hofstede online exhibition "An engineer's Odyssey".

Dimension maps of the world: Individualism

Each dimension has been derived by comparing many, but not all, countries in the world. The findings can be summarized into six world maps of the distribution of that dimension. Of course, in reality there can be quite a bit of within-country variation; these maps should be seen as rough 'climate maps' of culture.

 

Individualism

Individualism is the extent to which people feel independent, as opposed to being interdependent as members of larger wholes.
▼  Read more 

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Dimension maps: Power Distance

Power Distance

Power Distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.
▼    Read more

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Dimension maps: Femininity / Masculinity

 

Masculinity
Masculinity is the extent to which the use of force in endorsed socially.
▼    Read more

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Dimension maps: Uncertainty Avoidance

 

Uncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance deals with a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity.
▼    Read more

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============================================================================

The last two dimensions

The last two dimensions were found later, and in different studies, than the first four. This is why different countries appear on the world maps. These maps are taken from the 2007 book "Why we are different and similar" by Michael Minkov. In our 2010 book they are re-scaled to a 0-100 format. The scale is also reversed for Flexhumility (long-term orientation, blue on the map) versus monumentalism (short-term orientation, orange on the map).

Remember, the numbers do not really 'mean' anything. They are just there for convenience. The world-wide pattern is what matters.

Dimension maps: Long-term Orientation

 

Long-term orientation

Long-term orientation deals with change.
▼    Read more

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Dimension maps: Indulgence

Indulgence

 

Indulgence is about the good things in life.
▼    Read more

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IN SPANISH                                                                    

"Soy bastante optimista con el futuro de Europa, los jóvenes ven lo que está sucediendo"

• Entrevista a Gert Jan Hofstede, Profesor de "Socialidad Artificial"

1. Jorge Valero

Ede (Holanda)

12:12 - 26/04/2019

Gert Jan Hofstede vive preocupado por la caída del sentimiento de comunidad. Un problema que este profesor de la Universidad de Wageningen, multidisciplinar e impulsor del concepto de la "socialidad artificial", recomienda abordar dando más importancia a los espacios comunes. 

A pesar de la creciente ansiedad y populismo, el hijo del psicólogo social holandés Geert Hofstede mantiene un moderado optimismo, por el paso adelante que están dando los jóvenes para tratar los problemas de todos.

¿En qué tonos pinta el cuadro para la próxima década?

Creo que las cosas empeorarán un poco, antes de que puedan mejorar. Vemos algunas buenas intenciones, pero no las llevamos a cabo. A veces nos estancamos, porque no existe un sentimiento de urgencia para actuar. Pero cuando suceda, la gente reaccionará. Lo único que realmente podría detenernos es si los países se preocupan demasiado por sí mismos.

"Lo que los líderes deben hacer acercarse a los ciudadanos y crear una conexión. Antes los políticos hablaban al corazón y alma de la gente"

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THE DIMENSIONS EXPLAINED IN A SERIES OF 10-MINUTE VIDEOS

For each dimension here is a brief description and a ten-minute video in which Geert Hofstede explains that dimension.

Individualism

Individualism is the extent to which people feel independent, as opposed to being interdependent as members of larger wholes.
▼  Read more

Individualism does not mean egoism. It means that individual choices and decisions are expected. Collectivism does not mean closeness. It means that one "knows one's place" in life, which is determined socially. With a metaphor from physics, people in an individualistic society are more like atoms flying around in a gas while those in collectivist societies are more like atoms fixed in a crystal.

Power Distance

Power Distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.
▼    Read more

This dimension is thought to date from the advent of agriculture, and with it, of large-scale societies. Until that time, a person would know their group members and leaders personally. This is not possible where tens of thousands and more have to coordinate their lives. Without acceptance of leadership by powerful entities, none of today's societies could run.

Masculinity

Masculinity
Masculinity is the extent to which the use of force in endorsed socially.
▼    Read more

In a masculine society, men are supposed to be tough. Men are supposed to be from Mars, women from Venus. Winning is important for both genders. Quantity is important and big is beautiful. In a feminine society, the genders are emotionally closer. Competing is not so openly endorsed, and there is sympathy for the underdog.

