Just a few days ago, the Alaska news was direly reporting on a recent survey ranking Alaska "the most violent state" in the nation. Then low and behold, about 24 hours later, Gallup releases their poll ranking Alaska as the happiest state! #1 ranking for "well-being" in the nation-- most purposeful, healthy, with the best sense of community in the US!!
Now, if anyone in the lower 48 happened upon these two crazy conflicting surveys--they would most likely say "huh????" But as a seasoned sourdough Alaskan, it makes perfectly ridiculous sense to me!
Yes, Alaska can be both safe, happy and violent! And that's because we have something that's lacking elsewhere: space. We have so much room to spread out, that anyone can plop down and live a quintessential Norman Rockwell lifestyle, while miles away-- another community drowns in excessive alcoholism and violence.
And having enough room to spread their wings is so much more important to humans than they can ever realize. Note, how the happiest states are always huge and empty of other pesky people! States like South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming.. (Well Hawaii is happy and small--but how can you not be happy in Hawaii?)
Meanwhile, states in the squished together East Coast rank high for excessive stress, blood pressure...etc.. (surprise!) Ever see 40 hamsters stuffed into a small cage? Not pretty.
And when you are around so many crazed hamster humans, you can't help but start rat racing with them!! Take it from stress-free Alaska, where there is a common saying: "Relax, this ain't the lower 48!"
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Is Sheryl Sandberg a Mean Girl??
Yes, yes-- I am kind of fixated on Sheryl Sanberg--but that's only because this crazy lady won't leave me alone! Even years after her treatise on gender, she just can't seem to keep her name out of any newsworthy article I happen to stumble upon-- be it women politicians, the job market, world economics, or pantyhose--there's Sheryl again! (ok, not the pantyhose one).
No matter which forum she has magically landed at (during her 36 hour workday), Queen Sheryl always needs to (in a sweet tone) "be having the conversation about women's barriers to entry ". Always discussing why there aren't more "female CEO's and COO's"...
Recently, Time and Real Simple Magazine produced a survey exposing an *ugly* little truth. 75% of women would not take their bosses "better/higher/more important" job, even if it was handed to them! What does that mean?
In Sheryl's world that means: "there is obviously a barrier we need to remove"-- Like disproportionate housework and childcare. And I agree--it's true, most women I know are actually a tad bit better (gasp!) at housework and childcare than men are. Resulting in an uneven balance. But no matter how far I "lean in", I can't make a man lactate in the middle of the night. Or hear a vomiting child in the bathroom, or see dust bunnies under the bed. And I kind of resent her calling my offspring a "barrier".
But worse than the fact that she can't handle gender differences, is the scary presumption (which is plain mean) that "obviously" women must hate housework and spending time at home with children. Being a COO at a high pressure job (like Sheryl!) is soo much better!Right? Don't we want to be like her? Don't we just envy her???
To me it's this nightmare flashback of a high school cheerleader proclaiming: "how can you not want to be a cheerleader? I'm so awesome , I'm so fulfilled!"
At this point, I may be sounding like some rabid conservative. But I can honestly say I have talked to women from all sides of the fence (liberal, conservative, hippies, well educated). And somehow, average women have a much easier time understanding we all don't want the same things. Some women really want to work more (and make more money) while some really just want to be home, or maybe work less. Why can't Sheryl handle that we all don't want to be her?
I live in Alaska and have two chickens in my basement. What barriers to entry (Sheryl) are preventing you from this lifestyle? How can I help you overcome whatever is holding you back from illicit arctic poultry farming? Lean in and move North, I am rather fulfilled after all :)
No matter which forum she has magically landed at (during her 36 hour workday), Queen Sheryl always needs to (in a sweet tone) "be having the conversation about women's barriers to entry ". Always discussing why there aren't more "female CEO's and COO's"...
Recently, Time and Real Simple Magazine produced a survey exposing an *ugly* little truth. 75% of women would not take their bosses "better/higher/more important" job, even if it was handed to them! What does that mean?
In Sheryl's world that means: "there is obviously a barrier we need to remove"-- Like disproportionate housework and childcare. And I agree--it's true, most women I know are actually a tad bit better (gasp!) at housework and childcare than men are. Resulting in an uneven balance. But no matter how far I "lean in", I can't make a man lactate in the middle of the night. Or hear a vomiting child in the bathroom, or see dust bunnies under the bed. And I kind of resent her calling my offspring a "barrier".
