Beach Walk 436 – Bikini Culture, Internet Culture

May 29, 2007 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Patricia Lange, a fellow at the Annenberg Center for Communication, wrote an article for the Barnard Center for Research on Women discussing in part how I use bikinis occasionally on Beach Walks specifically to be true to our local beach culture and to break the stereotypes associated with them. She did a lovely job; I recommend you go read the article.

In thinking about culture, I also remarked that the internet is a culture of its own too. CC Chapman recently congratulated a caller who had reported on his progress leaving comments on websites. That was a homework assignment CC gave at his PodCamp New York session. And one I suggest often also! It’s a great way to have a cross-cultural experience.

It’s possible have a cross-cultural experience just by visiting the person across the hall or across the street from you!

The Vulnerable Video Blogger: Promoting Social Change through Intimacy

Hawaiian Word:
Huakaʻi: travel, trip

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Beach Walk 211 – Go deeper to see clearly

September 21, 2006 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Philip called from LA talking about blondes, bikinis, and bimbo-factors.

Let’s face it, this show is not your typical bikini beach show. Yes, there are beaches and bikinis, but our discussions together really encompass so much more.

The “wardrobe” really is just a glimpse into my life. I don’t do the show so I can wear a bathing suit. I do the show because I like sharing a little bit of my world with you. The show occurs when it’s convenient and efficient for me, and that usually means when Lexi and I go for our daily beach walk and swim.

That said, I am aware of the usual bikini/blonde/bimbo associations and I intentionally am trying to break that energy. It’s one small step away from stereotyping. It’s all about the energy for me, being curious instead of critical, seeking freedom not judgment.

You play a role as well, being able to see past the superficial and into something else that apparently holds your interest. 🙂 I guess that means together we are eliminating a few prejudices and I like that.

Hawaiian words
Poʻo keʻokeʻo: platinum blonde
Ikehu: energy

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Beach Walk 87 – Sorting Saves Energy But…

May 18, 2006 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sorting people into quick, superficial categories saves energy and it also leads to stereotyping and missed opportunities.

h3. About Today’s Show

My brain was full and I was feeling aware of how much information and stimulation exists in my (and your) environment, I found it really useful many years ago when I learned about the limbic brain and how it wants to categorize and store things for simplicity sake. It makes sense from a filing point of view, but it turns people into groups based on the most superficial of criteria, then the result is racism, sexism, nerdism, and so forth. (I mean that literally as in their surface attributes, not conceptually, whether they are deep thinkers or not.) Here’s a list of 234 isms relating to belief systems.

Consciousness takes energy to be sure. It is hard some days. We get to choose though with whom we want to use our energy to get to know more personally. And for me, it’s really useful to tell my old back brain that just because I met someone with whom I did or did not click, please do not take a scan of their physical characteristics and apply the intrinsic qualities I experienced to all similar types of people!

And so I end up with one of my favorite recurring themes: life is specific. The urge to generalize is compelling, but I prefer things like cognitive dissonance and meeting people who shake up my known world.

Hawaiian words
‘Ano: type, sort
Lolo: brain

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