Irregular Reveries 14: The Michelangelo Effect
Hey there,
I had a fantastic time on my longest bike ride this past weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the sea because the spoke broke, and we didn't have a spare one to replace it. It broke in the worst possible place since there were no bike repair shops in the entire area, so I had to return. Still, it was a fantastic trip, and I've really enjoyed it.
This week's article
This week's article describes my experience setting up a mail server and why I've decided to switch to Hey.
Content candy
I loved this article about the Michelangelo effect, which explains how our partners sculpt us and bring us closer to our ideal self.
"Aaron Ben-Ze'ev, a professor at the University of Haifa and the author of the The Arc of Love: How Our Romantic Lives Change Over Time, says that our partner's beliefs and behavior toward us can bring us closer to the person we would like to become—the "ideal self"—in a process called the Michelangelo Phenomenon. "Just as Michelangelo saw his process of sculpting as releasing the ideal forms hidden in the marble," says Ben-Ze'ev, "close partners sculpt one another to bring each individual nearer to the ideal self, thus bringing out the best in each other. In such relationships, we see personal growth and flourishing reflected in statements like: 'I'm a better person when I'm with her.'"
Something to think about
"Neural connections are shaped by life experiences. The brain changes continually as a result of our experiences. Experiences produce physical changes in the brain either through new neural connections or through the generation of new neurons. (...) Experiences are the reason that all individuals are unique. There are no individuals with exactly the same upbringing, nutrition, education, social stamping, physical, social and cultural setting. This creates different convictions, habits, values, and character." – Peter Bevelin, Seeking Wisdom
Question for you
What's the product under $100 that you can't live without? For me, it's an Aeropress coffee maker.