This is NOT about individuals, but about expected emotional gender roles. Masculine societies are much more openly gendered than feminine societies. 

Uncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance deals with a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity.
▼    Read more

Uncertainty avoidance has nothing to do with risk avoidance, nor with following rules. It has to do with anxiety and distrust in the face of the unknown, and conversely, with a wish to have fixed habits and rituals, and to know the truth. 

Long-term orientation

Long-term orientation deals with change.
▼    Read more

In a long-time-oriented culture, the basic notion about the world is that it is in flux, and preparing for the future is always needed. In a short-time-oriented culture, the world is essentially as it was created, so that the past provides a moral compass, and adhering to it is morally good. As you can imagine, this dimension predicts life philosophies, religiosity, and educational achievement.

Indulgence

 

Indulgence is about the good things in life.
▼    Read more

In an indulgent culture it is good to be free. Doing what your impulses want you to do, is good. Friends are important and life makes sense. In a restrained culture, the feeling is that life is hard, and duty, not freedom, is the normal state of being. 

Are there more dimensions?

Since dimensions are imagined, not 'out there', there can be many more. Any study will reveal its own pattern, so yes, other dimensions can be found.

▼    Read more

 

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IN HINDSIGHT LAST WEEK: More Biggs Buffoonery / Desperately Fighting For The Freedom Caucus

Democrats (For The People) are doing all the work while Republicans resist and stall and are looking for "a free lunch". Please notice what right-wing conservative media he appears on and, of course there's always a barrage of his twittering and writing letters. . .

BLOGGER INSERT: It's time to redraw the boundaries for Biggs 5th Congressional District and that's certainly something to fight for right now - sometime in September or October or November we will certainly see more go into motion in this required Redistricting after the data is released for the 10-year revisions from the 2020 Census. Andy could have a fight on his hands.

 

Here's the intro to Andy's weekly self-published Newsletter verbatim starting off with the usual Mo-Mo "Happy Friday" + a remarkable observation about air-conditioning: Happy Friday!

"Long ago, when Congress lacked air conditioning, a tradition was started to recess during the month of August when the weather is at its hottest in Washington, D.C. This week was the first week the House was out of session, but the Senate remained in session attempting to pass an infrastructure bill and budget reconciliation package. Until the House is called into session by Speaker Pelosi, I will be spending my time back in the district meeting with constituents and local businesses. Despite the uncertainty in the air, one thing is for certain: the Democrats are poised to spend another $3.5 trillion of taxpayer-money on wasteful initiatives." Continue reading below to see more important happenings from the week:

Insert copy [all of it] to see what he says are important happenings from his week that was

