https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSb6rKDBK6vlm-3PzRXgkSQ8cvvQJiTuIbWpjZjmEbqcapfo71hmP-7H-lFgoNL3HtizxKDYVMkLo0y/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.p

My Prompt to Copilot:

In approximately 500 words describe or narrate a scenario about a law found a century into a future in which “progress” has continued. Your description should address issues related to genetics and elicit feelings of admiration.

Copilot’s Response:

The Law of Genetic Stewardship: A Future Vision

In the year 2125, humanity stands at the pinnacle of what earlier centuries called “progress.” Cities gleam with crystalline towers that breathe clean air, oceans shimmer with restored coral reefs, and famine has been relegated to history books. Yet the most profound achievement lies not in steel or silicon, but in the very code of life itself.

A century earlier, the world had wrestled with the ethical dilemmas of genetic engineering. The promise of curing disease was shadowed by fears of inequality, misuse, and the commodification of human traits. Out of those debates emerged a landmark piece of legislation: The Law of Genetic Stewardship. This law, ratified by a global council in 2085, mandated that all genetic interventions must serve collective human flourishing rather than individual vanity. It became the cornerstone of a new era.

Under this law, every child born after 2090 was guaranteed freedom from hereditary diseases. Conditions like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and Huntington’s disease were edited out of the human genome with precision and care. But the law went further—it prohibited enhancements that could create divisions, such as altering intelligence or physical appearance for competitive advantage. Instead, it directed genetic science toward universal benefits: resilience against pandemics, adaptability to climate change, and longevity that allowed people to live vibrant lives well into their second century.

The admiration this law inspires comes not only from its outcomes but from its spirit. It represents humanity’s collective decision to wield immense power with humility. Geneticists became known not as engineers of perfection, but as guardians of diversity. The law required that every intervention preserve the richness of human variation, ensuring that individuality remained intact. No two genomes were ever made identical; uniqueness was celebrated as the essence of human beauty.

Imagine walking through a future city where this law has shaped society. Children play freely, none burdened by inherited illness. Elders stroll beside them, their faces radiant with health, embodying wisdom accumulated over 120 years of life. Hospitals, once overwhelmed by chronic disease, now serve primarily as centers of wellness and preventive care. The atmosphere is one of quiet awe: progress has not erased humanity’s struggles but has elevated them into triumphs.

The law also mandated transparency and global equity. Genetic therapies were not luxuries for the wealthy but rights for all. Nations pooled resources, and breakthroughs were shared openly across borders. This collective stewardship fostered a sense of planetary kinship. Humanity, for the first time, saw itself as one extended family, bound together by the responsibility to nurture life.

Looking back from 2125, historians describe The Law of Genetic Stewardship as the moment when progress matured into wisdom. It was not merely a regulation but a declaration of values: that science must serve compassion, that power must bow to justice, and that the future must honor the dignity of every human being.

In this vision, admiration flows naturally—not for the brilliance of technology alone, but for the courage of a civilization that chose to guide its progress with conscience. The law stands as a testament to humanity’s greatest achievement: the harmony of innovation and morality, written into the very fabric of life.

My Reflection:

What a different world it would be if the Law of Genetic Stewardship, or something similar were ever implemented. The response generated by Copilot considers crucial problems in the world today and imagines a way to move toward a more positive future. In terms of structure and organization, I think it introduced the law well, included its purpose clearly, and showed how it could have a positive impact in a logical way. The text outlines the law, explains its intentions, and demonstrates how it could lead to real change, such as preventing societal divisions by prohibiting certain enhancements.

There is a fair amount of detail for the requested word count, but the writing still feels open enough to let the reader imagine how this future might affect their life, their family, and their place in the world. Since I asked it to stay around 500 words and it ended at 527, it did a satisfactory job of remaining coherent throughout. Each paragraph introduces a different idea related to the law, encouraging the reader to consider various situations or reasons that support it. The grammar is strong as well, with no noticeable mistakes.

