Feedback Strategies

Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" by Alfie Kohn

This is an interesting article for sure and a lot of it does resonate with me personally; I feel we're setting a tone for kids and because of this we grow up with an incessant need to please others. When we're going through a critical process, the focus of input shouldn't be reward or attack - it should be constructive insight. The goal of editing is improving the body of work, which oftentimes requires the tearing down and altering of what's written, which can't be done if we're so focused on congratulatory writing.



Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise? by Jack Zenker and Joseph Folkman

It's reassuring to me to see that 52% of workers polled rated their managers as effective when they gave negative and positive feedback. I'm my time spent working as an economic researcher or as a bicycle mechanic I've dealt with numerous types of managers, and I feel I've learned more from negative feedback than positive. One of my first managers gave no positive feedback and gave an absurd amount of negative feedback (believe it or not I was a good mechanic so this criticism wasn't needed) and the end result of this was that his comments were ultimately ignored because we all knew he wasn't saying anything necessary. The ability of a manager to give criticism and balance this with affirmation is crucial; you can't constantly belittle employees and expect good work, nor can you shower them with congratulations and expect them to improve.



Photo Credit:
Negative Feedback Loop | Source

Topic Research: Jataka Monkeys

Tayodhamma-Jataka:
Devadatta is formed as the lord of a tribe of monkeys, Bodhisatta is born deeper in the woods, fathered by Devadatta. Bodhisatta returns to the tribe. Devadatta, afraid of having his seat usurped by his son, sends Bodhisatta to harvest lilies from an Ogre-possessed lake. Bodhisatta outsmarts this Ogre, returns home, and Devadatta upon witnessing Bodhisatta's return falls dead.



Vanarinda-Jataka:
Devadatta, formed as a crocodile, is urged by his wife into tricking and killing Bodhisatta, formed as a monkey, in hopes of stealing away his heart to eat. Devadatta lies in wait as a rock, ultimately Bodhisatta recognizes this and tricks him multiple times - getting his goal fruit and keeping his life.



Aramadusaka-Jataka:
When Brahmadatta was king in the Benares, he proclaimed a large festival - the king's gardener asked nearby monkeys to water his trees so that he could enjoy the festival. The monkeys agreed, but in carrying out their duties they destroyed the garden. As they watered, they pulled each tree from the soil to check root size to prioritize water usage. A wise man comes by and tells them the folly of their ways - they don't heed this warning and ultimately kill out the garden.



Nalapana-Jataka:
Bodhisatta is formed as a king of monkeys- he leads his followers to a lake to drink. In this lake lives a water ogre, the current form of Devadatta, the ogre promises to eat any and all who drink from his domain. Bodhisatta has a workaround, he hollows out a long cane, and many more, and all his followers are able to drink from a safe distance. Devadatta, defeated, returns to the depth of his domain.


Sumsumara-Jataka:
Bodhisatta again is formed as a king of monkeys and in his comings and goings he's spotted by a pair of crocodiles. The wife reptile asks her husband to lie in wait to capture this king of monkeys. Devadatta is the male crocodile, he offers to carry Bodhisatta to the foreign fruit across the ganges, then begins to sink midway across. Bodhisatta convinces Devadatta his heart lays outside his body, in the fig trees back across the ganges; when they're close enough to the shore of origin bodhisatta leaps from the crocodile's back. Bodhisatta leaves him with a few harsh words explaining the error of his thinking.



Essentially it seems the common thread here is that the monkeys are either portrayed as wily and resilient or good-intentioned and bumbling. We consistently see monkeys as the thematic underdog contextually, able to outsmart the stronger beast(s) to still achieve their goals. The outlier to this trend is the third listed story, wherein the monkeys kindly agree to perform a task for the gardner, but are concerned with being wasteful and so they do their due diligence to be sure water is used efficiently. However, this effort ultimately is their undoing, as in checking root depth they ~uproot~ the trees, ensuring the death of the garden. I believe an analytical retelling of these stories with focus on the conceptual strength of the monkeys could be a fun storybook project and is currently my plan for the semester.


