I’m wary of consultants and sales people and such who claim they have a single solution to all my problems. I would be just as wary if a teacher or researcher was to tell me there was only one way to learn. It seems like there are multiple learning theories, because, well, there are different ways to learn. After reading chapter 11 in Learning in Adulthood, I would posit that the way you learn depends on where you are at in the learning continuum from novice to expert in that particular task or knowledge base.
As fashionable as it is to downplay the importance and relevance of behaviorism in learning circles these days, it strikes me as a darn good method to use to build basic skills and knowledge. I think back to my days of when I first was learning music. There was lots of repletion and feedback, with the instructor setting the agenda and my learning goals. It made sense because when you don’t know anything about a subject, how could you know where to begin? I can’t imagine taking a constructivist approach. Although, today, I need to pick my own repertoire and identify my own learning needs as I now have 20+ years of expertise.
In contrast, I’m learning ball room dancing, and I pretty much need that same behaviorist, teacher centered approach with lots of reinforcement. When I think of my work on the job, though, I get pretty bored quickly sitting in classes and excel when I get to make my own learning choices, explore my own path and especially if I have a mentor to nudge me here and there. The humanist and cognitive approaches speak to me most in this regard. Finally, as I strive to enhance my business partnering skills, the social cognition approach would work best for me, where I get to observe someone very experienced work through conversations and difficult issues.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Barriers to adult education
Merriam, in “Learning in Adulthood” identifies a number of barriers to education in adults, including cost, time and motivation. It seems like one of the biggest, though, is confidence.
At 33 years old, my friend Sara has a GED and is now considering going for her undergrad. She had her first child this year and realizes she needs to go to work to help support her family. She knows she needs a degree to do this.
Now, if I read the paragraph above, I might think that Sara came from a poor, low income family and that she may not have strong intellectual abilities. However, both her parents and two siblings have their masters. Her 2 younger brothers are both finishing their undergrad in their late 20s.
Both Sara and one brother have learning disabilities and were deemed below average by more than one teacher. Further testing showed that they had extraordinarily high IQs, but were performing poorly in the standard academic setting. Their parents made the decision to home school. As a result, Sara probably is one of the most self directed learners I’ve met. Her father, being a chemist, even set up a lab in their basement. They joined up with others in the home schooling community for field trips and were active volunteers at the local living history museum. She also was seriously studying the violin and considering a career in music. At the age of 19, her family moved to Israel, where she mastered a second language, earned a brown belt in jiujutsu and picked up gourmet cooking techniques from working in resturants. Because of her many health problems, I actually call her first when I feel sick before I go to my own doctor. She is that knowledgeable. I’ve even seen her wipe the floor with a gastroenterologist that was not a specialist in her particular disorder.
It is interesting now to see that despite all her learning experiences, she, as well as potential employers, view her as un-educated. Her parents made the decision to take a path that would actually give their children a better education than was possible in their own well respected school system, and yet, all three have returned to the traditional path because in most cases, a degree is a pre-requisite in this society to obtain a professional, well paying job.
While Sara has many of the typical barriers that adults seeking to further their education (time, money), I realize now that I can help build her self confidence, that crucial barrier that needs to broken. I plan on sharing my view of her story with her and hope to support her in her endeavors.
At 33 years old, my friend Sara has a GED and is now considering going for her undergrad. She had her first child this year and realizes she needs to go to work to help support her family. She knows she needs a degree to do this.
Now, if I read the paragraph above, I might think that Sara came from a poor, low income family and that she may not have strong intellectual abilities. However, both her parents and two siblings have their masters. Her 2 younger brothers are both finishing their undergrad in their late 20s.
Both Sara and one brother have learning disabilities and were deemed below average by more than one teacher. Further testing showed that they had extraordinarily high IQs, but were performing poorly in the standard academic setting. Their parents made the decision to home school. As a result, Sara probably is one of the most self directed learners I’ve met. Her father, being a chemist, even set up a lab in their basement. They joined up with others in the home schooling community for field trips and were active volunteers at the local living history museum. She also was seriously studying the violin and considering a career in music. At the age of 19, her family moved to Israel, where she mastered a second language, earned a brown belt in jiujutsu and picked up gourmet cooking techniques from working in resturants. Because of her many health problems, I actually call her first when I feel sick before I go to my own doctor. She is that knowledgeable. I’ve even seen her wipe the floor with a gastroenterologist that was not a specialist in her particular disorder.
