Overview
We invite you to learn more about what makes steamHouse tick! On this page you will find a series of videos and information about the foundational ideas behind the steamHouse concept and curriculum.
Think Big: Dualism
Decision & Project Triads
Cognitive Space: Self, Others, World
Think Big: Project Workflow
Cognitive Time: Decision
Human Curriculum
We endeavor to create a core “human curriculum” that teaches the most basic and essential best practice skills in how to focus on what’s important, avoid brain and heart bias, navigate emotional and relational complexity and maintain a physical body that supports all endeavors. These lessons are described as “every now technology” because their mastery, or lack thereof, is always a relevant factor in critical decision making.
Our efforts are to develop first, a curriculum on metacognition (thinking on one’s thinking) before determining a core set of relationship first principles, too, and then finally doing the same for physical fitness and health.
Because these lessons are about being human, and are not directly connected to a person’s geography or social circumstance, they will be useful for all humans, even those of future generations.
Core to thinking on one’s thinking is understanding the fast and slow modes of thinking popularized by psychologist Daniel Kahneman. System 1 thinking happens automatically, it is often right but subject to biases, while System 2 requires effort but allows for more rigorous and critical thinking.
We assert there is a valuable and special kind of System 2 thinking that is commonly understood, that isn’t just “aware,” but also makes explicit reference to one’s personal “gold standard” of thinking and behaving.
Mind Effort (now Do Unit)
Proposed is a Mind Effort model of understanding one’s thinking that has three levels of gearing. From least effort to most, the terms automatic, conscious and purposeful are used to describe these thinking modes or gears.
Each of these thinking gears understands a moment’s incoming “information in” with respectively greater context (and with greater cost in effort). And each gear implicitly understands a moment as having a “why in”, then a processing for how we should understand information before creating an action and a “what out”.
In the automatic mode, emotion, instinct, and habit often rule. Information comes in, and the body unconsciously takes meaning for reaction, without need for thought or active choice.
When we apply effortful, or conscious thinking, we understand incoming information as part of a larger picture, we are aware. We judge the significance of incoming information and so don’t automatically react, but instead choose an action.
Purpose, Paradigm & Practice
Our best, purposeful thinking occurs when we reference our personally curated best whys, hows and whats, described as purpose, paradigm and practice, respectively.
Understanding one’s thinking mode at the time of decision is critical in judging the quality and rigor of that decision.
If a person is not only aware of their thinking mode, but can consciously emphasize their “gold standard” purpose, paradigms and practices, there will be improved effect toward one’s ultimately desired ends.
There are three additional ideas complementing, respectively, the ideas of purpose, paradigm and practice and they are strategy, learning and habit.
Strategy, Learning & Habit
Strategy is a magnifier for one’s effect towards purpose. Effort in strategy increases efficiency and leverage, and so increasing, too, overall effect.
Learning increases the quality and quantity of our paradigms and frames for understanding things.
The more that can become relegated to an automatic good habit mode, the more focus energy is freed for other tasks.
Prime Purposes
Asserted as “universally useful” and largely amenable among all humans are three “prime purposes”—Personal Agency, Reciprocal Regard, and Objective Reason—these principles go furthest, it is asserted, as the most agreeable, useful and core first principles for the realms of self, others and the world.
Personal Agency—We each control what we believe, say and do.
Reciprocal Regard—All humans have the same desire, right and responsibility to control what they believe, say and do.
Objective Reason—Logical consideration aware of data and science.
A draft of a Prime Purposes curricular outline.
Personal Policy Planks
After a five year research and design effort, below is the foundation for a universal styled mentoring curriculum, where project oriented activity occurs with adult mentors. These proposed Personal Policy Planks might have both reach and depth in a broad range of human communities.
ORLO LORE TRIBE of EFFECTIVE, REASONABLE and FUN
We assert there is widely held valuing of being effective, reasonable and fun as an outcome. Such a group, if acting in concert, would be the most unifying and potent human force.
