NeoAcademia is a biweekly exploration of the shifting walls of the ivory tower.
This week I asked Dr. Todd Kashdan about applying Art of Insubordination to the university. Todd shared insights on how to be a Principled Rebel that can stand up to social pressure and fix problems.
Todd’s book is a fun, useful read for anyone who wants to know how to make effective change and be a better leader - or just a better human.
It’s so good, I’m going to give a copy away to one of you. I’ll randomize the entries for anyone who does the following by October 12th: :
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Show Notes
2:17 The Art of Insubordination in academia.
5:31 Play, disagreeableness, and room for error are missing in our educational institutions
10:22 The permanence of the internet coupled with a fear of being wrong keeps people in their overspecialized lanes and stifles progress
14:45 The dysfunctional currency of academia - credit for the final version of innovation, not ideation, validation, iteration.
17:59 The story of Emotional Intelligence and ideas for distributing the currency for innovation
20:16 Higher education is consumer-centric. Students are looking to confirm their beliefs through study. To fix this, broaden the student’s perspective.
24: 26 What is the purpose of higher education?
25:10 Psychological conflicts of interest and shifting research topics
28:44 The value of Institutional Review of Research
30:34 Has our intolerance for boredom led to a less valuable college degree?
32:06 The trajectory of Heterodox thinkers, public intellectuals, and why professors should be politically ambiguous in a classroom
37:06 How thinkers could institute a principled rebellion - invert the financial structure, fight against social pressure, and collect evidence
41:47 Why people go to college: To showcase conformity, elevate status, make more money
44:05 A misunderstanding about wealth in academia leads to a system of social comparison
46:39 Attracting people that have your back for your rebellion. It’s not about attracting the majority.
48:42 Where is the humor in academia? Todd was booed off stage at a conference for a joke about mindfulness
52:11 The importance of public dissemination of knowledge created in the university
For more resources from this episode, check out the collection Todd and I created for you. Use the password “neoacademia” for access.
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Some food for thought:
Where could you apply the Art of Insubordination? What field/system needs an overhaul?
NeoAcademia Episode 3: Todd Kashdan