Bibliography:
Jataka Tales 

Photo Credit:
Jatakamala Manuscripts | Daderot

Week 3 Story: Lament

ACT I: LAMENT
JATAYU AND RAVANA
STILL SHOT OF THE AIR, AS WE PAN OUT
We see arrows launching through the air, and through the frame
WE SEE RAVANA’S CRAFT & JATAYU’S PERCH ON OPPOSITE EXTREMES
RAVANA
Damn ye bird, you shall not find success in your intervention, it is a pursuit in vain
JATAYU
Demon, the pursuit justifies action, the result is justification for drive
Jatayu burst through frame, toward Ravana, destroying his craft - we see Ravana and a woman (Sita) plummet
Upon the ground we see Ravana get the best of the bird, removing his wings - the demon and the woman exit, we linger on the dying bird
FADE TO BLACK.
ISOLATION OF RAMA
EXT. HUT
LONG SHOT EXT. HUT, CENTERED ON HUT, SHOT IN 1.19:1
Outside of hut, absolute silence
Rama leaves hut, enters shot
RAMA
How could this happen? Was it folly to pursue the golden deer? In hopes of winning further favor from my beloved Sita I’ve been met with desolation and sorrow.
(Rama appears fatigued physically, and now we see the deeper level of exhaustion)
RAMA (CONT'D)
Surely Sita has been stolen away, but by whom and to what ends?
Rama returns to the hut
CUT TO:
SHOT CENTERED IN HUT DOORWAY, LOOKING INTO HUT, CENTRALIZED
Rama searches the hut for any indication of who’s responsible
RAMA
(to himself, under breath)
How could I have let myself be lured away by the charm of the deer? Not even as a trophy or a reward for myself, but in a foolish attempt to please my wife.
Rama collapses to the floor, abandoned
Enter Lakshmana
LAKSHAMANA
(distraught upon seeing Rama’s condition)
Rama, awake, brother, don’t let the isolation and grief win out your heart dooming you from recovery and triumph.
RAMA
(defeated)
Oh dear Lakshmana, how can I muster to search when Sita, the source of my motivation, is lost?
LAKSHAMANA
Brother, it’s because she’s lost that you must muster - it is for her you must rally
RAMA
There’s no indication of fate, brother. How are we to know our path?
LAKSHAMANA
There’s no definite path, but we must begin somewhere
Brothers exit hut and begin journeying
FADE TO BLACK.
DISSOLVE TO:
OVERHEAD LONG SHOT OF JATAYU - RECALL THE FIRST SEQUENCE
The brothers enter the clearing and the frame, immediately noticing Jatayu, the brothers rush to him
JATAYU
Lord Rama, Ravana has taken hold of Sita - try as I did they’ve made their egress
RAMA
Mighty Bird, I see your efforts, and I know their toll. In telling me, you’ve saved this hour, but I ask one more question: To what ends did you see them flee?
JATAYU
They hastened towards a structure in the south, a fortress shrouded by the forest, I saw no detail...but now my time is at hand.
In giving this response Jatayu fades from all he’s known, held my Rama
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF ACT I

Author's Note:
In this week's entry, my goal was really to get into greater detail on a specific chapter of the PDE Edition of the Ramayana, specifically, the chapter titled "Rama and Jatayu". There's a lot in this chapter dealing with emotional vulnerability and defeat of the light side, which is something we haven't seen as often. Although this chapter shows that even the losses are slated as being part of the plan, a necessary evil, it's only the gods who are aware of this - our heroes remain defeated and feel the isolation of defeat. My attempt at a detailed screenplay here is motivated by trying to get into the emotions following the abduction of Sita through dialogue. This would come into play more with that specific noted aspect ratio - which would heighten (literally) the sense of isolation of minuteness in their place in the world.

