Highly Cynical Coaching and Prewrite

Starter 3- Motivation (David Pink: RSA Animate)
Watch the RSA Animate called "Drive: The Surprising Truth about what Motivates Us".

1. Take notes on what the THREE things are that most motivate people as explained in this video.
2. Afterwards, reflect on an experience in your academic or professional lives when you were most (or least) motivated. To what extent were these three motivating forces at play in that experience?

Weekly words of inspiration:
“In Africa there is a concept known as 'ubuntu' - the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.”   -Nelson Mandela

Highly Cynical Coaching
Get in the group I assign you.  Take notes if you think that will be helpful to you.

1. Summarize the main point of this article.  What, in one sentence, is it saying?
2. Go paragraph by paragraph.  Pay special attention to paragraphs 3-7, 20, 23
   1. Summarize main idea
   2. Answer questions/clarify meaning
   3. You may want to write a quick summary on your document or a separate piece of paper
3. Have your group write two thought-provoking seminar questions on an index card and give them to me.

Seminar Prewrite
Answer at least two of the questions below.  Must be typed!

1. What is Solnit’s definition of a naïve cynic?  What are the two types (see paragraphs 8 and 11), and what characterizes their thinking?
2. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
3. In paragraph 6, Solnit makes a number of points about complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity.  To what extent are you comfortable with complexity and uncertainty? Give a concrete example.
4. In paragraph 7, Solnit offers a number of criticisms of naïve cynicism.  What is the most important/cutting critique she offers in this paragraph?  Why?
5. In paragraph 20, Solnit says, “Accommodating change and uncertainty requires a looser sense of self…”  What does she mean by this?
6. To what extent is cynicism useful?  Harmful?
7. What kind of thinking habits do we need to cultivate to move beyond naïve cynicism?
8. How does this article connect to your education?  To your goals this year in Humanities?

HW: Finish seminar prewrite if you didn’t finish in class.  DUE: Tuesday, 8/28.  PRINT BEFORE CLASS!