532: EV chargers for all, lumberjacks vs yoginis, and Seder Masochism
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IRL what do I have for you this week, hmm, I did workshops on polyvagal theory and Internal Family Systems improv? Neither resonated with me but have in a big way for friends I know, so take what works and leave what doesn’t.
Technology
Orange makes an electric vehicle socket that can plug into any normal parking structure for overnight charging, instead of the fast highway side ones. What a great and niche solution to speed up EV adoption.
Ideologies
David Deida’s Way of the Superior Man is a controversial book within the hippie community, extolled as gospel by some and as sexist dreck by others. I enjoyed reading this polyam blogger’s nuanced take on the topic, in which he takes Deida’s own assertion that ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ are in all of us, and renames them as ‘lumberjacks’ and ‘yoginis’.
If we find a non-gendered term that brings to mind the things traditionally associated with the extreme of the gender, we’re halfway there?
My somatic therapist gave me these steps to relationship repair to use, and it looks like a new wrapping for old goodies I know of like reflections and NVC.
Know you are in an emotional conversation. Name it! “I’m feeling this way” or “I’ll probably feel this way”
Gauge your level of activation or trigger. Scale of 0-10
Give the benefit of the doubt in both directions. You might feel like something you’ve done is wrong
Decide who will go first. Cant hear both people at the same time, higher activation goes first
Share vulnerably. Sharing your feelings, not sharing about what happened (neutral language, no blame or shame)
Listen empathetically
Cop to it. How have your behavior contributed to this - not taking the blame, “I know I can sometimes talk over people when I get excited and I can see why xyz”
Reassure your partner. ONLY TRUE STATEMENTS
Make sure both partners get a turn
Ask “is there anything else you need to reconnect?” Hug, quality time, walk outside, etc
Memes
Jew-ish animator Nina Paley animated the Passover story as a patriarchal departure from Goddess worship in her 2018 film Seder Masochism, which I’m eager to watch after seeing this carefully edited scene on the history of the Levant below.
I heard about this local multiplayer game Heave Ho where your avatars all must hold hands to swing through obstacle courses, looks like a winner!
I picked up the indie isometric destructible city mech game Brigador and am enjoying it greatly. The devs blog post on inspirations is a treasure trove of cyberpunk media.