Bibliography:
Public Domain Edition | Valmiki | Ramayana
Photo Credit:
Killing of Jatayu | Artist - Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana Part B

Summary:

Bharata performs funeral rites for his father before entering the forest in hopes of retrieving Rama. Bharata finds Rama, who refuses to return to Ayodhya, Bharata then decides to wait in Nandigram until Rama returns. Later, Sita tells Rama and Lakshmana of her birth - wherein her father, King Janaka, finds her lying in a field. Rama and Lakshmana battle the demon Viradha (who can't be injured by sharp weapons) - we find the demon is named Tumburu. Later Rama meets the sage Agastya, who gives him more weapons. We then see Ravana's sister, Shurpanakha, fall in love with Rama, who responds with mockery. Shurpanakha tells her brother Khara, who is one again beaten by Rama, while Shurpanakha is fought off by Lakshmana. Shurpanakha then goes to tell Ravana what has transpired. Ravana then enlists Maricha's help to abduct Sita- ultimately Maricha disguises himself as a golden deer to lure Sita away. Once Sita is on her own, Ravana, disguised as a sage, abducts her - the mighty bird Jatayu watches this happen and sees Sita drop her jewelry to mark her path. Rava has been cursed and can't take advantage of Sita. Rama and Lakshmana hear from Jatayu vaguely of Sita's fate, and set off to search for Sita, they then meet another "Rakshasa" who aids them on their way. They pass through another Hermitage and meet Shabari, who has been waiting in arrested development for Rama's arrival. With her waiting complete, she asks for Rama to perform her rites.


Analysis:

Again there seems to be an emphasis in these entries on cosmic paths; everything is interconnected and foretold. Time seems to be known in these stories, we see consistent examples of characters knowing all they must do and all that will be done.







Bibliography:
Public Domain Edition | Valmiki | Ramayana

Photo Credit:
Rama and Lakshmana seated on Kabandha's arms | Painting on ceiling of temple near Salem

Reading Notes : PDE Ramayana Part A

Summary:
Maharajah Dasharatha lives in the capital city of Ayodhya, he has three queens named Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra, none of whom has borne him an heir. Dasharatha decides to hold an Ashwamedha in hopes of earning the gods' favor in the form of a son. After the early stages of the process, wherein a Brahmin accompanies a horse on a year long wandering journey, the horse is sacrificed along with many other creatures. The gods promise Dasharatha four sons. This is convenient as in the land of Lanka, demon king Ravana must be defeated by a human - so Vishnu decides to come to earth in the form of a human avatar: Dasharatha's son Rama. Rama and his brothers grow - Rama and Lakshmana battle the rakshasi Thataka, earning Rama spiritual weapons which speak to him. Rama, avatar of Vishnu, meets Sita, avatar of Goddess Lakshmi - the two fall in love. Rama wins a challenge, bending the bow of god Shiva, earning the right to Sita's hand. Rama then completes an additional challenge laid out by Parashurama, another avatar of Vishnu, earning an additional weapon. Rama and Sita are wed, and Rama's brothers Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna also marry into Janaka's family. Mother of Prince Bharata, Manthara, demands Rama be exiled - which he is, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana. Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana leave the city, cross the Ganges, and begin exile. As Dasharatha dies, attended by Kaushalya and Sumitra, he thinks on a curse stating he's doomed to lose a child - he leaves the earth aware of karma's role in his life. Dasharatha dies without any of his sons present.

Analysis:
Most of these tales seem to be oriented around the idea of interconnectedness and consequence; everything lines up as to balance the cosmic scales. Dasharatha requires a son, the gods require the human form to defeat Ravana - Vishnu descends as a son of Dasharatha. Everything has balance and consequence, as Rama is exiled in an attempt by Manthara to see her son on the throne, but it's in this exile Rama finds his true evolution. These tales hinge on the idea of permanence and continuity, and that's very interesting as oftentimes in western literature things are closed without need or happen in a vacuum; all too often kernels end up being satellites and the story fades.


Bibliography:
Public Domain Edition | Valmiki | Ramayana

Photo Credit:
Four Sons of Dasharatha | unknown artist