El Dirko
@dirkbansch.com
Expert Speaker, Coach and Trainer on Emotional Intelligence, Behavioural Change and Unconscious Bias
Pinned
El Dirko
@dirkbansch.com
· Dec 30
There seems to be something in many conservatives' psyche that values selfishness over altruism, tribalism over internationalism, fear over empathy and belief over rational thinking.
Fun, if you're part of that mindset, unbelievably frustrating if you're not.
Fun, if you're part of that mindset, unbelievably frustrating if you're not.
Unearned privilege lowers empathy.
I want people to be politicians who had to work hard to be successful, not who were groomed or expected to become "leaders".
I want people to be politicians who had to work hard to be successful, not who were groomed or expected to become "leaders".
January 22, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Unearned privilege lowers empathy.
I want people to be politicians who had to work hard to be successful, not who were groomed or expected to become "leaders".
I want people to be politicians who had to work hard to be successful, not who were groomed or expected to become "leaders".
"The difference between Europeans and Americans is that a European thinks 100 miles is a long distance, and an American thinks that 100 years is a long time."
(Diana Gabaldon)
(Diana Gabaldon)
January 21, 2026 at 11:03 PM
"The difference between Europeans and Americans is that a European thinks 100 miles is a long distance, and an American thinks that 100 years is a long time."
(Diana Gabaldon)
(Diana Gabaldon)
Trump's approach to diplomacy:
"You can't make an omelette without ruthlessly crushing dozens of eggs beneath your steel boot and then publicly disemboweling the chickens that laid them as a warning to others."
(with credit to Rich Burlew)
"You can't make an omelette without ruthlessly crushing dozens of eggs beneath your steel boot and then publicly disemboweling the chickens that laid them as a warning to others."
(with credit to Rich Burlew)
January 21, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Trump's approach to diplomacy:
"You can't make an omelette without ruthlessly crushing dozens of eggs beneath your steel boot and then publicly disemboweling the chickens that laid them as a warning to others."
(with credit to Rich Burlew)
"You can't make an omelette without ruthlessly crushing dozens of eggs beneath your steel boot and then publicly disemboweling the chickens that laid them as a warning to others."
(with credit to Rich Burlew)
Does anyone know if there are studies showing whether social media has made people more likely to think in simple dichotomies (black/white, true/false)?
So many people don't seem to be able to consider more complex viewpoints or even properly discuss them anymore.
So many people don't seem to be able to consider more complex viewpoints or even properly discuss them anymore.
January 18, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Does anyone know if there are studies showing whether social media has made people more likely to think in simple dichotomies (black/white, true/false)?
So many people don't seem to be able to consider more complex viewpoints or even properly discuss them anymore.
So many people don't seem to be able to consider more complex viewpoints or even properly discuss them anymore.
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
(Marcus Aurelius)
(Marcus Aurelius)
January 17, 2026 at 6:58 PM
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
(Marcus Aurelius)
(Marcus Aurelius)
Der Spiegel cover 3/26: All mine!
January 16, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Der Spiegel cover 3/26: All mine!
If you enjoy the present, you will have a nice past in the future!
January 15, 2026 at 10:10 PM
If you enjoy the present, you will have a nice past in the future!
I normally drink a lot of Diet Coke. Hadn't had a bottle for 10 days due to traveling and just took a sip. That stuff is horrible!
January 14, 2026 at 10:41 PM
I normally drink a lot of Diet Coke. Hadn't had a bottle for 10 days due to traveling and just took a sip. That stuff is horrible!
1. I just delivered an event on unconscious bias. This is always fascinating, because most of us tend to think that we don't have any biases.
On some other than conscious level we all have biases and prejudices that were installed by authority figures or the media at some point in our lives.
On some other than conscious level we all have biases and prejudices that were installed by authority figures or the media at some point in our lives.
Take a Test
implicit.harvard.edu
January 14, 2026 at 1:18 AM
1. I just delivered an event on unconscious bias. This is always fascinating, because most of us tend to think that we don't have any biases.
On some other than conscious level we all have biases and prejudices that were installed by authority figures or the media at some point in our lives.
On some other than conscious level we all have biases and prejudices that were installed by authority figures or the media at some point in our lives.
