Careers, Myers-Briggs, Jeffrey Friedman
So Cristi and Scott's blog, Invented Usage, to which I'm an infrequent and cantankerous "contributor," is apparently kicking a lot of butt. Congratulations to them on achieving their small-but-significant degree of internet notoriety!
Today, I went to a career counsellor. She apparently believes I should base my choice of career primarily by my Myers-Briggs personality type (which is either INTJ or INTP, depending on which crappy internet knock-off I take). This is funny because of its being mad dubious; however, as I think I've already indicated here, I've always found the Myers-Briggs typology a little flattering, so I felt comfortable enough.
She also pegged me as somebody who ought to work in a public policy think tank. Like, that's all she talked to me about, after telling me about how I can determine, from its Myers-Briggs foundation, the values I will bring to my career decision.
Jeffrey Friedman has sent me this book, Expert Political Judgment, by Philip E. Tetlock, because he wants me to write a review of it. Before it got here, I was groaning a little at the task--the last thing I need now is another book to read and paper to write, I thought. But then I read the back of the book and found two blurbs praising it. One was by Louis Menand, author of The Metaphysical Club, which I finished last summer and loved. The other was by Daniel Kahneman, who is one of my heroes, or used to be before his huge impression on me faded over time. (In my conversations with him, JF has expressed a dislike of or dissatisfaction with DK and his work which I have never understood.) Between that and a flip through the book, I am psyched. Now I just need time to read!
Speaking of Jeff, I just noticed that there is now a Wikipedia article about him. While he probably deserves one, its history is a little suspicious, since its primary contributor goes by Shterna. This edit battle over NPOV status is amusing (with this entry to its discussion page), and I think there's a kind of anarchistic elegance to this case of Wiki-vandalism. Excerpt:
John Elliott, an Ohio native currently learning to pronounce the word "nuclear," said of his colleague: "Jeff has some really nice shirts and ties. I really like the color combinations he comes up with.
Piotr, I hope you read this.