In Greek mythology, King Sisyphus was punished for his villainy by having to roll an immense boulder up a hill. After it rolled back down, he had to start over and then repeat the process for eternity. It’s a story for the ages because so many people can relate to feelings of … [Read more...] about “Why Am I so Easily Discouraged?”
Paris and Our Discontents
My anguish at the terrorist attacks last week in Paris has aroused some passionate intensity. Here is my response, which is more in the form of an op-ed piece than my usual expository postings. As much as we despise the murderous maniacs of the Islamic State, they have, like … [Read more...] about Paris and Our Discontents
Unconscious Bias in Race Relations
Protests against the handling of racial tensions broke out this month on university campuses across the United States, and once again we find ourselves confounded by the deviltry of human nature. Why does skin color in 2015 still inflame animosities? Depth psychology provides us … [Read more...] about Unconscious Bias in Race Relations
Acquiring a Feel for Natural Aggression
Some psychologists claim that aggression is an undesirable trait. At Wikipedia, aggression is defined as an “overt, often harmful, social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or other unpleasantness upon another individual.” Assertiveness is acceptable, these … [Read more...] about Acquiring a Feel for Natural Aggression
Defensiveness for Dummies
Chronic defensiveness is so irritating, like living beside a village square where the town criers daily proclaim their innocence. Dodging honest conversation in this squirmy way is quite possibly the number one pollutant of relationship harmony. It’s worse than a bad habit or … [Read more...] about Defensiveness for Dummies