It is interesting now to see that despite all her learning experiences, she, as well as potential employers, view her as un-educated. Her parents made the decision to take a path that would actually give their children a better education than was possible in their own well respected school system, and yet, all three have returned to the traditional path because in most cases, a degree is a pre-requisite in this society to obtain a professional, well paying job.
While Sara has many of the typical barriers that adults seeking to further their education (time, money), I realize now that I can help build her self confidence, that crucial barrier that needs to broken. I plan on sharing my view of her story with her and hope to support her in her endeavors.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Graying of the workforce
I work with a small team of individuals in my workplace. There are four of us assigned to support a certain functional area and after reading Hudson’s recommendations on integrating older adults back into the workforce, I realize I’m in a unique position.
I am the youngest in the group and am responsible for making sure the work gets done. The remaining 3 team members range in age from early to late 50’s. One co-worker, we’ll call Pam, had actually been downsized by the company, only to be brought back as a contractor. She is nearly 60 and I have to say, is a bit of an anomaly in my company, which is full of ambitious 30 and 40 some-things. Pam and I spoke of this once - - I remarked that I was probably at the top of my career and my desirability to the company is likely to go gradually down as the years past. Pam agreed and also lamented the fact that it was so. She also views herself as one of the pioneers that will make businesses value older workers more.
I think also of Doug, who always has a good story to tell and a wealth of experience. When I think of Hudson’s coach/mentor, Doug is who comes to mind. He too, is a contractor – not a permanent employee. He fits the perfect model of an older worker who is seeking more to influence, rather than “do,” but stuck in a rather thankless technical writing job. I’ve tried to listen to his concepts (although I will challenge them when I disagree) and he also is a patient listener to my thoughts and ideas. Dave, close to retirement, is laid back, supportive and knows just about everything there is to know about the area. I would also have to say their computer skills are fairly strong, except for Dave, who spent most of his work life out on the factory floor.
How do I take advantage of this wealth of experience? One thing I think I definitely need to do is watch for ways to learn and listen.
I am the youngest in the group and am responsible for making sure the work gets done. The remaining 3 team members range in age from early to late 50’s. One co-worker, we’ll call Pam, had actually been downsized by the company, only to be brought back as a contractor. She is nearly 60 and I have to say, is a bit of an anomaly in my company, which is full of ambitious 30 and 40 some-things. Pam and I spoke of this once - - I remarked that I was probably at the top of my career and my desirability to the company is likely to go gradually down as the years past. Pam agreed and also lamented the fact that it was so. She also views herself as one of the pioneers that will make businesses value older workers more.
I think also of Doug, who always has a good story to tell and a wealth of experience. When I think of Hudson’s coach/mentor, Doug is who comes to mind. He too, is a contractor – not a permanent employee. He fits the perfect model of an older worker who is seeking more to influence, rather than “do,” but stuck in a rather thankless technical writing job. I’ve tried to listen to his concepts (although I will challenge them when I disagree) and he also is a patient listener to my thoughts and ideas. Dave, close to retirement, is laid back, supportive and knows just about everything there is to know about the area. I would also have to say their computer skills are fairly strong, except for Dave, who spent most of his work life out on the factory floor.
How do I take advantage of this wealth of experience? One thing I think I definitely need to do is watch for ways to learn and listen.
A comfort with contradiction
Another Unit 1 post
During undergrad, I spent a summer semester in London. While there, I stayed at a friend of a friend’s house and hung out with a business man named Simon. Simon was very sad because he worked for an American company. And what made him sad was that he had just 2 weeks of vacation – a near abusive, intolerable amount of time required at the office.
During that summer, I had many conversations around the American tendency to be goal and action oriented, while the British and European ways are less so. The thinking was that non-Americans are more in tune with the complexities in every day life and more likely to approach things more in a cyclical than linear fashion.
I thought of those conversations again, with the American’s un-relentless focus on results and productivity with the more laid back aims of other countries (not counting Germany!!), when reading of a study (in Learning in Adulthood) that tried to measure dialectical thought. According to Kegan, this is a level that is reached through conflict and is described as “testing of paradoxical and contradictory formulations” (Merriam, 344). Most adults do not even begin to achieve this until their 40s.
