The work begins

The first two weeks of the six that I will be spending in New York this summer, are dedicated to Ethics and Negotiations. I don't think I am alone in feeling intimidated by the Ethics course. The pre-reading assignments were intense. Even in rereading Cora Diamond, Joseph Brodsky and about Quandary Ethics, I am struggling to make sense of the material.

It was a relief that our Ethic class started with group discussions and a field trip. Our group discussed the point of writing, Is it to push society forward by any means possible? Is it to make complicated ideas seem simple? How should writers strike a balance between aesthetics, accessibility and action? I also took away a small, nagging apprehension about my own ability to write in an advanced form.

Our field trip to Rodin's thinker, to the plaque denoting John Dewey's home and to Book Culture was a welcome bit of exercise and opportunity to socialize. I think I have only met half of my cohort. I want to get to know everyone but the workload has so far led me to turn inwards and retreat to my apartment in the evenings to read alone.

Ethics class closed with sharing our writing assignment on an ethical dilemma with a classmate. Will and I had a great conversation about our respective issues that lasted into lunch (and will most likely continue - these are real dilemmas).

After lunch, we started our work on Negotiations which looks like it will be mostly role play, games and simulations. I am looking forward to this. While not without challenge, improvisation and discussion are fun and engaging.

Yesterday, I left class exhausted (in a good way). I learned a bit about my negotiation style which sadly aren't that flattering. I am uncooperative and competitive given little time and information. I like to learn about things via being a wildcard. I am inherently distrustful though my distrust during our last game turned out not to be unfounded. This taught me that I need to listen to my instincts and that I need to get better at explaining my reasoning to others.

Think about thinking.

Not the same Dewey as Dewey Decimal System

Which book would I like to read?

The X and Y game that drove me crazy.

Home to read.