The Adornment of the World of Mankind

Among the teachings of the Baha'i Faith is the principle of unity in diversity--that the diversity of humanity, whether it be of race, sex, nationality, or temperament, is a source of strength when brought under a unifying influence. Abdu'l-Baha stated:

The differences in manners, in customs, in habits, in thoughts, opinions and in temperaments is the cause of the adornment of the world of mankind. This is praiseworthy. Likewise this difference and this variation, like the difference and variation of the parts and members of the human body, are the cause of the appearance of beauty and perfection.

I've been thinking a bit about the notion of the value of differences of temperaments among people, and the corollary that there is no ideal temperament, but rather each temperament has something unique to contribute to the world. In a similar vein, Psychology Today's website contains an article by Elizabeth Svoboda examining the phenomenon introverts, or, to use the article's term, "loners"--people who tend to be more solitary in their living patterns. The article's premise is that "[l]oners are pitied in our up-with-people culture. But the introvert reaps secret joy from the solitary life." Svoboda writes:

Previous MRI studies have shown that during social situations, specific areas in the brains of loners experience especially lively blood flow, indicating a sort of overstimulation, which explains why they find parties so wearying. But Guyer's results suggest that introverts may be more attuned to all sorts of positive experiences as well. This added sensitivity, she speculates, could mean that people who are reserved have an ability to respond quickly to situations—such as coming to your aid in a moment of need—or show unusual empathy to a friend, due to their strong emotional antennae.

Research by San Francisco psychotherapist Elaine Aron bears out Guyer's hunch, demonstrating that withdrawn people typically have very high sensory acuity. Because loners are good at noticing subtleties that other people miss, Aron says, they are well-suited for careers that require close observation, like writing and scientific research. It's no surprise that famous historical loners include Emily Dickinson, Stanley Kubrick, and Isaac Newton.

While our interconnectedness and interdependence are undeniable, it is interesting to consider the spectrum of personalities that comprise humanity, and the diversity of ways in which people approach engaging with each other. I wonder if the term "loner" is even a useful one, or if perhaps people who fall in the general category described in the article merely prefer to engage with others in a unique way.

It would be interesting to see if studies could further attempt to understand and identify the strengths of various personality types and temperaments, and if organizational structures could be devised in such a manner as to maximize the potential of each person. Perhaps even the mere consciousness of the benefit of our diversity in all of its forms is a big step in the direction of promoting the appearance of the beauty and perfection of humanity that 'Abdu'l-Baha describes.

Your thoughts?

The Foundation of Human Happiness

What are the biggest factors in determining human happiness?

Scientific American contains a fascinating read on this topic in the form of an article entitled, "The Science of Lasting Happiness." The article's central premise is that changes in larger life circumstances have little to do with our overall level of happiness in the long run:

An experimental psychologist investigating the possibility of lasting happiness, Lyubomirsky understands far better than most of us the folly of pinning our hopes on a new car--or on any good fortune that comes our way. We tend to adapt, quickly returning to our usual level of happiness. The classic example of such "hedonic adaptation" comes from a 1970s study of lottery winners, who a year after their windfall ended up no happier than nonwinners. Hedonic adaptation helps to explain why even changes in major life circumstances--such as income, marriage, physical health and where we live--do so little to boost our overall happiness. Not only that, but studies of twins and adoptees have shown that about 50 percent of each person's happiness is determined from birth. This "genetic set point" alone makes the happiness glass look half empty, because any upward swing in happiness seems doomed to fall back to near your baseline.

Yet, the article asserts, there is much more to the determination of our happiness than mere genetic predisposition:

Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and another psychologist, David A. Schkade of the University of California, San Diego, put the existing findings together into a simple pie chart showing what determines happiness. Half the pie is the genetic set point. The smallest slice is circumstances, which explain only about 10 percent of people's differences in happiness. So what is the remaining 40 percent? "Because nobody had put it together before, that's unexplained," Lyubomirsky says. But she believes that when you take away genes and circumstances, what is left besides error must be "intentional activity," mental and behavioral strategies to counteract adaptation's downward pull.

My understanding from reading the above is that the current thought in the scientific community is that there is a significant contributing factor to human happiness that has not been precisely identified yet, which may be termed "intentional activity." To me, the writings of the Baha'i Faith speak very clearly and directly about the source of happiness, and have significant bearing on this question. Baha'u'llah taught that we should not get too caught up in the changes and chances of the world--which perhaps could be analgoized to what the article identifies as "life circumstances." In this vein, Baha'u'llah states:

Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more.