So where does culture come to play? According to Simon, American’s are action oriented and not prone to very deep reflection. The cultural differences in dialectical thinking seemed even more pronounced when comparing Chinese and American preferences for proverbs – the Chinese students were more comfortable with the dialectical ones, the American’s with the non-dialectical. East meets west. And while the authors describe this factor a trait of adult intelligence, it seems less to do with intelligence and more with culture and upbringing, as well as the values of society. The authors do mention a study that seemed to indicate this – one researcher found that there was no difference in ability, just in the tendency to display the thought processes (Merriam, 346). So I guess Americans are no more or no less complex than anyone else – we’re just less comfortable showing it.
During undergrad, I spent a summer semester in London. While there, I stayed at a friend of a friend’s house and hung out with a business man named Simon. Simon was very sad because he worked for an American company. And what made him sad was that he had just 2 weeks of vacation – a near abusive, intolerable amount of time required at the office.
During that summer, I had many conversations around the American tendency to be goal and action oriented, while the British and European ways are less so. The thinking was that non-Americans are more in tune with the complexities in every day life and more likely to approach things more in a cyclical than linear fashion.
I thought of those conversations again, with the American’s un-relentless focus on results and productivity with the more laid back aims of other countries (not counting Germany!!), when reading of a study (in Learning in Adulthood) that tried to measure dialectical thought. According to Kegan, this is a level that is reached through conflict and is described as “testing of paradoxical and contradictory formulations” (Merriam, 344). Most adults do not even begin to achieve this until their 40s.
So where does culture come to play? According to Simon, American’s are action oriented and not prone to very deep reflection. The cultural differences in dialectical thinking seemed even more pronounced when comparing Chinese and American preferences for proverbs – the Chinese students were more comfortable with the dialectical ones, the American’s with the non-dialectical. East meets west. And while the authors describe this factor a trait of adult intelligence, it seems less to do with intelligence and more with culture and upbringing, as well as the values of society. The authors do mention a study that seemed to indicate this – one researcher found that there was no difference in ability, just in the tendency to display the thought processes (Merriam, 346). So I guess Americans are no more or no less complex than anyone else – we’re just less comfortable showing it.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Intellectual development and aging
Okay, I did the post math – I thought for some reason, week 1 didn’t count and I see its now in the “8” post total – so here I go!!!
I had read once that your intellectual abilities start declining in your mid-30s. I’m not sure what the researchers based this on, but I recall it being a somewhat scholarly article on the difference between high performers and the regular folks.
I was kind of depressed after reading that article. I turned to a co-worker around 7 or 8 years older than my early 30ths and gently told him the bad news that he was past his prime. I started thinking of all the things I wanted to try and better get a move on (guitar lessons! Start today!!!).
It was with great relief that in chapter fourteen of “Learning in Adulthood”, Merriam and co. de-bunk this myth. While the authors do confirm that intellectual ability may decline some, it is not necessarily disastrous for all, compared to what the aforementioned article may have you believe. They do show that it is a complex issue, as complex as measuring intelligence itself and may disappoint those looking for hard fast rules (“… after 30, your mental abilities decrease by x amount every year”).
What the authors do present is, well, that it all depends. It depends on how the intelligence is measured, and there’s about as many ways to measure it as there are intelligence researchers. If a narrow and single facet of intelligence is measured, it does decline. What can help counter those declines is what the adult does to keep their mind active (plasticity) and how they deal with the more obvious declines in overall bodily function (compensation). I am personally fascinated with the concept of plasticity, as I once heard a neuroscientist speak on the topic – not only do humans have the ability to reshape their brain, it is possible to do this in relation to mental illness and brain injuries – depending on the individual. I think this may be where all the aging tips I’ve seen of doing cross word puzzles come from. And what has also been found is that the decline starts far later than once thought, in the 60s and 70s. But it is an very individual process, and likely has a lot to do with their general attitudes towards aging.
I had read once that your intellectual abilities start declining in your mid-30s. I’m not sure what the researchers based this on, but I recall it being a somewhat scholarly article on the difference between high performers and the regular folks.
I was kind of depressed after reading that article. I turned to a co-worker around 7 or 8 years older than my early 30ths and gently told him the bad news that he was past his prime. I started thinking of all the things I wanted to try and better get a move on (guitar lessons! Start today!!!).
