Hi Friends-
It's been a month since my last missive, and this newsletter is rich with thought-provoking articles examining the dark underbelly of the pop psychology concepts we hold dear — from imposter syndrome to emotional intelligence. I do love a good debunking!
I should also let you know that registration for my RESET course is open for just two more days, through Friday, May 14th, if you'd like to learn how to work in a way that's intentional, energizing, and inspiring.
Lastly, don't be surprised if you see a rogue, off-schedule email about a big, new project in your inbox soon. I'm nearing an announcement but inspiration doesn't seem to be adhering to my newsletter schedule. ; )
More soon!
💗
Jocelyn
| | LINK ABOUT IT
The repressive politics of emotional intelligence. A fantastic longread on "emotional intelligence" that asks: Is this pop psychology concept yet another subtle way to coerce us into passivity and productivity? "'Those who are at the mercy of impulse — who lack self-control — suffer a moral deficiency,' Goleman writes. Gradually, one sees why the concept of emotional intelligence won such wide acceptance. It is not a quality or even an attribute but a regimen of restraint. It is a collection of practices —assessment, feedback, coaching, meditation — for monitoring yourself and others, in a way that marries the promise of total self-actualization to the perils of absolute social deprivation."
When the hero is the problem. The inimitable Rebecca Solnit breaks down the problems with hero culture and always centering individual acts of courage in the stories we tell: "That's another part of our rugged individualism and hero culture, the idea that all problems are personal and they're all soluble by personal responsibility — or medication that helps you accept what you cannot change, when it can be changed but not by you personally. It's a framework that eliminates the possibility of deeper, broader change or of holding accountable the powerful who create and benefit from the status quo and its myriad forms of harm."
We can't go to sleep after the pandemic. I've recently been reading Debt by anthropologist and activist David Graeber. (It's excellent and more compelling than you'd guess from the title.) This is a short and sweet call to action that he wrote right before he passed last September: "How about this: Why don't we stop treating it as entirely normal that the more obviously one's work benefits others, the less one is likely to be paid for it; or insisting that financial markets are the best way to direct long-term investment even as they are propelling us to destroy most life on Earth?"
Stop telling women they have imposter syndrome. I've never been a fan of the concept of imposter syndrome, but I had never articulated exactly why. Now I know: "A golden opportunity to prove her expertise had turned into a living nightmare. Lavarry's colleagues interrogated and censured her, calling her professionalism into question. Their bullying, both subtle and overt, haunted each decision she made. Lavarry wondered whether her race had something to do with the way she was treated. She was, after all, the only Black woman on her team. She began doubting whether she was qualified for the job, despite constant praise from the client. Each action that chipped away at her role in her work doubly chipped away at her confidence."
Cathy Park Hong on Minor Feelings. The hosts of one of my favorite podcasts, Still Processing, sit down with writer and poet Cathy Park Hong to talk about her new book, Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning. One of the most interesting threads is about how privileging efficiency over interpersonal engagement encourages racism. I'm one chapter away from finishing Hong's book and I highly recommend it, and this conversation.
+ People can't understand the world as a gift unless someone shows them how.
+ How Alice Neel's sharp, compassionate eye painted Harlem.
+ When work is the answer to everything.
+ The years of repair.
| | SHOUT-OUTS:
Link appreciation to: Race Ahead, Ann Friedman, Jesikah Maria Ross, and Adam Horowitz.
The artwork is from: Eiko Ojala, who's based in Tallinn, Estonia.
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Hi, I'm Jocelyn, the human behind this newsletter. I created the online course RESET, a cosmic tune-up for your workday, and I host Hurry Slowly — a podcast about how you can be more productive, creative, and resilient by slowing down. | | | | |
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