NoodleCast #64: Live Rationally Selfish Webcast

Mar 152011

On Sunday, I hosted another live Rationally Selfish Webcast where I answered people’s questions on practical ethics and the principles of living well. The live webcasts are held every Sunday at 8 am PT / 9 am MT / 10 am CT / 11 am ET.

Usually, they consist of me broadcasting on video, Greg on audio, and the audience in a text chat. However, this week I broadcast before a live audience from SnowCon, which was definitely more fun for those of us live. (I’ve love to know what it was like for those of you on the webstream!) Ari Armstrong of Free Colorado kindly stood in for Greg Perkins.

As usual, an audio recording of Sunday’s live webcast is now available as a NoodleCast podcast. To get these podcasts automatically, you can subscribe to the feed in iTunes — just choose either the enhanced M4A format or the standard MP3 format. They’re the same content, but the M4A format breaks each question into its own “chapter.”

Whether you watch the live webcast or listen to the recorded podcast, you can submit and vote on questions on the widget on the page for the Rationally Selfish Webcast — or via Idea Informer. Questions and votes are much appreciated!

The Rationally Selfish Webcast (and Podcast) is available to anyone, free of charge. If you find value in it, I ask that you support our work by periodically contributing to our tip jar. We suggest $5 per episode, but any amount is appreciated.

If you would prefer to send a check, please send it to “Diana Hsieh; P.O. Box 851; Sedalia, CO 80135.” Please write “RS Webcast” in the memo field.

Even if you’re unable to contribute financially, we’d appreciate your helping us spread the word about this webcast to anyone you think might be interested. You can, for example, “like” the Rationally Selfish Webcast Page on Facebook. If you do that, you’ll see the new questions submitted for the webcast in your news feed.

Webcast Segments

These segments are marked as chapters in the M4A version of this podcast. Any included links are those referenced in the podcast. (Many thanks to Tammy Perkins for helping me compile these notes!)

Introduction (0:00)

Diana Hsieh: DianaHsieh.com: diana@rationallyselfish.com

Ari Armstrong: Free Colorado

Don’t forget to submit and vote on questions for upcoming webcasts!

Question 1: Concentration (1:53)

What’s the best way to mentally focus on one activity when I can’t stop thinking about another? Sometimes I get overly focused on or worried about a problem I’m having at work, and then I have difficulty focusing in class. Similarly, sometimes I’ll think about an issue I’m having with a close friend, and I know I should focus my energy elsewhere, but it’s difficult to do so. I know that I should give my full attention to class during the actual class period, but it’s difficult to stop thinking about the other issue I have. What kind of method can I used to stop worrying about work, and focus on class instead? What’s a good way to switch my focus from one thing to another over the course of a day?

My Answer, in Brief: You need to cultivate habits of concentration, largely via gentle but persistent reminders to focus on matters at hand.

Question 2: Obligation to Engage in Activism (9:14)

Is it morally obligatory to engage in activism? I want to fight for a better, more rational culture. But I know that I’m not a good writer or speaker. If I instead give my money to those who are, isn’t that a good division of labor? Is it obligatory that I myself attempt to engage in such activism or can I pay others who are better at it (and would like to earn money doing so)?

My Answer, in Brief: Activism is working to shape culture in image of own values, and it can take countless forms. It’s not any kind of duty, but such should be part of your value hierarchy because your life and happiness depends on it.

Question 3: Keeping Secrets from Spouse (21:12)

Should you tell someone else’s secret to a spouse? I know a lot of times when I share personal information with my best friend, I assume that she will (and am okay with) her sharing some or all of that information with her significant other. I think she makes the same assumption, that I will share some of what she tells me with my husband. If (hypothetically) there was something I didn’t want her significant other to know about, would I be right in asking that she keep a secret from him? On one hand, the information I’m sharing is personal and I might like to keep it between us. On the other, is it right to ask her to keep something from him?

My Answer, in Brief: Spouses ought not keep secrets from each other, and others ought to respect that. However, people can and should exercise discretion in what they tell a spouse.

Question 4: “That’s So Gay” (29:56)

Is it wrong to jokingly use the term “that’s so gay” among friends? I have many friends who are homosexual, and they and I and anyone I use this term with know there’s nothing wrong with homosexuality. But sometimes this term does feel natural to use, even though I am not thinking about any negative association with actual homosexuals. Is it better to just avoid saying, “That’s so gay”, or even joking about how gay something appears, given that we ought not to see it as anything shameful?

My Answer, in Brief: The phrase is potentially offensive, and people ought not use it without recognizing that. Personally, I would only use it in a clearly joking way, likely to refer to some obviously gay behavior among my gay friends.

Question 5: Overstating Character (40:55)

Do you think people overstate their character? My personal experience is that many, but not all, people seem to overstate their positive character traits. The most stressed character traits seems to be the weakest. For example, a person who stresses their integrity often turns out to be anywhere from slightly less than totally dependable to absolutely worthless (in regards to keeping commitments). A person proclaiming to be good at introspection may end up actually being an emotionalist. Have you noticed this in people and, if so, what do you think explains this phenomenon?

My Answer, in Brief: I don’t think that’s common, but some people are truly oblivious to their own personality and character.

Question 6: Objectivist Answers: Acting Silly (47:45)

Is it rational to do silly things? A friend of mine (non-Objectivist) quoted Ludwig Wittgenstein: “If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done.” So she thinks it’s alright and rational to do silly things once in a while. … Would it be rational to do silly things consciously (in lab, for instance) in the hope that you might end up discovering / inventing something new?

My Answer, in Brief: It’s wonderful to be silly, in the proper context, such as in a social outing with friends. Silliness, however, is not a means to knowledge, and silliness in a laboratory seems like an excellent way to waste time or create problems.

Conclusion (55:32)

Diana Hsieh: DianaHsieh.com: diana@rationallyselfish.com

Ari Armstrong: Free Colorado

Don’t forget to submit and vote on questions. And if you can, please contribute to our tip jar.

The video for the webcast is only available for those attending live. After the webcast is completed, you can listen, download, or subscribe to the audio podcast.