Persuasive Ploys
It is now, more than ever, necessary that political leaders be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good. ~ Pope Francis Ethical Leadership Click Here to View Length: 7 Minutes 4 seconds See Also: How Honesty Transforms Teams, 2 minutes ******* One high school speech class lesson that stuck was The Big Lie, and its persuasive role in winning debates. The ScientficMethod.com article “Suspect Debate Tactics,” lists quite a few, including, · Catastrophizing, “predict[ing] the future negatively without considering other, more likely outcomes.” · Insertionism, a “deceitful debate tactic … when there is an unwarranted and unsubstantiated insertion of words or new meanings into a statement or argument.” · Question Begging Epithets, “slanted language is used to reaffirm what we wish to prove but have not proven yet.” · Strawman Fallacy, which “purposely distorts an opponent’s argument (sets up the straw man), in order that he may attack it more easily,” · Recognize these? Read more with names like “Black Holing,” “Red Herring,” “Preponderance of Garbage Defense,” etc. European Center for Populism Studies https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/big-lie/ reports , “The BIG LIE is the name of a propaganda technique, originally coined by Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf, who says ‘The great masses of the people… will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one,’” Big Lies work “by leveraging core psychological tendencies, exploiting social structures, and operating within a fragmented modern information landscape. It relies on a high-profile figure who, through constant repetition across a range of media, can establish a false narrative.” The Psychological Factors that allow acceptance include, · Repeated exposure to a lie, especially an outrageous one because the human brain can confuse familiarity with factual accuracy · People tend to seek out and believe information that confirms their existing beliefs · Disinformation is often crafted to appeal to strong emotions like anger, fear, and disgust. · Read more, including about social and technological factors In personal life and the workplace, trustworthy leadership matters. As Thomas Jefferson wrote. an “informed electorate” is vital, which becomes difficult when voters can’t tell what’s true. Speaking of leaders, here are articles that may interest, · The Biggest Lies American Presidents Ever Told · What President Has Told the Most Lies? · Who Truly Was the Most Dishonest President? · Who Lied the Most During Their First 100 Days: Biden, Trump or Obama? · From Washington to Trump, all presidents have told lies [but only some have told them for the right reasons] Keep in mind, … people who pay greater respect to a wealthy villain than to an honest, upright man in poverty, almost deserve to be enslaved; they plainly show that wealth, however it may be acquired, is, in their esteem, to be preferred to virtue. ~ John Hancock Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. ~ Albert Einstein To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. ~ William Shakespeare COMMENT Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. ******* Fine Art America Succeed and Soar Hooded Sweat Shirts · 75% cotton, 25% polyester blend · Five sizes [Small, Medium, Large, X Large, 2X Large, 3X Large] · Two Art Locations [Full chest or chest patch] · Double-opening waist pouch · Colors: White, Heather, Charcoal, Black, Navy · Machine washable · Price $45 to $48 View All Hooded Sweat Shirts Thanks for shopping!
Sweeter Than Sugar
Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners. – William Shakespeare Thrive! Presents practices that can improve life. This post explores sugar and sweet alternatives. Six thousand years ago, the sugar cane plant’s juices were first extracted in India and Southeast Asia. Four thousand years later, sugar granules were produced. In time, they were refined into crystals. Cane growth and sugar manufacture then spread throughout the early Islamic world. Later, to the West Indies and tropical Americas, along with enslaved Africans. Until the 1500s, sugar was rare and expensive. When technology allowed cheaper production, more people could buy those sweets. In 2014, JAMA Internal Medicine reported adult men eat an average, added 24 teaspoons of sugar daily. Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health continued, “Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can [cause] a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Of non-sugar sweeteners, one concern is their potential negative impact on the gut microbiome. This is a distinct ecosystem inside intestines. Its trillions of microscopic organisms include over a thousand species of bacteria, as well as viruses, fungi and parasites that help the body. Read more. According to Dr. Axe’s “12 Best Sugar Substitutes,” side effects from artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, ace-K and saccharin have been linked to,” headaches and poor digestion to cravings and even mood disorders.” Are there healthy sugar substitutes? Dr. Axe reports, “Some experts like fruit the best because there are no empty calories involved and the sugars are naturally occurring.” Here are some popular, natural sweeteners listed by Dr. that Axe, Stevia (0 calories) Dates (1 Medjool date = 66 calories) Coconut sugar (1 tablespoon = 45 calories) Banana puree (1 cup = 200 calories) Monk fruit (0 calories) Manufacturers are now developing new ingredients that can sweeten foods and beverages without adding calories or chemicals. Sweet proteins are naturally-occurring compounds in some tropical plants and berries native to West Africa and Southeast Asia. Unlike conventional sweeteners [which are typically sugars or artificial compounds], sweet proteins are amino acids. Their names include thaumatin, brazzein, monellin, curculin, and miraculin. They are 400 to 3,000 times sweetener than sucrose [table sugar]. The better-known stevia and monkfruit are 200-300 times as sweet as sucrose. Because sweet proteins are metabolized differently from sugars, they do not raise blood sugar levels. Plus, their intense sweetness means eating fewer calories. To be used in US food products, any new ingredient must receive GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status from the FDA. While thaumatin has been approved, ongoing studies are testing safety and usefulness of more sweet proteins. Recipes Sugar Free Recipes 340+ trusted sugar-free recipes from appetizers to main dishes to desserts [includes cookies, cakes, cobblers]. 