Modern Wisdom, Sex and Violence, Parental Narcissism
Links and recommendations
A reminder that you can now watch my recent conversation on Modern Wisdom with my friend Chris Williamson.
Links for Spotify and Apple Podcast.
From the archives:
Sex and Violence Reveal Their Opposites
Links and recommendations:
The Pioneer by John M. MacDonald
Death Comes for the Baby Boom by Roy Baumeister
The high cost of parental narcissism and the myth of child resilience by
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Three interesting findings:
1. Females’ immune systems respond more effectively than males’ to trauma, sepsis, and shock. One reason for this stronger immune response is that the X chromosome carries more immune-related genes than the Y chromosome — and females have two X chromosomes. (source).
2. Physical health and physical activity are positively associated with psychological health and mental acuity. This is especially clear as people age. Those who remain physically fit are more likely to maintain their intellectual fitness. (source).
3. The 6 kinds of risks children seek out (source: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt):
Heights (e.g., tree climbing)
High speed (e.g., slides)
Dangerous tools (e.g., hammers)
Dangerous elements (e.g., fire)
Rough-and-tumble play
Disappearing (e.g., hiding)
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It’s both “birds of a feather flock together” in content of values beliefs and goals but “opposites attract” in personality style.
Both true.
The 6 kinds of risks children seek out (source: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt):
• Heights (e.g., tree climbing)
• High speed (e.g., slides)
• Dangerous tools (e.g., hammers)
• Dangerous elements (e.g., fire)
• Rough-and-tumble play
• Disappearing (e.g., hiding)
I had never considered this. It strengthens the theory that the human animal needs struggle and risk to develop and kids will seek it out themselves if not provided other avenues. I was thinking about all the parents that will not let their children engage in any activities deemed dangerous.
My son at age seven or eight kept asking for a ramp to jump his BMX bike. My brother inlaw and I made one that was only about 18" high. I watched him do a couple of jumps and gave him some instructions to take it easy and be careful. I left for an appointment and came back to an upset wife who had just come back from urgent care with my son to check for a concussion and also to bandage the road rash on his face. Apparently after we left, he and his friends had moved the ramp so he could get a long running start to go as fast as possible over the ramp. He crashed on his first attempt.
That same son was always climbing things.
Today he is married and works for the family manufacturing business that includes a lot of dangerous tools and equipment, and he is very capable and careful. I think those early years of dangerous experimentation were developmental.