Regarding style and tone, the language is inspiring, futuristic, and respectful of the subject matter. For example, it states, “the admiration this law inspires comes not only from its outcomes but from its spirit. It represents humanity’s collective decision to wield immense power with humility.” It paints vivid and positive images, using descriptions such as “cities gleam with crystalline towers that breathe clean air.” Overall, the narrative is very optimistic, which fits the prompt’s request to evoke feelings of admiration. The focus on genetics is tied to the theme of progress, especially because the response is written from a future perspective. Phrases like “it is not merely a regulation but a declaration of values” highlight the connection between science and compassion, and between power and justice. It certainly emphasizes moral responsibility, equality, and diversity in a way that invites reflection. Personally, the response made me pause and think about future possibilities and the choices we face as a global population.

In conclusion, the AI-generated response was strong overall but not without limitations. The law was framed as both practical (curing disease) and philosophical (preserving diversity). However, it could have included more detailed, concrete examples of daily life under the law to make the scenario feel more realistic and demonstrate its impact more vividly. I’m also not entirely sure that I felt “admiration” by the end, more so a sense of hope that one day humanity might achieve balance and equity for all.

Prompt to Copilot: can you create an image of a family playing a board game around a table?

Here is the image it generated including this message: Here’s your image — a cozy family game night scene is ready now.

As the image was generating, I thought back to Turing’s provocative question from 1950: “Can machines think?” AI has not definitively shown that machines can “think” in the human sense, but it has demonstrated that they can perform many tasks Turing believed would qualify as evidence of thinking. Modern AI systems can generate responses that are often indistinguishable from human ones. They can learn from data, adapt, and improve without being explicitly programmed for every situation. Like humans, AI systems can reason, solve problems, and use natural language to communicate, answer questions, and carry out instructions in ways that feel intelligent to most people. These abilities show that machines can behave as if they think, exactly the criterion Turing proposed. Although machine thinking is not the same as human thinking, modern AI has narrowed the gap far more than Turing could have imagined.

What I pictured in my mind and what was generated were certainly different, even though the underlying idea was the same. I imagined a family sitting around a dining room table with a game board in the middle, showing varying joyful expressions. I expected the image to be an external or overhead view that captured the full scene, rather than a frontal view where every family member faces the camera.

The generated photo also depicted what might be considered a “typical” family, a mom, dad, son, and daughter. In contrast, my mental image included a more diverse group, possibly a mix of family and friends of different ages and ethnicities.

Based on these results, I can infer that the model’s training data likely contains a high volume of conventional or stereotypical portrayals of families. Heilweil (2022) mentions that AI generates ideas based on what it has read and processed before. As a result, the model defaults to these common patterns when asked to generate an image, rather than representing broader diversity in age, group composition, or ethnicity. This suggests the model reflects the norms and biases present in its training images, which can limit the variety of outputs it produces.

Out of curiosity I typed the same prompt into ChatGPT and this is what was generated:

The images are quite similar. This one shows a young, happy family playing a game together, but there isn’t much depth to the photo. Like many AI-generated images, it looks staged or scripted. This similarity isn’t surprising, since AI image generators learn from large datasets containing millions of publicly available or licensed images. These datasets often include common, stereotypical, stock-photo-style depictions of families, which leads to nearly identical outputs across different platforms. As Ananya (2024) notes, many AI systems tend to default to familiar stereotypes, which can unintentionally reinforce and amplify existing cultural biases. This highlights the importance of critically examining AI-generated content, and being intentional when prompting, to ensure more inclusive and diverse representations.

References:

Ananya. (2024). AI image generators often give racist and sexist results: Can they be fixed? Nature (London), 627(8005), 722–725.

Heilweil, R. (2022, December 7). AI is finally good at stuff. Now what? Vox. https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/12/7/23498694/ai-artificial-intelligence-chat-gpt-opena

Turing, A. M. (1950). Computing machinery and intelligence. Mind, 59, 433–460.

What the visualization reveals

In the network above, each node represents either a participant or a track from the Voyager Golden Record. The lines (edges) show connections, that is, instances where a participant ranked or selected a particular track. When plotted, Palladio’s layout visually clusters nodes that share multiple connections. In essence, the visualization maps patterns of similarity in taste or perception across participants, a kind of cultural map of shared responses.

While the visualization highlights similarities, it does not explain why these similarities exist. The reasons could be cultural, emotional, perceptual, or sociocultural. For example, some tracks (like “Johnny B. Goode” or “The Magic Flute”) come from Western musical traditions that may feel familiar to participants, especially if they share similar cultural or educational backgrounds.