It was with great relief that in chapter fourteen of “Learning in Adulthood”, Merriam and co. de-bunk this myth. While the authors do confirm that intellectual ability may decline some, it is not necessarily disastrous for all, compared to what the aforementioned article may have you believe. They do show that it is a complex issue, as complex as measuring intelligence itself and may disappoint those looking for hard fast rules (“… after 30, your mental abilities decrease by x amount every year”).
What the authors do present is, well, that it all depends. It depends on how the intelligence is measured, and there’s about as many ways to measure it as there are intelligence researchers. If a narrow and single facet of intelligence is measured, it does decline. What can help counter those declines is what the adult does to keep their mind active (plasticity) and how they deal with the more obvious declines in overall bodily function (compensation). I am personally fascinated with the concept of plasticity, as I once heard a neuroscientist speak on the topic – not only do humans have the ability to reshape their brain, it is possible to do this in relation to mental illness and brain injuries – depending on the individual. I think this may be where all the aging tips I’ve seen of doing cross word puzzles come from. And what has also been found is that the decline starts far later than once thought, in the 60s and 70s. But it is an very individual process, and likely has a lot to do with their general attitudes towards aging.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Living vs. aging
“You are old when regrets take the place of your dreams” – Jimmy Carter in “The Adult Years” – Frederic Hudson.
I viewed a documentary once on PBS that looked at how individuals deal with aging.
The documentary contrasted a couple in a nursing home with the mother of one the producers, who was in her early 90’s and still lived in her own Manhattan apartment.
The couple was in the nursing home because the wife was suffering from Alzheimer’s and her husband could no longer care for her on his own. He looked straight at the camera, while is wife incessantly jabbered at him incoherently and said “Old age is for the birds.”
The one on her own in an apartment was chipper, happily clanking away in her kitchen and completely scared her daughter by her pleasant yet steadfast refusal to live her life any other way. Her lifestyle exemplified the best possible scenario that Hudson discusses on how to have a good old age.
For some reason, I find myself thinking of economics and privileged lives when reading Hudson’s later chapters on what the 60s, 70s and beyond would look like. It seems that a rather optimistic and rosy portrait is painted.
I think of my own mother, who in her early 70’s, does seem to typify many of the strategies Hudson advocates to have good elder years. She keeps active in her church and many community groups, works out every day, vacations and maintains many friendships and acquaintances. And she also has the fortune to have the resources and good health to do so.
I think about Hudson’s prescriptions for longevity and I wonder how people not like my mother are able to do so – those in poor health and without the economic means. Although my mother’s good health may be in direct relation to her positive attitude, rather than a comfortable economic status. I imagine it’s a lot easier to have a positive attitude, though, when you have financial security.
I viewed a documentary once on PBS that looked at how individuals deal with aging.
The documentary contrasted a couple in a nursing home with the mother of one the producers, who was in her early 90’s and still lived in her own Manhattan apartment.
The couple was in the nursing home because the wife was suffering from Alzheimer’s and her husband could no longer care for her on his own. He looked straight at the camera, while is wife incessantly jabbered at him incoherently and said “Old age is for the birds.”
The one on her own in an apartment was chipper, happily clanking away in her kitchen and completely scared her daughter by her pleasant yet steadfast refusal to live her life any other way. Her lifestyle exemplified the best possible scenario that Hudson discusses on how to have a good old age.
For some reason, I find myself thinking of economics and privileged lives when reading Hudson’s later chapters on what the 60s, 70s and beyond would look like. It seems that a rather optimistic and rosy portrait is painted.
I think of my own mother, who in her early 70’s, does seem to typify many of the strategies Hudson advocates to have good elder years. She keeps active in her church and many community groups, works out every day, vacations and maintains many friendships and acquaintances. And she also has the fortune to have the resources and good health to do so.
I think about Hudson’s prescriptions for longevity and I wonder how people not like my mother are able to do so – those in poor health and without the economic means. Although my mother’s good health may be in direct relation to her positive attitude, rather than a comfortable economic status. I imagine it’s a lot easier to have a positive attitude, though, when you have financial security.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Self reflection and cognitive abilities
“It is my position that critical reflection and reflective discourse assume a certain level of cognitive development, most likely something beyond Piaget’s fourth stage of formal operations” – Sharan Merriam, “The Role of Cognitive Development in Mezirow’s Transformational Learning Theory”
This struck me as an incredibly elitist statement to make. It seemed to me geared maybe to those living in trailer parks or something like that, while those in the educated class have higher evolved reflective abilities. The author goes on to discuss that Paiget’s higher levels are mostly achieved only by graduate students and above. It struck me that this could be more about how the reflection is measured in more academic terms than the actual ability.