Addressing the question of what the basis for true happiness is, 'Abdu'l-Baha taught that "human happiness is founded upon spiritual behavior." While thousands of words could not begin to scratch the surface of what the Baha'i writings have to say about spiritual behavior (certainly a concept related to "intentional activity"), the following excerpt from a talk given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in Paris is a very interesting starting point:

You belong to the world of purity, and are not content to live the life of the animal, spending your days in eating, drinking, and sleeping. . . . Your thoughts and ambitions are set to acquire human perfection. You live to do good and to bring happiness to others. Your greatest longing is to comfort those who mourn, to strengthen the weak, and to be the cause of hope to the despairing soul. Day and night your thoughts are turned to the Kingdom, and your hearts are full of the Love of God.

Thus you know neither opposition, dislike, nor hatred, for every living creature is dear to you and the good of each is sought.

These are perfect human sentiments and virtues.

A Noble Science

My dear wife Shahla and I spent last weekend celebrating our three year wedding anniversary in the Point Reyes area of Marin County, just north of San Francisco. Among the highlights of the trip was spending time together in a beautiful natural setting, surrounded by rolling green hills sparsely populated with farms and ranches. We learned that much of the credit for the preservation of the natural beauty of that region of Marin is attributable to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, or "MALT," an organization seeking to preserve agricultural land in Marin County. According to its website, MALT's mission is the following:

Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) was the first land trust in the United States to focus on farmland preservation. Founded in 1980 by a coalition of ranchers and environmentalists to preserve farmland in Marin County, California, MALT acquires agricultural conservation easements on farmland in voluntary transactions with landowners. MALT also encourages public policies that support and enhance agriculture. It is a model for agricultural land preservation efforts across the nation. MALT has so far permanently protected over 38,000 acres of land on 58 family farms and ranches.

I can't say that I had previously spent a whole lot of time thinking deeply about agriculture, but spending time in this setting produced such a strong sense of our connection and close relationship with the land. It was a total sensory experience--our eyes feasted on the beautiful vistas, our ears experienced sometimes silence, sometimes the rustling of the wind, sometimes the calls of various birds, and every evening, a symphony of frogs in a nearby pond. And, of course, our stomachs thoroughly enjoyed the organic local cuisine! One restaurant we visited had a map on its wall showing where all of the ingredients of its food came from--dairy products (including the award winning Point Reyes Blue Cheese), produce, seafood, etc., all came from within a few mile radius! It was amazing to observe the balance that had been struck between encouraging the productivity of the land and maintaining it's natural beauty.

A document we picked up in the town of Point Reyes Station contained part of a speech given by Warren Weber, one of the MALT Board Members, in which he said:

Now we are focusing less on development, more on agricultural productivity; less on outside forces and more on locally produced food and the regional consumer; and less on landscape as open-space and more on its biodiversity, its productivity, its community-strengthening attributes. We are figuring out, step by step, case by case, how our, at times, sadly mechanistic and confrontational culture fine tunes the balance between people and the rest of nature, between feeding ourselves and protecting biodiversity, between using natural resources and cherishing them.

Reading this really spurred me to want to learn more about what the teachings of the Baha'i Faith have to say about agriculture and the relationship between humanity and the earth. Interestingly, I came across the following passage, from the aptly-named "Compilation of Compilations," detailing some of the references to agriculture in the Baha'i Writings:

Bahá'u'lláh states that "Special regard must be paid to agriculture." He characterizes it as an activity which is "conducive to the advancement of mankind and to the reconstruction of the world". 'Abdu'l-Bahá asserts that "The fundamental basis of the community is agriculture, tillage of the soil...."

He describes agriculture as "a noble science" whose practice is an "act of worship", and He encourages both women and men to engage in "agricultural sciences". He indicates that should an individual "become proficient in this field, he will become a means of providing for the comfort of untold numbers of people".

In relation to the economic and social development of the nations, the Universal House of Justice underlines the importance of "agriculture and the preservation of the ecological balance of the world".

In terms of the more general question of humanity's relationship with the natural world, a document from The Baha'i International Community entitled, "Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Baha'i Faith," provides the following insight:

Bahá'í Scriptures teach that, as trustees of the planet's vast resources and biological diversity, humanity must seek to protect the "heritage [of] future generations;"see in nature a reflection of the divine; approach the earth, the source of material bounties, with humility; temper its actions with moderation; and be guided by the fundamental spiritual truth of our age, the oneness of humanity.