Rhythmic, harmonic, or melodic qualities might also influence responses, for instance, some people might prefer music in certain keys with minimal repetition others might like lots of variety in keys with no repetition. Some pieces may feel more “human” or “recognizable,” aligning with listeners’ expectations of what music should represent. Factors like age, upbringing, or media exposure could also shape what participants found appealing or meaningful.

Palladio shows who is connected through shared choices, but it cannot capture the underlying motivations or values behind those choices unless qualitative data such as survey comments are included alongside the visualization. For example, a participant may have appreciated a track but found it less emotionally moving than others. Or, they may not have recognized it and therefore didn’t feel confident ranking it. Also, they may have found it culturally distant or simply unfamiliar. I found it interesting that two of my favourite tracks “Johnny B. Goode” and “Percussion” were not chosen by many others. The visualization therefore presents an incomplete picture, it reflects what is measurable, not necessarily what is meaningful.

Music is math, and math is language. Music is based on patterns, rhythms, and ratios, the same ideas that make up math. Notes and beats follow patterns that can be measured and explained with numbers. Math is a language because it helps us share ideas clearly with anyone. Put together, music becomes a kind of math that can express feelings and meaning without using words.

I chose the following 10 pieces because together they have a balance of emotion, geography, and human experience. Here are some points for each of my selected Voyager Golden Record tracks to help explain why I think they should be the top 10.

1. Wedding Song (Peru)

This track is a celebratory song focusing on happiness and future. It represents joy, love, and community which are universal human experiences. It is about new beginnings and hope, aligning with the spirit of the Voyager mission. It has good steady rhythm and repetition of sounds.

2. Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2, No. 1 – Glenn Gould

This song uses simple piano tones that sound relaxing and joyful. It shows human creativity, skill, and intelligence. The clear patterns in the music reveal the link between math and sound.

3. Tchakrulo – Georgian Choir

This song contains a powerful choir, sounds meaningful and uplifting. It’s a wonderful example of complex vocal harmony and teamwork. It’s emotional conveying strength and resilience. It represents cultural unity and the shared human voice.

4. Navajo Night Chant

This track honors Indigenous knowledge and ceremony. It’s steady rhythm and repeating patterns reflect the human connection between music, nature, and well-being. The song’s structure invites participation, allowing others to join in and share the experience.

5. Melancholy Blues – Louis Armstrong

In this song the trumpet is powerful yet relaxing at the same time, feels like a story is being told through all the different variations in the music rather than through words. It captures the soulful heart of jazz. The improvisation shows human individuality and expression. It feels timeless and personal.

6. Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry

This song tells a story of adventure. It’s energetic and represents the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, a defining musical revolution. It conveys optimism, exploration, and the human desire to reach for something bigger, the same concept that drives a space mission.

7. Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground – Blind Willie Johnson

This song is about sorrow and times of difficulty.  It represents loneliness and endurance showcasing human struggle. The few words in the song let the emotion and music speak for themselves, in a way anyone can understand. It balances the other songs by showing a different side of human emotion.

8. El Cascabel – Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México

This song is vibrant and rhythmic, it’s instantly joyful and danceable. It shows Mexico’s cultural pride and skill in music, and how music can bring people together to celebrate.

9. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony

This song is one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music worldwide. It represents triumph over adversity. It demonstrates the sophistication and emotional power of an orchestra.

10. Tchenhoukoumen, percussion Senegal

This song highlights musical traditions of West Africa, where rhythm and drumming are central to community life. It’s complex percussion patterns communicate emotion and energy without words.

Tiktok Video

For this redesign, I shifted the original “What’s in your bag” task from a still photo and written description to a dynamic TikTok-style storyboard paired with the “Blue Danube” waltz as background music. Instead of using words or direct explanation, I relied on timing, pacing, and mood to communicate meaning. The choice of the Blue Danube soundtrack was intentional, the calm and elegant rhythm of the music transformed ordinary objects into something almost theatrical. It gives these everyday items a sense of importance and choreography. This aligns with the New London Group’s idea of redesign: by changing the mode, the meaning isn’t just transferred, it’s transformed.

Using motion, sound, and sequence allows a different kind of engagement to occur. Instead of asking viewers to simply observe objects and read about them, the TikTok made the experience feel more playful and interpretive. The absence of spoken explanation encouraged viewers to make their own connections rather than being told what each item meant.

