by Kevin Pointer Sr.
Lions, & Tigers, & Bears — Oh My! is what is expressively uttered from the mouth’s of Tin Man, Dorothy, and the Scarecrow from in the 1939 American classic movie The Wizard of Oz at a certain point during their yellow-brick road adventure to see, well, The Wizard! I was absolutely fascinated with this MGM classic film many times during my youth. Fascinated for example when, at the very moment that this motley crew of three arrives at Oz, the picture on my whole Zenith telly magically transformed to color — beautiful, glorious Technicolor! Yes Tech-ni-color! with it grand and, picturesque, and potent hues of the flowers, lollipops, cottage houses, and munchkins! What a deeply enthralling experience!
Yet, as I approached adulthood, at around 25 for the purposes of this timeless film standard bearer, I came to really appreciate that the Wizard of Oz could be viewed as a story of connections, contradictions, and dualities. Connections between an unlikely, even unpropitious triad — forged by “just” following the yellow brick road. This, while at the same time my mature, “later-on-in-life self” sometimes viewed the Oz story as really unbelievable and disconnected in other ways. I eventually evolved to a more nuanced stance: Shades of black and white — and color. On what other journey prey tell, save perhaps the Canterbury Tales would such a varied class of beings sojourn, no willingly wanderlust on a quest that is at once both spiritually uplifting, funny, and adventurous? Where else would a heartless Tin Man, a brainless Scare Crow and even a cowardly Lion form an enduring bond? The triad confronting Lions, & Tigers, & Bears … Oh My! is a paradoxical absurdity because isn’t it an extremely rare case, if at all that these creatures, even bonded by their wildness, would actually share the same habitat? Oh how I sometimes long for my younger, forgiving, and more imaginative years!
As we amber down the road of our comparative analysis, as alluded to, we shall be led by our singular Oz-like investigative guidepost, Of Rituals and Routines …. This way to Oz!
Of Ritual and Routines
A Sociology of Smartphones — Societal rituals — the way it used to be versus how things have evolved in present-day times, is very much part and parcel of this article. Using the ubiquitous smart phone as a key frame of reference the author’s literal subtitle and premise is that “smartphones have altered the texture of everyday life, digesting many longstanding spaces and rituals, and transforming others beyond recognition.” While the “Smartphones” article’s author almost starts of innocently enough, has a thin veil of objectivity, it is not long before his sarcastic style about the rituals and routines that the smart phone has virtually made obsolete burrows up to the fore. The author’s romanticized rituals, like going through a street newspaper stand to find one’s favorite newspaper (now largely relegated to the past because of smartphone technology) gives way to his utter disdain where this singular device and its ecosystem is unequivocally associated with “mutilating lives and communities”.
Cal Newport’s Rule #1 / [How to] Work Deeply — Cal Newport, in the Rule #1 segment of his Deep Work book also distinctly discusses rituals and routines however, comparatively speaking, in a totally different context. Although Cal would very likely agree with the “Smartphone’s” author’s negative assessment of the impact of smart phones in our society, within Rule #1 at least Cal does not discuss the negative effects of smart phones. Rather, as it relates here, he opines about “smart” rituals and routines in a positive, strategic context of how they can help us “move beyond good intentions” and “limited willpower “ to perform deep tasks or work.
“The Illusion of Multitasking and Its Positive Effect on Performance” (academic article) & the “Why Do We Need Media Multitasking? article — Both the Illusion of Multitasking article and my chosen Why Do We Need Media Multitasking? article are compelling when viewed through the lens of rituals and routines. In the former “positive effect” case the article’s basic premise is that the mere perception of multitasking (which I think that I’m learning is actually technically impossible from a true cognitive perspective) actually improves our performance. Should I now, therefore, laud and commend my kid’s tendency to simultaneously watch TikTok videos on their cell phones while migrating to listen to Gary Vee podcasts with “helpful” doses of Bruno Mars music in between to now be recognized as good “study” habit routines? I mostly think not although it looks like the research may not be on my side!
In the latter article, Why Do We Need Media Multitasking?, the rituals and routine can be parsed through a media multitasking lens — a lens that presents a more nuanced view of some folk’s ritual of multitasking. Accordingly, this article’s author, like the other multitasking academic article’s author, might view my kid’s routine of variously watching videos, listening to podcasts, and music as a strategic benefit. In another way, however, this author might view my kids busy, multitasking habits as a self-regulatory failure …. depending on factors such as what goals are used as a reference point, how performance is defined, and what consequences are analyzed. Rituals, Routines, and Research aside this salamander can still be heard can still be chirping “turn in down!” …. T-u-r-n ….. it ……D-O-W-N on any given day!
References
Greenfield Longreads on June 13, A. (2018, January 23). A sociology of the smartphone. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://longreads.com/2017/06/13/a-sociology-of-the-smartphone/
Newport, C. (2016). Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. New York City, New York: Grand Central Publishing.
Popławska, A., Szumowska, E., & Kuś, J. (2021, January 20). Why do we need media multitasking? A self-regulatory perspective. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624649/full
Shalena, S., Schrift, R., & Zauberman, G. (2017). The Illusion of Multitasking and Its Positive Effect on Performance. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://repository.upenn.edu/marketing_papers/322