In this light, it is interesting to consider how foundational agriculture is to the life of every community, and how important our approach to agriculture is to the relationship of humanity to nature. It would seem that the spirit of our relationship with the earth, and the goods that it produces, has profound consequences for our well-being and happiness, and the progress of humanity. It is encouraging to learn of organizations like the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, who are seeking to promote an "agrarian renaissance," and a harmonious relationship between humanity and the earth. This certainly seems a step in the direction of "the preservation of the ecological balance of the world."

It would be great to learn of similar efforts in other parts of the world. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

The Application of Knowledge

A recent article in Time Magazine describes a new development at Harvard, Yale, Rutgers and the universities of Pennsylvania and Texas--the implementation of curricula emphasizing the application of knowledge, rather than just the acquisition of knowledge for knowledge's sake. The article asserts:

. . . the new approach emphasizes the kind of active learning that gets students thinking and applying knowledge. "Just as one doesn't become a marathon runner by reading about the Boston Marathon," says the committee report, "so, too, one doesn't become a good problem solver by listening to lectures or reading about statistics." Acknowledging how important extracurricular activities have become on campus, the report calls for a stronger link between the endeavors students pursue inside and outside the classroom. Those studying poverty, for example, absorb more if they also volunteer at a homeless shelter, suggests Bok, whose 2005 book, Our Underachieving Colleges, cites a finding that students remember just 20% of the content of class lectures a week later.

Thinking back to college, one thing that stands out is the multitude of hours spent sitting in a classroom listening to lectures. At the time, I wasn't particularly dissatisfied with this--it certainly didn't require one to go much beyond one's comfort zone and I felt like I was learning a fair amount, albeit in a quite passive manner. That, I think, is part of the beauty of the greater emphasis that these universities are beginning to place on the application of what is being learned in the classroom and on being more fully engaged in extracurricular activities. In my experience, significant advances in learning require that one move beyond their comfort zone into new and unfamiliar settings. It also is evident that the development of knowledge cannot adequately take place in isolation from the ultimate goal of the acquisition of knowledge--service to humanity.

Baha'u'llah, the Prophet-founder of the Baha'i Faith, in the midst of His imprisonment in the most dismal of conditions, extolled knowledge and described its ultimate goal in the following beautiful terms:

Knowledge is as wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with words. Great indeed is the claim of scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the world. . . . In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto him. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in this Most Great Prison.

Let's hope that this trend continues!

Praise and Effort

Is all praise good?

An article in New York magazine by Po Bronson examines this question in the context of the comparative effects of praising children for their intelligence versus for their effort. The article describes a study led by psychologist Carol Dweck that involved a series of experiments on fifth graders in New York schools:

Dweck sent four female research assistants into New York fifth-grade classrooms. The researchers would take a single child out of the classroom for a nonverbal IQ test consisting of a series of puzzles—puzzles easy enough that all the children would do fairly well. Once the child finished the test, the researchers told each student his score, then gave him a single line of praise. Randomly divided into groups, some were praised for their intelligence. They were told, “You must be smart at this.” Other students were praised for their effort: “You must have worked really hard.”

. . .

Then the students were given a choice of test for the second round. One choice was a test that would be more difficult than the first, but the researchers told the kids that they’d learn a lot from attempting the puzzles. The other choice, Dweck’s team explained, was an easy test, just like the first. Of those praised for their effort, 90 percent chose the harder set of puzzles. Of those praised for their intelligence, a majority chose the easy test. The “smart” kids took the cop-out.

Why did this happen? “When we praise children for their intelligence,” Dweck wrote in her study summary, “we tell them that this is the name of the game: Look smart, don’t risk making mistakes.” And that’s what the fifth-graders had done: They’d chosen to look smart and avoid the risk of being embarrassed.

The article goes on to describe a further iteration of the experiment, in which both experiment groups were required to take a difficult test, designed for children several years above the subjects' grade level. Again, a marked difference was observed. Those children that had been praised for their effort worked diligently on the test, with some even expressing enjoyment at the challenge. Those who had been praised for their intelligence took their difficulty with the test as a sign that they weren't intelligent after all. Bronson continues:

Dweck had suspected that praise could backfire, but even she was surprised by the magnitude of the effect. “Emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control,” she explains. “They come to see themselves as in control of their success. Emphasizing natural intelligence takes it out of the child’s control, and it provides no good recipe for responding to a failure.”

These findings brought to mind the concept in the Baha'i writings of individual capacity. In essence, each human being is born with a unique God-given capacity, but it is only through our unceasing effort and perseverance that we are able to achieve, or even approach, this capacity. In this light it seems only natural that praising children for their effort would have such beneficial effects.

