Nelson Mandela’s greatness was most visible in his power to overthrow—through his courage, compassion, and peaceful manner—the brutality and murderous ways of the Apartheid regime. He was an ordinary man, he said, as he counseled us to find our own greatness. How do we acquire … [Read more...] about Curbing Our Appetite for Brutality
Search Results for: inner passivity
The Futility of Compulsive Approval-Seeking
Using brain imaging, researchers have discovered that pleasure is activated in the brain when people get positive feedback concerning their reputation or character. These researchers do not appear to understand that such pleasure is not necessarily genuine or healthy. A … [Read more...] about The Futility of Compulsive Approval-Seeking
The Love Song of the Self
The character Prufrock in T.S. Eliot’s ironically titled great poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” personifies the painful plight of people who are unable to connect with their authentic self. Contemplating “a hundred indecisions,” Prufrock saw the moment of his … [Read more...] about The Love Song of the Self
Overcoming a Type of Resistance to Studying
This topic is addressed as an exchange of e-mails between me and a visitor to this website. Reader’s comment: I have always been a studious person. Grades were important . . . I was also interested in learning and still am. However, now that I’m at university I’m avoiding … [Read more...] about Overcoming a Type of Resistance to Studying
Understanding Anorexia
Recently I watched a YouTube clip of Phil McGraw (Dr. Phil) counseling a 79-pound woman with anorexia, and it was a sad sight indeed. My sadness was felt both for the plight of the woman and for the plight of all people who get only shallow psychological knowledge from so-called … [Read more...] about Understanding Anorexia