Z's 3-in-3 • How to disagree without being disagreeable • 4 Benefits of knowing a 2nd language • Why you shouldn't blindly follow others

By Zvonimir Fras • Issue #15 • View online

Smart. Entertaining. Helpful. 3 things in 3 minutes.

Because you have things to do.

4 Benefits of knowing a 2nd language
Why you shouldn’t blindly follow others
How to disagree without being disagreeable

Beaver dams fascinated me in Algonquin last week.

This week I found out that beavers build them as an instinct to stop the sound of water. When it’s quiet they burrow in mud, but when a speaker plays water sounds, they start building.

Anxiety harnessed into creation.

Is beaver my new spirit animal?

Thing 1 - 4 Benefits of knowing a 2nd language

More than half of the world’s population knows 2+ languages, do you?

Here’s the breakdown

40% are monolingual
43% are bilingual
13% are trilingual
the rest know 4+ languages

If you’re in the first 40%, don’t cry, you can learn too and it’s not too late.

You might get only partial benefits but hey, you’ll know an extra language and that’s sexy.

The benefits

Enhances your ability to focus and tune out distractions
Protects against dementia and other age-related cognitive declines by up to four years
Makes it easier to learn the next language
Gives a different perspective on things due to idiomatic, grammar, and other differences

Infants use rhythmical cues to keep their two languages distinct. They do that from the first days of life. 🤯

(source 1, source 2)

Thing 2 - Why you shouldn't blindly follow others

Blindly following others can kill you!

And no one knows this better than army ants 🐜 🐜 🐜…

They are blind. They rely on pheromones to track the ants in front.

If one ant intersects with its old trail, the whole crowd starts marching in a circle until they all die. ☠️ ☠️ ☠️

It’s the army ant equivalent of - “If your friends jumped of a bridge, would you jump after them?”

Silly ants! - I hear you say. But… You can’t walk in a straight line either (without an external reference).

Army ants running in circles to death

There’s an analogy in here about society. Echo chambers of social media, tribalism, credentialism, what else?

(source 1, source 2, full video from bioloco)

Thing 3 - How to disagree without being disagreeable

1. Show respect: Your views matter to me

2. Ask for permission to challenge: Can we dance?

3. Signal helping, not attacking: I’d love to pressure-test that

4. Express openness: Curious to hear your reactions. What should I rethink?

- Adam Grant

(Emphasis mine)

The goal of disagreeing SHOULD NOT be to

put someone down
show them they’re wrong
try to change their mind

The goal of disagreeing SHOULD be to

explore different perspectives
learn something new
inform and explain

Armed with these guidelines and Adam’s 4 points, your future arguments will be opportunities to grow and connect.

🌳🦫

Cheers, Zvonimir

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By Zvonimir Fras

Smart. Entertaining. Helpful. 3 things in 3 minutes.
Because you have things to do.

And reading long email ain't one of them.

3-in-3 started as a weekly email I blast to a select group of my smart friends. And now you can get in on the action.

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Zvonimir Fras, 800 Steeles Ave. W, #B10182 Thornhill, ON, L4J 7L2

Z's 3-in-3 • 4 benefits of crying • •

Monday, May 9, 2022

Smart. Entertaining. Helpful. 3 things in 3 minutes. Because you have things to do. 4 benefits of cr Z's 3-in-3 • 4 benefits of crying • • By Zvonimir Fras • Issue #14 • View online Smart.

Z's 3-in-3 - Little know 10 second trick to accelerate learning • What Dubai does to combat high temperatures • Purpose vs Drama

Monday, May 2, 2022

Smart. Entertaining. Helpful. 3 things in 3 minutes. Because you have things to do. Little know 10 s Z's 3-in-3 - Little know 10 second trick to accelerate learning • What Dubai does to combat high

Z's 3-in-3 • How to disagree without being disagreeable • 4 Benefits of knowing a 2nd language • Why you shouldn't blindly follow others

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