1 Opposing Amnesty in Reconciliation Package

2 Interview with Varney & Co.

3 Impeach Secretary Mayorkas

4 Andy dives in solo on into all things Border Policy

   What’s the Biggs Idea? Podcast

5 Interview with Mornings with Maria

6 My Thoughts: Laws Don’t Matter To Democrats

7 Tweets of the Week

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The Week in Review Happy Friday! Long ago, when Congress lacked air conditioning, a tradition was started to recess during the month of August when the weather is at its hottest in Washington, D.C. This week was the first week the House was out of session, but the Senate remained in session attempting to pass an infrastructure bill and budget reconciliation package. Until the House is called into session by Speaker Pelosi, I will be spending my time back in the district meeting with constituents and local businesses. Despite the uncertainty in the air, one thing is for certain: the Democrats are poised to spend another $3.5 trillion of taxpayer-money on wasteful initiatives. Continue reading below to see more important happenings from the week: Opposing Amnesty in Reconciliation Package Last Friday, I sent a letter to Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy urging them to not include amnesty in the budget reconciliation package. Amnesty rewards those who have broken our laws. It is not, nor should it ever be, a legislative priority. The Far Left, yet again, proves how out-of-touch they are by attempting to ram through amnesty while in the midst of a humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border. Granting amnesty will only incentivize more illegal crossings into our country and will exacerbate an already dire crisis at the border. We cannot jeopardize our country any further with the Democrats’ America-last agenda. Click below to see letter: Interview with Varney & Co. I joined Varney & Co. to discuss Biden’s Border Crisis and how Secretary Mayorkas is letting COVID-19 positive illegal aliens enter our Arizona communities. Joe Biden has refused to protect us from the COVID-19 risk at the border, let alone enforce our immigration laws. Despite renewed calls for lockdowns and mandates, Arizonans are done with the Biden administration’s failed leadership and will not give in. Impeach Secretary Mayorkas Today, I announced my intent to file articles of impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas in the coming weeks. Secretary Mayorkas is a threat to the sovereignty and security of our nation. As a result of his actions and policies, America is more in danger today than when he began serving as Secretary. He is willfully refusing to maintain operational control of the border and is encouraging aliens to enter our country illegally. Under his direction, DHS is systematically releasing COVID-19 positive aliens into our communities, subjecting the American people to unnecessary and avoidable risks. Secretary Mayorkas is failing to faithfully uphold his oath of office and is presiding over a reckless abandonment of border security and immigration enforcement, at the expense of the U.S. Constitution and the security of the United States. See full press release below: What’s the Biggs Idea? Podcast This week, I dove solo into all things border policy. President Biden has willfully deconstructed the successful border policy framework of President Trump and created the worst border crisis in our history as a result. Make no mistake, Democrats and the Biden administration are not surprised. In fact, they are happy with the result and will continue to allow the crisis to continue so long as they are in power. Click on the picture below to listen in: Interview with Mornings with Maria I joined guest host Dagen McDowell on Mornings with Maria to discuss how Democrats continue to dismiss COVID-19 origins, even though House Republicans released their own report on the virus and its origins in Wuhan. Democrats refuse to call out China for it’s wrong-doing in the pandemic, therefore we must keep fighting to set the record straight. Check out my interview with Dagen below: My Thoughts: Laws Don’t Matter To Democrats One of the most consequential actions of President Biden’s administration occurred this week. Yes, actually. President Biden gave into the demands of the socialist wing of the Democrat party and extended the eviction moratorium despite the court already indicating it is unconstitutional. He knew it was not lawful - he even admitted that - but he did it anyway. Blatant disregard for the rule of law will rapidly lead to the demise of our country.  On another note, and to close out this week, I want to talk about socialist Congresswoman Cori Bush, who successfully pleaded with Biden to extend the moratorium. After reports revealed she spent $70,000 on security, she doubled down on her calls to defund the police. Reality check: Even though she can afford security, most Americans cannot and rely on law enforcement to keep them safe. Watch the full clip below: Tweets of the Week In case you missed it, here are some of my thoughts from throughout the week. Make sure to follow my social media accounts for daily posts:   FOLLOW US:      Bills Co-sponsored: H.R. 4668 - To eliminate the position of the Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes (Roy, R-TX)

Washington, DC S171 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2635   District Office 2509 S Power Rd, Suite 204 Mesa, AZ 85209 Phone: (480) 699-8239

 

 

STICK-A-LABEL-ON-IT: "Instagram Creatives" Using Built-In Analytic Tools To Assess Impact and Sales

Early to rise and see this in a newsfeed. Yes 'the plate is getting full' with just one selected item from an Automat of dishes on display (there are other options on the menu)

[ Illustration by Philip Lay ]

Why Instagram’s creatives are angry about its move to video

The social media platform was once a favourite of artists and photographers, but a shift towards TikTok-type videos and shopping could leave them looking for a new home online

Insert >  "In late July, hobbyist photographer and self-proclaimed “sunrise hunter” Sam Binding conducted an experiment. After visiting Somerset Lavender Farm to catch the sun peeking over the purple blossoms, the 40-year-old from Bristol uploaded the results to both Instagram and Twitter. Two days later, he used the apps’ built-in analytics tools to assess the impact of his shots. On Instagram, a total of 5,595 people saw his post – just over half of his 11,000 followers. On Twitter, his post was seen by 5,611 people, despite the fact he has just 333 followers on the site.