“Our world is not divided by race, color, gender or religion. Our world is divided into wise people and fools.
And fools divide themselves by race, color, gender, or religion.”
(Mohamad Safa)
And fools divide themselves by race, color, gender, or religion.”
(Mohamad Safa)
January 13, 2026 at 9:20 AM
“Our world is not divided by race, color, gender or religion. Our world is divided into wise people and fools.
And fools divide themselves by race, color, gender, or religion.”
(Mohamad Safa)
And fools divide themselves by race, color, gender, or religion.”
(Mohamad Safa)
"What this world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left."
(Oscar Levant)
(Oscar Levant)
January 11, 2026 at 9:39 PM
"What this world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left."
(Oscar Levant)
(Oscar Levant)
"Human nature is what we are put in this world to rise above."
(From the movie "The African Queen")
(From the movie "The African Queen")
January 11, 2026 at 12:06 AM
"Human nature is what we are put in this world to rise above."
(From the movie "The African Queen")
(From the movie "The African Queen")
Why I don't like cycling in England...
January 9, 2026 at 11:49 PM
Why I don't like cycling in England...
“Stand up for what you believe in even if you are standing alone”
(Sophie Scholl)
(Sophie Scholl)
January 9, 2026 at 5:29 PM
“Stand up for what you believe in even if you are standing alone”
(Sophie Scholl)
(Sophie Scholl)
Reposted by El Dirko
One of my most prized possessions: A Flat Earth Disk 😇
March 9, 2025 at 12:04 PM
One of my most prized possessions: A Flat Earth Disk 😇
“A man who doesn't know the truth is just an idiot, but a man who knows the truth and calls it a lie is a crook.”
(Bertolt Brecht)
(Bertolt Brecht)
January 9, 2026 at 12:30 AM
“A man who doesn't know the truth is just an idiot, but a man who knows the truth and calls it a lie is a crook.”
(Bertolt Brecht)
(Bertolt Brecht)
"If people can't control their own emotions, they will start trying to control other people's behaviours."
(Robin Skynner)
(Robin Skynner)
January 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM
"If people can't control their own emotions, they will start trying to control other people's behaviours."
(Robin Skynner)
(Robin Skynner)
This is basically common sense, but according to the following study, people who have a feeling of insecurity about their lives and a feeling of lack of control, tend to vote for dominant leaders, not admired/respected ones.
www.pnas.org/content/earl...
www.pnas.org/content/earl...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
January 5, 2026 at 12:08 AM
This is basically common sense, but according to the following study, people who have a feeling of insecurity about their lives and a feeling of lack of control, tend to vote for dominant leaders, not admired/respected ones.
www.pnas.org/content/earl...
www.pnas.org/content/earl...
"Evil is just a measure of how much YOUR choices take away other people's."
Discuss!
Discuss!
January 3, 2026 at 11:15 PM
"Evil is just a measure of how much YOUR choices take away other people's."
Discuss!
Discuss!
We all live in this echo chamber where we hear what we want to hear and create meaning that makes sense to us.
Difficult to overcome and without it, most online discussions would be much shorter and quieter.
Difficult to overcome and without it, most online discussions would be much shorter and quieter.
January 2, 2026 at 4:07 PM
We all live in this echo chamber where we hear what we want to hear and create meaning that makes sense to us.
Difficult to overcome and without it, most online discussions would be much shorter and quieter.
Difficult to overcome and without it, most online discussions would be much shorter and quieter.
"The meaning of good and bad, of better and worse, is simply helping or hurting."
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
January 1, 2026 at 4:38 PM
"The meaning of good and bad, of better and worse, is simply helping or hurting."
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"Do the best you can until you know better.
Then when you can, do better."
(Maya Angelou)
#emotionalintelligence #realisticoptimism
Then when you can, do better."
(Maya Angelou)
#emotionalintelligence #realisticoptimism
December 31, 2025 at 2:08 PM
"Do the best you can until you know better.
Then when you can, do better."
(Maya Angelou)
#emotionalintelligence #realisticoptimism
Then when you can, do better."
(Maya Angelou)
#emotionalintelligence #realisticoptimism
Might it be time to appoint a legal guardian for the US?
December 31, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Might it be time to appoint a legal guardian for the US?