Barry Schwartz does a wonderful job of reminding us how practical and necessary wisdom is in our daily lives and how it’s constant application creates a better society for all. Thanks to Tara at horsepigcow for posting this great talk. (If you haven’t already done so, go visit her site — it’s great.)
In particular, what Schwartz does so well is remind us that a positive shift in society is an “inside job,” not the application of external measures, such as more rules or more incentives. I can’t think of a better follow-up to recent posts on reflective leadership. This is the applied stuff, beautifully done.
Great stuff! I like his observation that wise people are made, not born … which aligns with studies I’ve read recently by other psychologists demonstrating that students who are praised for their effort rather than for being [born?] smart tend to try harder, learn more and get smarter … and, one would hope, become wiser.