Week 15: Learning to Learn

In early 2007 I was in the Army National Guard, returning from Afghanistan. After a full 16 month hiatus, I went back to my civilian job. That job included a 40 minute commute each way and I needed to fill that time with something. After bouncing around various news channels on SiriusXM for a year, I came upon a new show called Pete's Big Mouth. The show and the host were/are slanted to the left but didn't attempt to hide it. But independent of that, and most importantly, the show has always had a style that invites conversation, promotes education of the issues, challenges the listeners, and continues to lead by example.

Jumping ahead to 2016:
Since then, I've challenged myself to became educated and better aware of various topics. I've spent hours exploring new and different sources of information. Some of the "heavier" topics can be overwhelming - making me wish I had (several) degree(s) in history. And once I have information, how do I know I'm not in an echo-chamber trapped by the biases I've let myself be surrounded by? What do I do with the information?

Good question. ​I slowly and deliberately allow it to influence and change my sense of self. I spent years in a conservative area of the US. After that, college exposed me to a larger mix of backgrounds. In the Army National Guard it was a larger mix with a sprinkle of patriotism. I worked in several places in the US and now outside the US. Each one of these relationships was an opportunity to learn more about mself and the world, challenging those pre-conceived notions. Self-reflection is tiring!

Through various trials and errors, I've found a path that works for me and it's about damn time to find my own voice and do what I can to encourage others. Here are a few things that I've learned that might help you:
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• Get educated. Read a book, find a podcast, read the newspaper or subscribe to a magazine. I've read every Newsweek since January of 2015 - free (digitally) from the library! I don't agree with everything I read, but I pay attention to the authors of the articles and actively seek to understand any of their biases.
• Get social and see what others are reading. Start by following me to see what I'm reading. There is no better conversation starter than a common language/dialogue that comes after reading the same back as someone else.
• Always seek the source: When reading something, follow the rabbit trail to whatever source material is being discussed. You'll start to build a sense of trust with the author or news outlet over time. They may still get stuff wrong on occasion, but social media is a great way to find these "errors".

In the spirit of giving, for those not familar with him, I give you Dr. Aaron Carroll and his YouTube channel, Healthcare Triage. Dr. Carroll, was a guest on Pete's Big Mouth back in 2008 when I listened each day on my commute.  He still slums it with Pete and the gang (Melanie, Alfred, Chris, Intern) as a regular guest on Stand Up! With Pete Dominick on SiriusXM.

It's time I finally stand up and give something back. This week I joined Patreon as the newest patreon to give a monthly donation to HealthCare Triage https://www.patreon.com/paulderson. Check them out and spread the word! I bet you'll find them educating and enlightening.

And learn more about Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/about 
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