Mindset in Memphis

Stanford Professor Carol Dweck, the author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success will be speaking at Grace St Luke's Church on April 8th.

Her research shows that parents and educators have a profound influence on a child's mindset and his or her self-concept. In her book, she discusses how parents and teachers can unintentionally reinforce a fixed mindset that limits a child's learning and success potential. She also shows how it is possible for an individual to change his or her mindset at any stage in life to achieve success and see things in a new way.

Very important stuff for parents, educators and citizens of Memphis, for Memphis.

Something I wrote previously on the subject, kinda.

The Mindsets of Memphis

I saw this diagram in a post by Guy Kawasaki.

It seems pretty obvious to me that Memphis has a fixed, as opposed to growth, mindset. Or perhaps I should write, Memphis' dominant mindset is static. A fixed mindset has historically dominated, but does not determine, Memphis.

Where does that mindset come from, and how do we fight it?

I think it comes from racism and anti-democratic hierarchism, which still tell us that there's only so much we can do, so sit down and shut up while the leaders figure out the rest.

We fight it by learning and creating -- otherwise ignoring and/or making fun of the boundaries that never existed.

And we can read the book by Professor Carol Dweck, who was the subject of Kawasaki's post.

DIY Citizenry

There are 4 upcoming events organized by citizens who are working for change in the city. The events:

• Enough is Enough, a group that will meet once a month for Dutch Treat Luncheons and discussion by "people who want to make a change". The first meeting is this Saturday at 12 noon at the Picadilly Cafeteria on Mount Moriah.
• The upcoming Shelby County Democratic Party reorganization. See Polar Donkey for a passionate and persuasive pitch for the potential power (in the best sense of the word) of citizen participation in the reorg.
• The christening of the Greening of Greater Memphis movement this Thursday February 8, 2007 at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. Doors will open at 5:00pm and the program will begin at 6:00pm. You'll even have a chance to sign the Greening of Greater Memphis manifesto.
• A complimentary event sponsored by the Friends for Our Riverfront and other local organizations is a talk by Charles Jordan, who served as Director of Parks in Portland, Oregon for more than two decades and is today Chairman of The Conservation Fund. The talk is this Saturday, February 10 at 10 AM at the Memphis College of Art Auditorium in Overton Park.

Democracy and Creativity in Memphis

I wanted to add this idea to my Vision:

To flourish, the creativity of Memphis requires democratic, participatory and transparent institutions. Hierarchy and exclusion selfishly darken the field of ideas, stunting if not poisoning the growth of creativity and with it the future of Memphis.

Like my other Visions, nothing original. A gazillion people are saying variations all over the planet. Some are saying it very well here in Memphis. But I think it's worth saying again. And again. And again...