In one passage about the role of the educator 'Abdu'l-Baha states that the child "must be encouraged to advance" and be told "you are most capable, and if you endeavor you will reach the highest pitch. . . ." In another passage, Abdu'l-Baha offers the following guidance regarding the education of children:

Bring them up to work and strive, and accustom them to hardship. Teach them to dedicate their lives to matters of great import, and inspire them to undertake studies that will benefit mankind.

For me, all of this serves to highlight the importance, and delicacy, of the issue of praise. It would appear that to praise children effectively--in a manner that is conducive to their spiritual growth and the cultivation of qualities of effort and perseverance--requires wisdom and conscious effort. It would also seem that one would want to be cautious of creating an environment in which an individual becomes dependent on praise of others, rather than the highest motive for any action--the love of God.

Not yet being a parent, I can only imagine that some of these things are easier said than done! Any insights on this issue from you parents out there would be greatly appreciated.

Some Food for Thought on Fasting

The Baha'i month of fasting is fast approaching, and in preparation for this period of reflection and spiritual regeneration, I thought it might be of interest to examine some of the spiritual and scientific aspects of fasting. By way of background, here's an excerpt from an article on the official Baha'i website describing the basic parameters of the fast:

As has been the case with other revealed religions, the Bahá'í Faith sees great value in the practice of fasting as a discipline for the soul. Bahá'u'lláh designated a nineteen-day period each year when adult Bahá'ís fast from sunrise to sunset each day. This period coincides with the Bahá'í month of Ala (meaning Loftiness), from March 2 to 21, inclusive. This is the month immediately preceding the Bahá'í new year, which occurs the day of the vernal equinox; and the period of fasting is therefore viewed as a time of spiritual preparation and regeneration for a new year's activities. Women who are nursing or pregnant, the aged, the sick, the traveler, those engaged in heavy labor, as well as children under the age of fifteen, are exempt from observance of the Fast.

Now on to the science. Recently, I happened across a Scientific American article detailing some of the latest findings of a study on how fasting affects the brain. I can't say that I understand all of the science behind the study, which involved monitoring the brain activity of fasting mice, but there were some incredible parallels between these recent findings and the guidance provided by Baha'u'llah about fasting over a century ago. The article states:

Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, but are also involved in controlling body temperature. Triiodothyronine [a thyroid hormone] is involved in fasting and also activates a related uncoupling protein that helps regulate the body's temperature. When activated, the protein indirectly decreases the efficiency of energy production and generates heat as a result. Similarly, the number of mitochondria in the neurons also increased and became active during fasting, according to the study. "We found a cellular mechanism in the brain that is similar to one in the periphery tissue involved in body heat regulation," Diano says.

Next, the researchers hope to determine if the increased activity in neurons is specifically related to the thyroid hormone or if other hormones are involved. Diano also plans to look into whether the mechanism that is activated during fasting has thermogenic consequences in the brain and "whether heat may serve as neurotransmitters in activating neurons in the brain." If so, she says temperature variations could have "big consequences for the brain."

Two things in particular caught my attention in reading these paragraphs. One was the cliffhanger at the end about the potential "big consequences for the brain" of fasting. From a scientific perspective, it seems like there is often discussion of the beneficial effects of fasting on the body, in terms of purification and detoxification, but less focus on the effects of fasting on the brain. It'll be interesting to see what is discovered!

The other intriguing finding was the statement that fasting--through Triiodothyronine and the activation of a related uncoupling protein--generates heat. The article dangles the possibility that this generation of heat may have neurological consequences, including activating neurons in the brain. The reason this was of interest to me is because it parallels so closely the following passage from Baha'u'llah about the fast:

These are the days of the Fast. Blessed is the one who through the heat generated by the Fast increaseth his love, and who, with joy and radiance, ariseth to perform worthy deeds.

I'm trying to better understand what this all might mean, and in particular what the significance of "the heat generated by the Fast" might be, both from a scientific and spiritual perspective. The passage from Baha'u'llah indicates that the heat can increase our love, and the study describes the effects of the physiological, and potential neurological, heat that is generated. One way to look at it is that generally, heat is an activating influence--it enkindles, enflames, and quickens, both spiritually and materially. Perhaps some food for thought during the fast!

Your thoughts, dear reader, on this topic would be greatly appreciated!

Web 2.0 -- Bringing Us Together

A fascinating video featuring the development of Internet technology.