There is a Garrison Keillor quote that goes something like this “Intelligence is as useful to you as four-wheel drive – it just gets you lost in more remote places.” While self reflection is mainly a cognitive endeavor, it seems like there are ways to go about it in other ways, such as through a spiritual belief that oes not have to correlate directly with the level of an individual’s personal academic achievements.
I think of highly educated people I’ve met who can still manage to make incredible messes out of their life, repeating patterns and never quite figuring out where they got it all wrong. I’ve also met a grandmother who had custody of her granddaughter and lived in section 8 housing. Both parents were "missing" (likely in jail). Would this grandmother score high on the GRE? Probably not – but there was a wisdom and likely hard self reflection that led to her to get her granddaughter off the street and enroll her in after school programs that would build the girl’s self esteem. I work with a man with a high school diploma who has spent 20+ years working on the factory floor and he seems to be fairly adept at self reflection, while I think of a former supervisor of mine with a masters and a high paying job that was always living a life full of drama and mistakes. Perhaps my experience of these individuals is unique – but I would have to disagree with Merriam’s take on self reflective abilities.
This struck me as an incredibly elitist statement to make. It seemed to me geared maybe to those living in trailer parks or something like that, while those in the educated class have higher evolved reflective abilities. The author goes on to discuss that Paiget’s higher levels are mostly achieved only by graduate students and above. It struck me that this could be more about how the reflection is measured in more academic terms than the actual ability.
There is a Garrison Keillor quote that goes something like this “Intelligence is as useful to you as four-wheel drive – it just gets you lost in more remote places.” While self reflection is mainly a cognitive endeavor, it seems like there are ways to go about it in other ways, such as through a spiritual belief that oes not have to correlate directly with the level of an individual’s personal academic achievements.
I think of highly educated people I’ve met who can still manage to make incredible messes out of their life, repeating patterns and never quite figuring out where they got it all wrong. I’ve also met a grandmother who had custody of her granddaughter and lived in section 8 housing. Both parents were "missing" (likely in jail). Would this grandmother score high on the GRE? Probably not – but there was a wisdom and likely hard self reflection that led to her to get her granddaughter off the street and enroll her in after school programs that would build the girl’s self esteem. I work with a man with a high school diploma who has spent 20+ years working on the factory floor and he seems to be fairly adept at self reflection, while I think of a former supervisor of mine with a masters and a high paying job that was always living a life full of drama and mistakes. Perhaps my experience of these individuals is unique – but I would have to disagree with Merriam’s take on self reflective abilities.
Transformative learning events & phases of change
When first diagnosed with asthma 3 years ago, it was a trigger for me to learn as much as possible about the condition. I considered myself highly knowledgeable and felt confident that I knew how to manage.
My subsequent “un” diagnosis led me to much deeper transformative learning. I felt betrayed by my body and could care less about the clinical issues that had interested me before. I decided to leave science to my doctors and focus on my overwhelming emotions.
Here’s how it all worked for me, using Hudson’s model of change.
Phase 1: Go for it. I don’t think I’ve reached it. Prior to the illness, I was gearing up for what would be a challenging fall. Starting another class, kicking into gear for a huge project at work, prepping for concerts and continuing on with dancing lessons. Definitely a grueling schedule. My body (probably thankfully) made other plans for me.
Phase 2: The doldrums. I was focused on pure survival mode. I didn’t have time to reflect as I tried to manage how I would receive care, including lining up people to watch me and cook for me. I was the traveling invalid and it was a humbling experience. "Can you take care of me? Good, okay pick me up." Everything became sharply focused on what mattered, which turned out not to be a whole lot. While some things became very clear, I felt myself become completely unmoored. Questioning what I wanted from life, who I wanted in it and how much longer I might have. I fought, struggled and then I surrendered to it. At 33, I felt I had taken some mid-size steps towards reconciling with my own mortality.
