Two approaches to life, especially in the business or professional environment, characterize most human interactions. The first is the adversarial mentality; the second is the realistic mentality. The adversarial mentality rests upon a series of illogical but (to some people) … Continue reading
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Eleanor Holmes Norton Shows Why Ideology Gets a Bad Name
It’s often said that ideology is the reason we have so many social and political problems. “If it weren’t for ideological types, then we could resolve things and get things done.” It’s perhaps understandable that some would draw this conclusion, … Continue reading
Self-Esteem: Rationally Understood (Ayn Rand)
To live, man must hold three things as the supreme and ruling values of his life: Reason—Purpose—Self-esteem. Reason, as his only tool of knowledge—Purpose, as his choice of the happiness which that tool must proceed to achieve—Self-esteem, as his inviolate … Continue reading
The Addict’s Attempted Short-Cut to Happiness
The addictive experience, according to drug and alcohol addiction expert Stanton Peele (see www.peele.net), is characterized as follows: 1. Powerful and all-encompassing; 2. Inspires a sense of well-being, such as through conveying an artificial sense of power or control; 3. … Continue reading
Why Young People Don’t Vote Republican
Political analyst Charlie Cook, publisher of the widely read Cook Political Report, says that Republicans face a challenge with younger voters. While they don’t think government is very effective — they grew up with Hurricane Katrina — they tend to … Continue reading
Teaching vs. Learning (Ben Franklin)
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. — Benjamin Franklin Exactly! The reason for this? People learn via abstract concepts integrated with concrete examples. An idea, principle or statement without a concrete … Continue reading
This Video Says It All About Victim-Think
The video’s title is: Black Man Goes on EPIC Rant Against Ferguson Rioters. It’s refreshing and, despite its humerous and rough-edged style, gets to the heart of why “victim-think” doesn’t serve the interests of the victims.
“It’s Not What You Know; It’s WHO You Know” … Fact or Fiction?
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” So goes conventional wisdom. This statement summarizes the dominant idea underlying many of today’s widely acknowledged social and psychological problems. To place an emphasis on who you know instead of what … Continue reading
Did “Fracking” Save the Day and Lower Gas Prices?
We finally have some good economic news: The price of oil (and therefore gas) is going down; way down. Wholesale oil prices dropped from about $100 a barrel to $66, but gasoline prices have fallen from near $4 a gallon … Continue reading
What to Do About Dysfunctional Co-Workers
Psychologytoday.com recently posted an interesting article entitled, “The 11 People We Love to Hate at Work” by business psychologist Steve Albrecht, D.B.A [11-26-14]. You can read the article for yourself. I’d like to go a little deeper, and a little … Continue reading
Thanksgiving: The Producer’s Holiday
Ayn Rand (author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead) described Thanksgiving as “a typically American holiday . . . its essential, secular meaning is a celebration of successful production. It is a producers’ holiday. The lavish meal is a symbol … Continue reading
Divorce & Kids: Disaster or Transition?
Recently, several readers have asked if I’ve written anything on children and divorce. A few years back, I did this interview with my friend and associate Dr. Stanton Samenow, author of the now classic (and recently revised) Inside the Criminal … Continue reading