Maymester: The Anxious Generation, Voir Dire, & Commentary from a Kenyan Judge
Pause the hustle n' bustle
Dear reader,
In today’s issue:
THE ANXIOUS GENERATION: What I Learned from Summer Camp
VOIR DIRE & JURY SELECTION: “12 Lemmings in a Box”
KENYAN JUDGE SPEAKS ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
…intertwined with a little bit of poetry and photography.
Enjoy!
THE ANXIOUS GENERATION: How Camp Fosters Playful Resourcefulness
Back in 2021, my first year as a camp counselor led to a lot of firsts.
My first time lead climbing, cliff jumping, and camping longer than a few nights… just to name a few. I remember my first summer out in the wilderness of WNC, specifically when I realized I would not be able to google anything.
No, unfortunately service does not reach into all the crevices or make it past the rolling summits of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sometimes, you just find yourself stuck on top of a mountain, wondering if Google might know where the trailhead is, because you sure as hell don’t.
But then, you figure it out.
In his book, The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt, PhD, writes about how children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. He explores the decline from “play-based childhood” to “phone-based childhood” and how technology has affected resourcefulness and caused a mental health crisis.
A dear friend of mine, Adam Trufant, who is currently camp director at Camps Kahdalea and Chosatonga in Western North Carolina, shared some insights on this in a recent blog post, “There’s No AI out Here.”
He addresses how, despite AI’s many uses, the sacrifice involved is the extraction of effort in daily lives.
We no longer need to pause and really think to remember something, like directions or a fact for trivia. The answer is easily accessible.
For developing minds, such as children, this is a blessing and a curse. Dr. Haidt emphasizes the importance of experiences — both good and bad — in reaching confidence and contentment.
“As the Stoics and Buddhists taught long ago, happiness cannot be reached by eliminating all “triggers” from life; rather, happiness comes from learning to deprive external events of the power to trigger negative emotions in you.” ― Jonathan Haidt
As Adam says, in the woods, the wilderness reminds us of our vulnerability; we are left with our creativity and independence, and this generates “an authentic confidence. Not one that is dependent on the device I am holding in my hand . . . it has to do with my presence and my ability to push myself to reach my goals.”
Children need to play to progress in confidence. A child in the woods, learning to camp, explore, see details, notice resources, build, work as a team, and so on, becomes naturally more confident as they feel their competence maturing.
This continues into adulthood; you’re never too old to play and I guarantee getting outside will build your confidence.
“The simplicity of the interaction of children with the wilderness is more essential than ever.” - Adam Trufant, Camp Director at Camps Kahdalea and Chosatonga
For more, listen to Adam & Jeffrey Trufant’s podcast episode for Godsplaining, How Nature’s Beauty Bonds Us.
VOIR DIRE & JURY SELECTION: “12 Lemmings in a Box”
I just wrapped an intense, two-week course on Jury Selection and Voir Dire for trial. It was half days, every day, and man, it was worth it.
(…this is where you remind me I am such a nerd. I know :)
So, what is Voir Dire?
Voir dire is a French term meaning “to speak the truth.”
It refers to the pre-trial process of questioning the jurors. The purpose of this questioning is to determine which jurors from the summoned jury pool (“venire”) will sit for the trial.
While the exact method of questioning varies per jurisdiction and judge, the act of questioning itself can be influential for many reasons: Voir dire…
Is the first impression the jury members obtain of the attorneys
Is the only time the attorneys interact in direct dialogue with the jurors
Provides an opportunity for the attorneys to begin sewing seeds of their case theory
Gives attorneys the opportunity to feel out what ideas are appealing to jurors and determine juror preferences
However, the ultimate goal of voir dire is to question the jurors’ impartiality to ensure a fair trial (6th, 7th Amendments). Attorneys (or the judge) use the questions to pull out any implied or explicit biases that might impact a juror’s objectivity.
If the judge determines a juror’s bias will taint their judgment, the juror may be “struck” or removed from the jury pool “for cause.” For instance, if a juror has a religious or moral belief against the death penalty in a death penalty case. Alternatively, attorneys have a set amount of strikes that allow them to remove jurors without cause.
When you have a jury pool of hundreds of people, those strikes become precious and questioning becomes a complex game of predicting your opposing counsel’s choices (See the Lincoln Lawyer video above).
However, on the flip side, the attorneys are prevented from trying to remove a certain type of juror altogether, such as all the women, by Batson Challenges which can be brought up at any point by opposing counsel.
SO COOL, right?! Unfortunately, they don’t do attorney-conducted voir dire in South Carolina. I may have to practice someplace else…
For further reading, check out “The Runaway Jury” by John Grisham.
(The phrase, “12 Lemmings in a Box” refers to the idea that jurors will follow the most persuasive person in the room, similar to how lemmings are known to follow each other off cliffs without thinking. It’s a cynical and humorous phrase to be sure. In Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey makes the point that he wants twelve jurors who will blindly follow his lead as he presents the evidence.)
KENYAN JUDGE ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The other day at mass, the priest quoted this Kenyan Judge who commented on the election of Pope Leo XIV.
Hon. Justice Aggrey-
“There is a kind of wisdom that is not loud. It does not seek attention. It does not scream to be seen. It simply exists, quietly, deeply and eternally. This is the wisdom of the Catholic Church, a body that has outlived empires, survived schisms, endured scandals and yet remains standing, steady and sacred. The Catholic Church is not a trend. It is not a social wave. It is an institution that walks with time but listens to eternity.
What the Vatican did was not just elect a new Pope. They made a statement to the world. They reminded humanity that God does not follow trends. He sets them. That true leadership is not always found in the obvious. That sometimes, the one who carries the mantle is not the one the world expects, but the one heaven approves. This is the mystery of divine succession, wrapped in silence, clothed in prayer and sealed in sacred deliberation.
I’d encourage you the read the whole piece - it’s truly excellent. For the rest of the excerpt, click HERE.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
To have a sense of humor is to be wise enough to see things in proportion.
Please consider donating to support WNC. View resources HERE.
With love,
— Em
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