The process wasn’t without challenges. Without using straightforward descriptions of the items, I was pushed to represent things in a different way. I thought about what gesture would best represent these items. What type of music would work, and should the movements be slow or fast? It required a kind of creative decision-making that doesn’t exist in a straightforward photo submission. But that challenge actually became a benefit because it opened up space for interpretation, mood, and a bit of artistic expression. Instead of just showing objects, it turned into something more about how we present ourselves through them.

Overall, using TikTok completely changed the tone of the task. It added movement, rhythm, and emotion to something that originally just felt like a simple list of items. It reminded me that mode shapes meaning, and that even small design choices, like a musical cue or the timing of a cut, can completely shift how something is understood and felt.

Reference:

The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures.) Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.

After School Special

This was a really engaging activity. I was nervous about the amount of learning that might be required to complete this task, but overall it didn’t take as long as I expected. Once my son and I got the story ball rolling, we had lots of fun with it. I had never heard of Twine before reading through the course material. At first, I felt intimidated because I assumed there would be coding involved and I have zero experience with coding. I decided to ask my son to help me create a story because I wanted to see how simple the process was and determine whether I might use it as a teaching tool. After watching the YouTube videos provided, the steps seemed pretty self-explanatory, so we got started.

This activity connected well to Chapter 3 in Bolter’s Writing Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the Remediation of Print. Bolter (2001) describes hypertext as writing in networks of passages linked together rather than in linear chapters. Twine literally does this: every passage is a node, and the [[links]] create the network. When you build a Twine story, you’re practicing the very form of “topographic writing” (p. 36) that Bolter explains. As you read through the story and are given options, you are essentially choosing your own adventure. Landow (1997) supports this when he states that “hypertext increases individual freedom because users are entirely free to follow links wherever they please” (p. 273).

Overall, this activity not only introduced me to a new digital tool but also gave me a hands-on way to see Bolter’s theory of hypertext in action. It showed me how technology can make writing more interactive, creative, and student-centered.

References:

Bolter, J. D. (2001). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print. (2nd ed). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Landow, G. P. (1997) Hypertext 2.0: The Convergence of Contemporary Critical Theory and Technology (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press)

I decided to take on the potato stamp task with one of my sons for fun. It was definitely challenging to make two stamps that were as identical as possible. We did our best with a small paring knife, but every little curve and notch became obvious as soon as we added the paint. As we carefully carved the potatoes, we realized that because we hadn’t spelled my son’s name backwards, the stamp would appear reversed. We probably should have started over, but I decided to keep going and view it as part of the reflective process.

It took us about an hour from start to finish, gathering materials, cutting the potatoes in half lengthwise to make room for the whole word, sketching the name, and then doing the carving itself. The painting and stamping part was the most fun, especially when we saw the final product and laughed at how it came out backwards.

The two prints turned out quite different. Stamp #1 produced a clearer image with more visible details, while stamp #2 was thicker and a bit smudged. In print #1 the letters are closer together, while in print #2 they are more evenly spaced but farther apart. I imagine that in the past, when stamps were used for communication, the goal would have been to make all the words as uniform as possible. This exercise really highlighted how labor-intensive and difficult early forms of writing and printing must have been.

As for the letters themselves, the “A” and “M” looked correct, but the “J,” “E,” and “S” appeared backwards since we had carved them the same way we would normally write them from left to right. Reflecting on this process makes me appreciate how the mechanization of writing through inventions like the printing press, typewriter, and eventually computers has made producing text far faster and more efficient. I feel grateful for these advances because they allow ideas to be shared instantly and at scale, while also giving me a new appreciation for the patience and craftsmanship required in earlier forms of writing.