But worse than the fact that she can't handle gender differences, is the scary presumption (which is plain mean) that "obviously" women must hate housework and spending time at home with children. Being a COO at a high pressure job (like Sheryl!) is soo much better!Right? Don't we want to be like her? Don't we just envy her???
To me it's this nightmare flashback of a high school cheerleader proclaiming: "how can you not want to be a cheerleader? I'm so awesome , I'm so fulfilled!"
At this point, I may be sounding like some rabid conservative. But I can honestly say I have talked to women from all sides of the fence (liberal, conservative, hippies, well educated). And somehow, average women have a much easier time understanding we all don't want the same things. Some women really want to work more (and make more money) while some really just want to be home, or maybe work less. Why can't Sheryl handle that we all don't want to be her?
I live in Alaska and have two chickens in my basement. What barriers to entry (Sheryl) are preventing you from this lifestyle? How can I help you overcome whatever is holding you back from illicit arctic poultry farming? Lean in and move North, I am rather fulfilled after all :)
Friday, February 6, 2015
Global Growth and My Magic Cookie Mix
So here's the deal. I have invented a magic cookie mix. It won't make you very fat, tastes like milk chocolate goodness, and is filled with fabulous antioxidants!!! Yum, yum.
The catch is: you need to buy 5 bags from me. And then, promise to sell 10 more bags to 10 other people--you can keep half your profit of course. Just make sure the new cookie enthusiasts find 20 more mix buyers!! And we'll all be happy, successful, rich and up to our ears in cookie dough! Goodie!.... It's called economic growth. Just like building tons of skyscrapers in Dubai, drilling endlessly for oil in the Arctic or piling beige condos on former wetlands.. More and more.
But wait!! My cookie project is called a pyramid scheme! And those are considered very naughty.....(As I need more and more consumers to keep purchasing my cookie mix). But wait-- the global economy doesn't need that ??!!
There's this little meeting called the World Economic Forum (WEF). These do nothings sit around scheming and talking about global economics. Recently, they converged and put their pointy heads together---identifying the biggest problems of our economic future. Which were: Slower productivity (i.e. cookie mix making) and a dramatic decrease in the global birth rate! (the cookie eaters and bakers). The economists warn and shake their pale fingers--global growth is now in peril!! Social rest is imminent!!! Because we don't know what else to do, but "grow" the economy!! duh.
These poindexters say all this with a straight face. Like we should totally reverse all population control programs, make more babies, pave the earth and strip mine the moon.
Maybe we could just triple our population, eat all the wild animals and then live under the sea like Sponge Bob.
Geez, I am still waiting for the "great economic minds" to realize that a pyramid scheme is a pyramid scheme, even when it is all jazzed up and called "Global Economic Growth"...
The catch is: you need to buy 5 bags from me. And then, promise to sell 10 more bags to 10 other people--you can keep half your profit of course. Just make sure the new cookie enthusiasts find 20 more mix buyers!! And we'll all be happy, successful, rich and up to our ears in cookie dough! Goodie!.... It's called economic growth. Just like building tons of skyscrapers in Dubai, drilling endlessly for oil in the Arctic or piling beige condos on former wetlands.. More and more.
But wait!! My cookie project is called a pyramid scheme! And those are considered very naughty.....(As I need more and more consumers to keep purchasing my cookie mix). But wait-- the global economy doesn't need that ??!!
There's this little meeting called the World Economic Forum (WEF). These do nothings sit around scheming and talking about global economics. Recently, they converged and put their pointy heads together---identifying the biggest problems of our economic future. Which were: Slower productivity (i.e. cookie mix making) and a dramatic decrease in the global birth rate! (the cookie eaters and bakers). The economists warn and shake their pale fingers--global growth is now in peril!! Social rest is imminent!!! Because we don't know what else to do, but "grow" the economy!! duh.
These poindexters say all this with a straight face. Like we should totally reverse all population control programs, make more babies, pave the earth and strip mine the moon.
Maybe we could just triple our population, eat all the wild animals and then live under the sea like Sponge Bob.
Geez, I am still waiting for the "great economic minds" to realize that a pyramid scheme is a pyramid scheme, even when it is all jazzed up and called "Global Economic Growth"...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