30 Days of Sugar-Free Recipes From enchiladas to salad dressings and more. Resources: 12 Best Sugar Substitutes Are Sweet Proteins the New Stevia? History of Sugar Sweet Danger of Sugar See These Videos Sugar Alternatives, 04:37 [Yes, sugar can cause health problems. But there’s another, hidden dietary culprit.] If You Quit Sugar for 30 Days, 6 Healthy Alternatives, 03:52 The HEALTHIEST Sugar-Free Sweeteners at the Grocery Store, 13:29, COMMENT Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Radiant Tree Books Beyond the Sky’s Limits shares encouraging wisdom and uplifting images about going beyond boundaries and making dreams come true. Space is open for notes, sketches and journaling. Contact to arrange in-person and online Illustrated Wisdom and Writing workshops. 36-Page, 5×8 soft cover, $15 Preview or Purchase 48-Page, 8×10 soft cover, $20 Preview or Purchase, View All Books Thanks for shopping!
Best Friend
Before we can make friends with anyone else, we must first make friends with ourselves. — Eleanor Roosevelt “Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief,” said Cicero. Shakespeare wrote, “A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” Jess C. Scott added, “Friends are the family you choose.” VeryWellMind says, “Friendships can enrich your life in many ways. Good friends teach you about yourself and challenge you to be better … Some research even says friendships are just as important to your well-being as eating right and exercising.” Psychology Today adds, “Friends are often soulmates. Recognizing each other on a soul level helps us spiritually … When you had an anam cara, your friendship cut across all convention and category. You were joined in an ancient and eternal way with the friend of your soul.” LonerWolf suggests twelve ways to create an anam cara, a ‘soul friend’ inside, including: A random act of kindness for yourself each day and seeking solitude. LifeHack suggests: Focus on your strengths Write your success stories Read more Here are more Best Friend resources: What really constitutes an online friendship: [includes link to “4 Types of People You Should Never Friend on Facebook” Be Your Own Best Friend Worksheet. How to be a better friend Making good friends How to make friends Remember, How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live ’em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ’em. — Shel Silverstein Succeed and Soar! Four Days Left. Each November, Succeed and Soar’s readers are invited to keep these inspirations glowing and growing. Think of this once-a-year contribution as a subscription. [So far this month, $0 has been invested.] Pitch in Here. Thanks! Let’s enjoy 40 minutes sharing uplifting, enlightening Succeed and Soar conversation, Thursday, December 2nd, 7pm [US East Coast] Included can be this month’s special book. The New York Times calls Ivan Doig’s Last Bus to Wisdom, “an enchanting 1950s road-trip tale that swaps Kerouac’s Sal Paradise for a plucky 11-year-old named Donal.” See you soon! Image @ canstockphoto.com Eleanor’s Insights Succeed and Soar’s “Eleanor’s Insights” series is illustrated with photographs of ‘wild places.’ Art is available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here
Love is 4: Fairytale
Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale. – Melissa Brown, Picturing Perfect Today, I’ll be soaking dry cannellini beans in spring water. After they plump, I’ll cook a hearty and creamy soup. Except, a couple beans will be planted on my windowsill. There, I’ll watch to see what kind of beanstalks grow. This holiday season has been incredibly beautiful in Pittsburgh. Record snowfalls keep creating fairytale wonderlands. In one form or another, I hope the same for you. [Keep in mind Neil Gaiman’s words from Coraline. “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”] Blessings and best wishes for a new year of sunlit and lovely places where all the good you can imagine grows. Comment below. Love Lots! “In A Heartbeat,” a first crush. Click here to view 4-minute video. Which LOVE quote is matched to the right source? “Love is a friendship set to music.” ~ Shakespeare ?? “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ?? “You don’t love someone because they’re perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.“ ~ Taylor Swift ?? “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds.” ~ Noah Calhoun ?? — Answers Below — ***** Five versions of my “Before All Else” Illustrated Wisdom art have been created with Adobe Photoshop. See them in upcoming posts. Support and encourage Succeed and Soar. Purchase the art as prints, ready-to-display canvas or framed from my galleries. Consider starting a journal for the new year. Check Sandra’s Card Shop. More covers will be added this week. Quiz Answers “Love is a friendship set to music.” ~ Joseph Campbell “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “You don’t love someone because they’re perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.“ ~ Jodi Picoult “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds.” ~ Noah Calhoun