". . . in this age of splendours, teachings once limited to the few are made available to all, that the mercy of the Lord may embrace both east and west, that the oneness of the world of humanity may appear in its full beauty, and that the dazzling rays of reality may flood the realm of the mind with light."
-Abdu'l-Baha

Social Harmony: The Key to High Group IQ

I realize I've been posting a great deal about the work of Daniel Goleman lately, but what can I say, it's just so good! On his blog, Goleman writes of two recent studies which indicated that in group problem solving scenarios, it is the overall emotional intelligence of the group, which includes skills such as cooperation and teamwork, rather than the individual cognitive abilities of the group members, that is the greatest predictor of the ability of the group to solve the problem. Goleman describes the results of the studies, which involved groups trying to problem solve in simulated desperate survival scenarios:

The champion teams, both studies found, were highest in group emotional intelligence. Intriguingly, when individuals were given the same challenge, their cognitive ability (as measured by SAT scores – these were college students) was the best predictor of survival. But once people were put in a team situation, individual cognitive ability made virtually no difference – instead emotional intelligence made the difference.

This makes sense in terms of earlier findings on “group IQ,” the ability of teams to perform well. Research with high-IQ team members found, for instance, that if they did not have the skills of cooperation, negotiation and teamwork, they perform poorly (in part because individual members competed to show who was smarter). As I wrote in Emotional Intelligence (p.160), “The key to a high group IQ is social harmony. This ability, all other things being equal, will make one group especially productive and successful.”

The concept of "social harmony" being the key to a high group IQ, and, in turn, to the ability of a group to perform well and solve difficult problems, is an intriguing one. It offers a powerful counterbalance to an approach that would place a premium solely on individual achievement and competition, and illustrates the beneficial effects of collaboration and teamwork. Perhaps as a more trivial example, I can think of many instances in the world of sports in which the team with fewer "stars" but greater cohesion and harmony triumphs over a talent-laden team that doesn't play well together!

These findings find a strong parallel in the teachings of the Baha'i Faith. 'Abdu'l-Baha describes the preconditions necessary to effective group decision-making in the following glorious terms:

The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must manifest in themselves the Unity of God, for they are the waves of one sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one sun, the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden. Should harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that assembly be brought to naught.

It is interesting to consider what the implications of these scientific and spiritual teachings might be for social groups, whether it be in the family, workplace, religious community, or the political realm. It also instructive to consider how the consciousness of the importance of this critical contributor to the success of any group endeavor might be cultivated and increased. One key area seems like it would be the spiritual and moral education of children--along with the reading, writing, and arithmetics that children learn in school, developing skills in collaboration, consultation, and unified group work will certainly stand them (and the world) in good stead throughout their lives!

The Shortest Distance Between Two Brains (and Hearts)

I've been thoroughly enjoying Daniel Goleman's new book, Social Intelligence. It is chock full of insights into our nature as social beings, and the way in which our brains are "wired to connect," closely mirroring the fundamental teaching of the Baha'i Faith that humankind was created for unity. On the topic of the social and neurological effects of smiling, Goleman writes:

Smiles have an edge over all other emotional expressions: the human brain prefers happy faces, recognizing them more readily and quickly that those with negative expressions--an effect known as the "happy face advantage." Some neuroscientists suggest that the brain has a system for positive feelings that stays primed for activity, causing people to be in upbeat moods more often than negative, and to have a more positive outlook on life.

That implies that Nature tends to foster positive relationships. Despite the all-too-prominent place of aggression in human affairs, we are not innately primed to dislike people from the start.

Even among complete strangers, a moment of playfulness, even outright silliness, forms an instant resonance. In what may be yet another instance of psychology trying to prove the obvious, pairs of strangers were assigned to play a series of silly games together. During the games one person had to talk through a straw while directing the other, wearing a blindfold, to toss a Nerf ball back and forth. The strangers invariably fell into guffaws at their haplessness.

When strangers played the same silly game without the blindfold and straw, however, they never cracked a smile. Yet the laughing pairs felt a strong, immediate sense of closeness, even after spending just a few minutes together.

Indeed, laughter may be the shortest distance between two brains, an unstoppable infectious spread that builds an instant social bond.

In a similar vein, 'Abdu'l-Baha described the infectious influence of smiling and happiness in the following terms:

A bright and happy face cheers people on their way. If you are sad, and pass a child who is laughing, the child, seeing your sad face, will cease to laugh, not knowing why. If the day be dark, how much a gleam of sunshine is prized; so . . . wear smiling happy faces, gleaming like sunshine in the darkness.

So don't forget to smile! :-)