Why Driving Makes People Assholes, Marie Kondo Gives Up Tidying and Adult-Only Flights | Non-Obvious Insights #356

Dear Newsletterest,

Welcome to February, I suppose we should stop wishing each other happy new year now! Or maybe we keep it going. I'm never sure when that moment ends. :-)

This week in the stories you'll read about why economists still believe the labor market is strong (despite all the layoffs), why we will all regret the things we shared on social media, how prisoners might reduce their sentences by donating organs, why Marie Kondo is giving up on tidying, what people really think about adult-only flights and why so many of us turn into assholes when we get behind the wheel of a car. Enjoy the stories!

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Despite the Layoffs, Economists Say It's Still A Workers' Labor Market

Getting laid off sucks. No matter when it happens. I've been there and if you're reading this and experiencing that moment yourself, you know what I mean. For the first time in recent memory, almost all of us can probably name a close friend or family member who recently either lost of job or left a job. With the media sharing new numbers of tens of thousands of layoffs every day, the message of doom can seem hard to avoid. Yet apparently the numbers tell a different story.

The message from economists is that the labor market is still in favor of workers, with millions of unfilled jobs. Due to a combination of voluntary job quits, hundreds of thousands of people who lost their lives to Covid and the "great resignation," the pressure is still on employers to fill open roles and retain the people they have. All of which probably doesn't help much if you just got laid off. But it is comforting to know that if you do need to get a new job fast for financial or emotional reasons, at least there seem to be quite a few out there.

Are We All Doomed To Suffer a Form of Social Media Future Cringe?

Do you regret what you shared on social media about the things you loved or did? If you don't already, you probably will. That's the premise of this NY Times compilation which showcases all the modern moments (or missed moments) that we may one day look back on with embarrassment or regret. Microdosing. Gender reveal parties. Swiping left on a potential soul mate. Dog strollers. Crocs. Cancel culture.

As I scrolled through this curated list, I found the examples surprisingly therapeutic. Or maybe I should have expected to have this reaction. Future cringe moments definitely feel less embarrassing when you know you're not alone in having them.

Research Confirms People Become Assholes When They Get Behind the Wheel of a Car

You already know this is true - but now there's a word for it: "motornormativity." UK environmental psychology professor Ian Walker released a study that suggests a “cultural inability to think objectively and dispassionately” about how we use cars. Essentially, what the research shows is that the normal values and morals, as well as the cultural norms that we apply to our daily lives don't seem to apply once we get behind the wheel of a car.

Calm, kind people in all other aspects of their lives, become short-tempered jerks while driving. The study explains everything from drivers' dislike of cyclists to their lack of empathy for other driver's mistakes. Clearly, since the research classifies this effect as an "unconscious bias," becoming aware of your bias is the only way to overcome it. Try to remember that the next time someone cuts you off in traffic.

What Travelers Really Think About the Idea of Adult-Only Flights

Fair warning - this story is clearly a click bait article ... but this one exploring the idea of adult-only flights, did pull from a decent methodology and survey data to explore the idea of kid-free flights. The survey skews nearly two-thirds male respondents and most of the conclusions from the study were unsurprising: non-parents, premium travelers and male travelers all have less patience for children on flights and would pay more for child-free flights or child-free seating zones on a flight.

The number of people who blame parents when a child is screaming on a flight (more than 50%) was surprising and sort of sad. Most interesting, though, was the finding that 60% of travelers would rather sit next to a crying child than be next to a "rude, hygenically challenged, loudly talking, or otherwise annoying adult."

That makes sense, I suppose. Eventually a screaming kid will tire himself out and fall asleep. A smelly, loud or obnoxious seatmate, however, will probably stay that way for the whole flight.

Prisoners Could Soon Reduce Their Sentence By Donating Organs

In what seems like an idea straight from a sci-fi B-movie, the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill right now that would reward inmates for donating organs or bone marrow with a reduction in their sentence. Critics call it "apocalyptic coercion" that treats prisoners like "subhumans" and "preys on their desperation," while the bill's supports say it "restores bodily autonomy to incarcerated folks."

While the bill may be created through good intentions to help the backlog of patients desperate to receive the organ and bone marrow donations, it's hard to see how this doesn't unfairly manipulate hopeless prisoners willing to do almost anything to get out of jail faster. Plus it opens the door to even more dystopian scenarios, such as plea deals where promises to donate organs are traded in court for reduced jail time, or the rich pay bail for underprivileged prisoners who promise bodily donations in return.

Marie Kondo, Queen of Tidying, Gives Up On Tidying After Becoming a Mom

I can already feel you smiling at the irony. Marie Kondo, the bestselling author of multiple books about tidying up by throwing out the possessions you own that don't "spark joy" recently told the Washington Post that since becoming a mother she has "given up on that in a good way," choosing instead to prioritize spending time with her children at home.

Her latest book expands the idea of sparking joy beyond just tidying to activities like playing the piano. It's an evolution that's easy to criticize. The queen of tidying realizes it's not so easy when she becomes a new mom. Instead, I saw this as a perfect example of the growth mindset. If one of the most popular self-help authors in the world who has built an entire platform out of teaching people how to tidy their homes and lives can find a new perspective, any of us can change our minds too.

This sort of evolution deserves celebration. There are plenty of authors (and people) who would never have the strength to do that, much less admit it.

Even More Non-Obvious Stories ...

Every week I always curate more stories than I'm able to explore in detail. Instead of skipping those stories, I started to share them in this section so you can skim the headlines and click on any that spark your interest:

How are these stories curated?

Every week I spend hours going through hundreds of stories in order to curate this email. Want to discuss how I could bring my best thinking to your next event as a keynote speaker or facilitator? Watch my new 2023 speaking reel on YouTube >>

Want to share? Here's the newsletter link:
https://mailchi.mp/nonobvious/356?e=f7921ac548

This Non-Obvious Insights Newsletter is curated by Rohit Bhargava. | View in browser

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TikTok's Secret "Go Viral" Button, the Death of Plant-Based Meat and How Young People Spend Their Money | Non-Obvious Insights #355

Thursday, January 26, 2023

The most interesting and non-obvious stories of the week. Dear Newsletterest, First of all, a big thanks to everyone who submitted applications for our Book Launch Team! All of you will be hearing from

Why Driving Makes People Assholes, Marie Kondo Gives Up Tidying and Adult-Only Flights | Non-Obvious Insights #356

Despite the Layoffs, Economists Say It's Still A Workers' Labor Market

Are We All Doomed To Suffer a Form of Social Media Future Cringe?

Research Confirms People Become Assholes When They Get Behind the Wheel of a Car

What Travelers Really Think About the Idea of Adult-Only Flights

Prisoners Could Soon Reduce Their Sentence By Donating Organs

Marie Kondo, Queen of Tidying, Gives Up On Tidying After Becoming a Mom

Even More Non-Obvious Stories ...

Older messages

TikTok's Secret "Go Viral" Button, the Death of Plant-Based Meat and How Young People Spend Their Money | Non-Obvious Insights #355

The Future of Writing, Motorcycle Turbans and How Identity Is The Next Digital Battleground | Non-Obvious Insights #353

Japanese Manhole Covers, Old Experts and Your Advance Copy of My Upcoming Book | Non-Obvious Insights #354

The 25 Most Non-Obvious Innovations From CES 2023 and More Stories To Start the Year ... | Non-Obvious Insights #352

The Best Non-Obvious Stories of 2022 and An End of Year Recap | Non-Obvious Insights #351

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