The older I get, the more I realize that all of us have a Wise and Wounded Self. And understanding these different selves can be helpful for a variety of reasons. You probably haven’t thought much about your Wise and Wounded Self. After all, I made up these terms. However, you are probably more aware… Continue reading Our Wise and Wounded Self (and Why This Matters)
Most of us learn growing up that there is such a thing as bad language and that we shouldn’t use words considered bad. Now, I believe there is a very good reason people teach children these lessons. And I do indeed believe there is such a thing as bad language. However, I think we often… Continue reading What Counts as Bad Language?
The other day I was thinking about one of our biggest political problems. But before I talk about that, I would like to tell you a story. A Story about Peter and Politics Imagine a man, we will call him Peter, who decides that everyone, everywhere needs to devote their lives to studying politics. Peter… Continue reading One of Our Biggest Political Problems
So, here’s a question: Can cultivating positive emotions help you succeed? I am going to answer this question shortly, but first I have a favor to ask. Please pause for a moment and think of something you saw or experienced recently that delighted you or gave you joy. Think about it for about thirty seconds… Continue reading Can Cultivating Positive Emotions Help You Succeed?
Moral disagreements are a common part of life. But there is something very surprising about moral disagreements that we often don’t realize. To illustrate this, allow me to present you with a thought experiment.[1] Please imagine these four people: Person #1: Jill believes X is the moral thing to do. Now, Jill truly cares about… Continue reading A Surprising Thing about Moral Disagreements
This post is about the Either-Or fallacy. A fallacy is a type of common faulty argument. And it’s important to be aware of common logical fallacies because arguments containing such fallacies often sound very convincing. However, they contain poor logic, and so they confuse and muddle our thinking. Regarding the Either-Or Fallacy specifically, when someone… Continue reading How the Either-Or Fallacy Confuses Our Thinking
I have been thinking a lot about dreams lately. But first let me tell you about the Watermelon Faerie that lives in my back yard. My husband and I planted a garden this year in May. And I was so excited because I planted some watermelon starts I got from a local greenhouse. I couldn't… Continue reading About Dreams and the Watermelon Faerie
Here’s a common saying, “You can achieve anything you can dream.” Sentiments like this are common, and the idea behind them seems to be that we have the power to achieve anything we want to achieve. Now, such beliefs can feel inspiring. They give us a sense of power over our life, and they can… Continue reading Can We Achieve Anything We Can Dream?
Would you like to be the smartest person in the world? I think a lot of people would like to be. But perhaps most of us think such a goal is impossible. And, logically, it is in fact impossible for everyone to be the smartest person in the world. But what about being one of… Continue reading How to Be the Smartest Person in the World
Many people equate conspiracy thinking and critical thinking. But they are, in fact, quite different. Now, I am well-acquainted with conspiracy thinking and conspiracy theories. In the late 90s and earlier 2000s, I fell in love with the X-Files, a show which introduced the idea of conspiracy theories to the public on a grand scale.… Continue reading The Difference Between Conspiracy Thinking and Critical Thinking
