Sunday, September 20, 2015

This Week in EID - Episode 72



Because I was out of town for half of the week, I didn’t have a chance to share much about the EID posts in real time this week.  It’s too bad because there were some great topics.  If you missed and of them this week, I really recommend clicking through.

The best one, IMNSHO, was the piece on Escape Rooms.  This is a great case of something that is really fun, mentally and physically engaging, and even possibly a learning experience if you follow up (but of course you don’t have to).  One of the best features is that is it engaging no matter what kinds of mysteries or challenges you like to solve.  There are physical puzzles, mental puzzles, creative problem solving, riddles and other word problems, and more.  I am not sure how effective the various companies are at advertising in advance so you can pick just the right combination that is best for you and your friends/family.  But the possibilities are endless.

And on the opposite side, I included somewhat of a criticism of the marketing approach to authenticity.  In contrast, I talked about how the opportunity to play out a fantasy role play could be a better exhibition of your authentic self.

Instead of my usual weekly morsel of self-delusion, I went back in time and found some old (1940s and 1950s) studies on self-delusion to get a historical perspective.  Since I am also a history buff, that is always a fun diversion for me.  And hopefully for you too.

Finally (well, actually it was the first post of the week), we shared some new innovations on kitchen design that focus on how basic human factors principles like transparency and visibility can save food, money, and the environment.  Not a bad combination, if I do say so myself.

Enjoy.