Thinking And Doing With Skyler J. Collins

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 061 looks at being prepared to replace significant parts of an older house after buying one; drinking water before bed to help you get up early in the morning; recognizing that even your side of the political spectrum engages in propaganda from time to time (or even most of the time); and paying yourself first after receiving your paycheck by immediately transferring half or more of it into savings.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 060 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Marcus Aurelius who wrote, "If someone is slipping up, kindly correct them and point out what they missed. But if you can’t, blame yourself—or no one."; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by daviddigit, which started, "I wanted to share a practical exercise that really rocked my world this week. I am inherently an extremely critical person, of myself and others. So this week I was at the airport and decided this would be the perfect opportunity to practice care/love instead of judgment."

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 059 looks at the logical fallacy Context Imposition (aka Fantasy Projection) and the Hedonic Treadmill cognitive bias.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 058 looks at trying new things to prevent brain complacency; the importance of empathizing with people who've made a mistake, rather than demonizing them; and the timer method to overcoming procrastination.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 057 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Marcus Aurelius who wrote, "It is essential for you to remember that the attention you give to any action should be in due proportion to its worth, for then you won’t tire and give up, if you aren’t busying yourself with lesser things beyond what should be allowed."; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by EricHennigan, which started, "I was thinking about Epictetus' reminder that some things are under our control and others not. If we push this idea really hard, there are many things that I might naively consider under my control, but which, when examined more closely are not. For example, thoughts randomly bubble into my mind and I do not control that. Emotions can overwhelm my rational faculties, causing me a temporary insanity. Many external factors control the direction of my life. The simple, naive, lowercase stoic advise seems to recommend that I not try to control things which I cannot. I think this interpretat

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 056 looks at Affirming the Consequent logical fallacy and the cognitive biases Primacy Effect and Recency Effect.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 055 looks at keeping a tidy room (and home) by removing one or two items that don't belong every time you leave; asking someone to explain their conspiracy theory in detail in order for them to see its holes themselves; the difference between excitement from anticipation and your long-term happiness; and the value in asking your discussion or debate partner to explain the other side as well as they can (steelmanning).

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 054 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Seneca who wrote, "Nothing can satisfy greed, but even a small measure satisfies nature. So it is that the poverty of an exile brings no misfortune, for no place of exile is so barren as not to produce ample support for a person."; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by Ok_Intern_4405, which started, "I'm in my late twenties and I feel I am constantly pressuring myself to make good use of time, whether it is a conscious decision or not. I imagine a number of you could relate. Maybe it's the rat race that has gotten into me, I'm not sure. But looking at the success of my peers, I can't help but feel the need to not waste any second of my life."

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 053 looks at the Zero-Sum Fallacy and the Balancing Force of the Universe, or Gambler's Fallacy, cognitive bias.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 052 looks at maximizing your time by multitasking and batching; saving money in the long run by paying a little extra for higher quality goods; paying down debt by rounding off your cash accounts every night; and the best way to cut through cold or frozen butter (it's really a no-brainer).

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 051 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Marcus Aurelius who wrote, "Meditate often on the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence of all things in the universe. For in a sense, all things are mutually woven together and therefore have an affinity for each other—for one thing follows after another according to their tension of movement, their sympathetic stirrings, and the unity of all substance."; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by Anderson Silver (yourusermanual), which began with another Marcus Aurelius quote, "Efface the opinion, I am harmed, and at once the feeling of being harmed disappears; efface the feeling, and the harm disappears at once."

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 050 looks at the Fallacy of Accent and Expectations as a cognitive bias.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 049 looks at choosing to protect your mental or physical health over choosing a higher paycheck; why being a good friend probably means holding your friends accountable for their poor decisions; some advice on dealing with difficult situations; and becoming comfortable in the face of uncomfortable truths.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 048 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Epictetus who wrote, "The beautiful and good person neither fights with anyone nor, as much as they are able, permits others to fight . . . this is the meaning of getting an education—learning what is your own affair and what is not. If a person carries themselves so, where is there any room for fighting?"; and the second from artwork by mjhiblenart involving a character from The Mandalorian, a television series on Disney+. The episode begins with sad news about Carl Watner (RIP), the person who introduced Skyler to Stoicism.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 047 looks at the logical fallacy Denying the Antecedent and the phenomenon of Cognitive Dissonance.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 046 looks at aligning your mindset with your goals so as it not allow your brain to sabotage your efforts; responding to an insult during an argument with, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that, can you repeat it?" and/or "Are you trying to hurt my feelings?"; the deals you can get at a thrift store just after Christmas; and the importance in visiting your grandparents regularly.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 045 looks at several Stoic topics: the first from Epictetus who wrote, "Keep death and exile before your eyes each day, along with everything that seems terrible—by doing so, you’ll never have a base thought nor will you have excessive desire."; and the rest from lists shared by gdm41 and austinthebean to r/Stoicism introduced as, "Hi guys, maybe you are already aware of DailyStoic.com, they send out a daily newsletter with Stoic topics. Last week they sent a good summary of Stoic virtues/habits to avoid".

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 044 looks at the logical fallacy Reification and the cognitive bias Groupthink.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 043 looks at curbing anxious thoughts from spiraling out of control; carving time out now to spend with your family while they're young, instead of waiting until you're middle-aged or elderly; how to leave social gatherings early without damaging your reputation with the host; the importance of being frugal around the holidays, especially in such a tough year as 2020; and not being afraid to find a new job when your current job stops serving you.

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 042 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Seneca who wrote, "“Our soul is sometimes a king, and sometimes a tyrant. A king, by attending to what is honorable, protects the good health of the body in its care, and gives it no base or sordid command. But an uncontrolled, desire-fueled, over-indulged soul is turned from a king into that most feared and detested thing—a tyrant."; and the second from r/Stoicism, a post by answersamir, who started off with, "Its true that fate has jurisdiction over your birth and death. It can also be argued that fate confines you within some realm of possibilities throughout your life."