My unscripted story:

Here’s a little story about how my day went today I woke up at 5:00 to take my son to his hockey practice but I was very tired because I had been rudely awakened at 3:30 by my dog who had to pee very badly it was challenging to go back to sleep but I did and of course the alarm went off at 5:00 to Get Me Out of bed I got up had a quick shower and then got my little one out of bed so that he could get ready to get to the rink I made a pot of coffee packed his water bottle and got him a snack for the car ride we got into the car about 525 and began our drive over to the rink we enjoy listening to Larry and Elise on the radio in the morning because they are often quite funny today there was also a beautiful sunrise so we got to see that on the way to the hockey rink the drive is about 20 minutes long but we enjoy it once we got to the rink my son got all his gear on and then got on the ice at 6:00 AM until 7:00 AM I spent that time watching him as well as doing some mindless online shopping when he was done his practice at 7:00 AM he got changed and we began our drive home we usually stop at Tim horton’s to get a muffin or a doughnut and we often get his brother a treat too when we got home he got in the shower and I started making lunches for the day after getting everybody organized I packed up myself and started driving to work I teach in port Moody so it is a bit of a commute from Langley when I got to school I had my prep block so was able to get a few tasks accomplished before going to my first block which happens to be a dance class today we had lots of fun doing some lyrical work and we finished with a combo at the end of class after that class I had a career life connections class some of my grade 12 students they’re working on capstone projects and are moving along nicely. After career life connections it was lunchtime so I sat at my desk and did some prep work for the rest of the week after lunchtime I had a PE nine class and we had lots of fun today because it was the start of our badminton unit it took some time to get through the rules of badminton and how to set up the equipment properly but the kids were excited to get going so we started learning about serving after doing some practices I let them rally for the rest of class just to get a hang of how to do some basic badminton skills after my grade nine class today I had a grade 10 PE class that I was covering for a friend as he was away at a soccer tournament we had a fun class I took them outside to play kickball in the beautiful sunshine after that it was the end of the day and I did a little bit more work at school before leaving I drove home in the crazy traffic and was able to make it in decent time I took my son to volleyball where he practices every Tuesday and Wednesday night after volleyball we drove home and I made homemade Mac and cheese with a salad for dinner After dinner we played some bucket ball outside and then I helped my youngest son with some homework before bed I’m exhausted it’s been a long day

My analysis:

My voice-to-text story is a simple account of a day in my life, but it deviates from the conventions of written English in several key ways. To begin with, it contains many run-on sentences and lacks proper punctuation. Much of the text is written as either one long sentence or a few extremely lengthy sentences, with no clear sentence boundaries where readers would expect periods, commas, or semicolons. The language is also very informal, reflecting a conversational style. The phrasing often mimics spoken language, such as “my little one,” “mindless online shopping,” or “crazy traffic.” These expressions work well in oral storytelling but are less typical in formal written English. Another noticeable issue is inconsistent capitalization. Because there are so few periods, capital letters appear in unusual places, as in “Get Me Out of bed.” At the same time, capitals are missing where they are required, such as for proper nouns like Tim Hortons, which in my story appeared with a lowercase “h.”

Outside of these basic language structure issues, I also noticed there is no paragraphing or overall organization. The entire story is presented as one giant block of text. In conventional writing, I would likely have broken it into paragraphs by topic, such as morning routine, hockey, school day, and evening.

Another issue is redundancy and repetition in some sections. For example, the phrase “we got to the rink… he got all his gear on and then got on the ice” could be expressed more concisely. In oral storytelling, people often repeat details for emphasis, but in written form information is usually clearer and more efficient. This is supported by Gnanadesikan (2011), who states, “finished written pieces are much more carefully crafted than a typical spoken sentence” (p. 5).

Finally, I noticed a shift in both tense and register throughout the writing. Most of the text is in past tense, but at times it shifts subtly into present tense, as in “today we had lots of fun doing lyrical work.” In addition, as I was speaking, my words shifted between formal and informal styles within the same passage. In some parts the writing sounds like I’m just chatting with a friend but then it starts sounding formal as in a classroom setting.

Though there are many aspects of this story that need correction, there are also a few positives worth noting. First, the story follows a clear timeline, which gives the narrative logical flow and makes it easy to follow. The text also includes small, specific details that paint a picture and keep the story engaging. In addition, it contains a variety of experiences that add depth, and finally, it reflects the way people naturally share stories out loud.

When I think of oral storytelling, I am reminded of being a child and listening to my grandfather share stories about his boyhood, his first job, and how different life was back then. I listened intently, picturing myself in those times and feeling emotions like wonder and sadness, as it seemed my grandfather had been given very little and had to work hard for everything he achieved. These stories have stayed with me vividly, even after many years.

Written stories, on the other hand, feel different. I have read many books that tell powerful and engaging stories, but I only remember scattered details from most of them. Oral storytelling seems to create a deeper emotional connection for me, perhaps because it is personal, interactive, and tied to memory and emotion, while written storytelling, though lasting on the page, does not always linger as strongly in my mind.

