About Dave
One thing I love about Dave is how much he loves squirrels. I see this as a reflection of how he loves things that many of us might not bother to notice, or might take for granted. His presence brings a deep sense of caring and love to his leadership, without holding back from calling things as he sees them. He's open to updating his perspective while still holding his own sense of self, which for me models new ways to love myself. Sometimes his questions seem so obvious as to be pedantic, until you look under the hood and realize how much growth it's taken to synthesize the worldview behind them (e.g. "Can't Mum just be Mum?").
(Written by Mercedes Jayne)
What is your educational background?
I completed a Bachelor's of Computer Systems Engineering and then a PhD in Computer Science at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia.
Do you currently have any other jobs, titles, and/or professional experience that you’d like to mention?
I'm currently working as a programmer with a few other Relateful folks on a venture that feels really good to me.
What are your relateful personal interests?
I'm really interested in exploring how we might be able to get more relatefulness into the world, with different people and in different contexts.
Are there any inspirational or influential people you’d like to mention? What about them means something to you?
I really like John Vervaeke. He's a cognitive scientist who studies meaning in life, insight, wisdom, mystical and peak experiences, all kinds of stuff in that area. I love that stuff as content, but more than that I love how passionate John is about clearly unpacking and sharing all of his content, while being respectful and inclusive of so many different perspectives and experiences.
Do you have a passion or purpose, a personal goal or aspiration, or a personal motto?
I want people to suffer less from stuff they don't have to suffer from, and move towards more ease and flourishing. I've been trying to paddle in that direction, and I really want to help anyone else who's heading the same way. I think there's lots of this stuff that we just can't do on our own (despite some narratives in various cultures that seem to say otherwise).
Fun fact: Is there something fun or unexpected about you that you’d like to share with the world?
I don't have an inner monologue, and I'm also not much of a visual thinker. Hearing about people with inner monologues makes me think I might be playing on easy mode. If I have an inner critic, I guess it's stuck doing interpretive dance or mime or something? Poor guy.