This confirmed Binding’s hunch that although most people believe that Instagram is a place to share photos and Twitter is a place to share words, that may no longer be the case. When it launched in 2010, Instagram courted the artistic community, inviting respected designers to be among its initial users and naming its very first filter X-Pro II, after an analogue photo-developing technique. In her 2020 book No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram, technology reporter Sarah Frier documents how Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom wanted Instagram to be an outlet for artists (in a high-school essay, Systrom wrote that he liked how photography could “inspire others to look at the world in a new way”).

Instagram head Adam Mosseri: ‘The number one reason people say that they use Instagram is to be entertained.’

Photograph: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Wired

But Facebook bought Instagram in 2012. Systrom departed as CEO in 2018. And three weeks before Binding uploaded his lavender pics, the new head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, posted a video to his personal social media accounts. “I want to start by saying we’re no longer a photo-sharing app.”

Click on Instagram today and you will still see plenty of photos, but you’ll also be confronted with a carousel of short, vertical videos (known as “Reels”) as well as the more-than-occasional ad. In his video, Mosseri explained that “the number one reason people say that they use Instagram in research is to be entertained” and the app was going to “lean into that trend” by experimenting with video. Citing TikTok and YouTube as competition, Mosseri said Instagram would “embrace video” and users could expect a number of changes in the coming months.

The move has the artistic community seeing Pantone 032. Though there’s no way of knowing how many artists, architects and photographers have left the app, many are at least threatening to. . .

Sara Tasker, an Instagram and creative business coach and author of Hashtag Authentic: Finding Creativity and Building a Community on Instagram and Beyond, says her inbox was “immediately flooded” with creatives “terrified that this meant they would be left behind”. The 37-year-old says video is time-consuming, has a steeper learning curve and can be a challenge for those who are self-conscious in front of the camera.

“The idea that they have to dance for their audience – literally – just to make sales or have their art seen is a kick in the teeth to those who have been sharing and connecting on these platforms for years,” says Tasker, who has more than 220,000 followers on her @me_and_orla account.

Sara Tasker: ‘The idea that they have to dance for their audience – literally – just to make sales or have their art seen is a kick in the teeth.'

’Photograph: @me_and_orla/Instagram

CIRCUMSCRIBED BY A PLATFORM ... In April, writer and Washington University media professor Ian Bogost argued that “a creator is someone whose work is wholly circumscribed by a platform”.

While creators make content that can only exist within a certain app, many creatives simply put their offline art online. To put it another way: Instagram’s creators can only exist on Instagram, Instagram’s creatives can go elsewhere. . .You hear people talking about fighting the algorithm but that’s a job in itself,” she says (she has around 3,000 followers on her account @taaryn_b). “I think we should as artists be looking elsewhere and not relying solely on Instagram.” She says people are moving back to their personal websites and blogs (Waplington resumed directly collecting fan and follower email addresses last year).

Still, Brench admits she feels “a bit chained” to Instagram and doesn’t want to completely quit the site because of the community there . . .

AND THE USUAL BLAH RHETORIC:

Whatever happens next, it’s clear that Instagram isn’t the app it used to be. Instagram expert Tasker says it once nurtured creators with workshops, parties and even surprise gifts such as photobooks and calendars, which she says is no longer the case. Instagram employs people who curate content for its own official account so it arguably fosters talent in that way – its latest post highlights the work of trans activist and spoken word poet Kai-Isaiah Jamal.

In an emailed statement, a Facebook company spokesperson wrote: “We’re inspired by the millions of creatives using Instagram to express themselves, create businesses and communities every day. We began as a photo-sharing app and will always be a platform for visual storytelling, no matter its format.” They went on to say that Instagram users shape culture and the app is “constantly developing new formats and tools to help people express themselves. . .

MORE?? Here ya go-go > Amelia Tait

the Guardian