Phase 3: Cocooning. The daily phone calls and e-mails I sent disappeared. I started getting slightly annoyed with people asking me how I was. I just wanted to be left alone to quietness and reflection. I went to a church on my own. The first time ever. I renewed my yoga practice. And I continued asking myself the question: “What matters most?” I tried not to look too far ahead and focus on today.
Phase 4: Getting ready. I am beginning to experience a newly found sense of confidence in myself. I stand tall and say my name distinctly and clearly to those who ask. I realize that I made it through something most people my age will never experience, something that is usually saved for years later in life. I feel empowered. I am ready to start my life again. This with a clearer sense of trying to strive for meaning in my life and shedding what no longer matters in a new paradigm.
My subsequent “un” diagnosis led me to much deeper transformative learning. I felt betrayed by my body and could care less about the clinical issues that had interested me before. I decided to leave science to my doctors and focus on my overwhelming emotions.
Here’s how it all worked for me, using Hudson’s model of change.
Phase 1: Go for it. I don’t think I’ve reached it. Prior to the illness, I was gearing up for what would be a challenging fall. Starting another class, kicking into gear for a huge project at work, prepping for concerts and continuing on with dancing lessons. Definitely a grueling schedule. My body (probably thankfully) made other plans for me.
Phase 2: The doldrums. I was focused on pure survival mode. I didn’t have time to reflect as I tried to manage how I would receive care, including lining up people to watch me and cook for me. I was the traveling invalid and it was a humbling experience. "Can you take care of me? Good, okay pick me up." Everything became sharply focused on what mattered, which turned out not to be a whole lot. While some things became very clear, I felt myself become completely unmoored. Questioning what I wanted from life, who I wanted in it and how much longer I might have. I fought, struggled and then I surrendered to it. At 33, I felt I had taken some mid-size steps towards reconciling with my own mortality.
Phase 3: Cocooning. The daily phone calls and e-mails I sent disappeared. I started getting slightly annoyed with people asking me how I was. I just wanted to be left alone to quietness and reflection. I went to a church on my own. The first time ever. I renewed my yoga practice. And I continued asking myself the question: “What matters most?” I tried not to look too far ahead and focus on today.
Phase 4: Getting ready. I am beginning to experience a newly found sense of confidence in myself. I stand tall and say my name distinctly and clearly to those who ask. I realize that I made it through something most people my age will never experience, something that is usually saved for years later in life. I feel empowered. I am ready to start my life again. This with a clearer sense of trying to strive for meaning in my life and shedding what no longer matters in a new paradigm.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Betrayal of the American Dream?
In chapter 1 of “The Adult Years”, Frederic Hudson writes an elegy around of the complexity of the modern world, the yearning for the ideal and the loss of innocence that has been experienced since the 1950s. At the same time, he laments the myth of happiness and security.
While this serves as an effective buildup to the later chapter of the book and how these struggles are effectively addressed (or not addressed) by different generations, I wondered how much this was an American, rather than a universal phenomena.
Do other countries who are less achievement-oriented and more family focused experience this type of crisis? And is this truly a modern phenomena? How universal are these feelings to the lower and upper extremes of society? And were the 50s really that great of a time, full of hope or lots of alcohol and emotional repression?
Wordsworth, in the early 1800s wrote “The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” The poem is about getting lost in that then modern world. Hudson has subheadings such as “cyncism”, “powerlessness”, “personal isolationism” “hopelessness” , followed by the next section called “the new adult challenge.”
What’s new about any of this? It seems to be just a different way to articulate one aspect of the human experience that everyone struggles with in some way, probably throughout the world. What may be unique to a time and culture is the response.
While this serves as an effective buildup to the later chapter of the book and how these struggles are effectively addressed (or not addressed) by different generations, I wondered how much this was an American, rather than a universal phenomena.
Do other countries who are less achievement-oriented and more family focused experience this type of crisis? And is this truly a modern phenomena? How universal are these feelings to the lower and upper extremes of society? And were the 50s really that great of a time, full of hope or lots of alcohol and emotional repression?
Wordsworth, in the early 1800s wrote “The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” The poem is about getting lost in that then modern world. Hudson has subheadings such as “cyncism”, “powerlessness”, “personal isolationism” “hopelessness” , followed by the next section called “the new adult challenge.”
What’s new about any of this? It seems to be just a different way to articulate one aspect of the human experience that everyone struggles with in some way, probably throughout the world. What may be unique to a time and culture is the response.
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