Reference:

Gnanadesikan, A.E. (2011). The first IT revolution. In The writing revolution: Cuneiform to the Internet (pp. 1-12). John Wiley & Sons.

[03:40] Dr. Boroditsky mentions “in a lot of languages, you have to change the verb depending on how you came to know about this information”

After hearing this line, I paused the video for a moment. A powerful thought came to mind: in languages with “evidential information,” is there less misinformation? Misinformation seems to be one of our largest societal struggles today, especially as the use of technology continues to expand worldwide. Postman (2011) reminds us that “once a technology is admitted, it plays out its hand; it does what it is supposed to do. Our task is to understand what that design is—that is to say, when we admit a new technology to a culture, we must do so with our eyes wide open.” Technology can be a powerful force for good, especially when it helps crucial information reach people quickly during dangerous situations. At the same time, if all languages encouraged speakers to provide the source of their knowledge, we might be better equipped to sort reliable information from misinformation. Combining the possibilities of technology with the clarity of evidential language could help us promote more responsible, trustworthy communication.

[08:20] Dr. Boroditsky asks “to what extent do language and culture guide what we see in the world?”

This question makes me think about how language and culture connect people. People who can speak several languages are able to relate and engage with more people in the world. Language shapes how we talk about and understand our experiences. Sometimes, certain ideas or feelings just come across better in one language than another. Culture also plays a role in what we notice and what we think is important. For example, some cultures focus more on nature and community, while others highlight independence and achievement. In the end, both language and culture shape how we see the world and how we see ourselves in it.

[12:23] Dr. Boroditsky states “what we know is that the future is in front and the past is behind”.

She follows up this statement with an example of how some cultures see the past and the future the opposite way. This idea seems so optimistic and logical to me. The future is unknown, which is why it’s behind you. The past is something we already know and can see which is why it’s placed in front of us. The future, on the other hand, is uncertain, so it makes sense that it’s seen as being behind us. I find this really interesting because it shows how much language and culture influence the way we imagine time. It makes me wonder how these perspectives affect the way people make decisions. If you see the past as visible and right in front of you, maybe you rely on it more to guide your choices. On the other hand, if you see the future as in front, it might push you to focus more on what lies ahead and what’s possible.

[20:15] Dr. Boroditsky mentions “all nouns are of a particular gender”.

I’m a fluent French speaker, and I remember learning French as a child and thinking it was so strange that objects were either “girls” or “boys.” It wasn’t like this in English, so I wondered why it was in French. Boroditsky (2011) writes that bilingual people see the world differently depending on which language they’re using. Assigning gender to objects might actually influence the way we describe or even feel about them. It also shows that learning another language doesn’t just give us new words, it can change the way we think and expand the way we understand things.

[34:10] Dr. Boroditsky states that “Mathematics is a universal language”

This sentence made me think of the power of number words in language. Numbers hold incredible meaning. As a mathematics educator, I’ve spent many years making sure students not only understand the concepts they are learning but also why those concepts matter. So many of the math skills we teach connect directly to everyday life, measuring and building, paying for items and budgeting, or cooking and baking. Beyond these practical tasks, numbers also help us in other ways. They allow us to describe patterns, compare quantities, and make decisions based on evidence. So, math really is its own kind of language, giving us tools to communicate ideas and solve problems.

[45:18] Dr. Boroditsky has the following sentence written on the screen “Linguistic diversity is a testament to the incredible flexibility and ingenuity of the human mind”.

As I read this statement I thought, why is there so much conflict in the world if our brains are capable of such flexibility? But then I began to remember, though our minds are capable of adapting they can’t always overcome big emotions which means we often revert to more rigid thinking. I guess my hope is if our minds are actually this capable maybe understanding and embracing linguistic and cultural diversity could help us focus our energy toward resolving conflict instead of creating it.

References:

Boroditsky, L. (2011). How language shapes thought. Scientific American, 304(2), 62-65.

Postman, N. (2011). Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology. Knopf Doubleday Publishing. (Original work published 1992).

SAR School for Advanced Research. (2017, June 7). Lera Boroditsky, how the languages we speak shape the way we think [Video]. YouTube.