On the relationship side, if you teach people to respond actively and constructively when someone they care about has a victory, it increases love and friendship and decreases the probability of depression. — Psychologist Martin Seligman It’s so true. If … Continue reading
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Employers Are Not Mommies and Daddies
The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that employers cannot hand tax-free contributions to their workers and tell them to purchase health insurance, The New York Times reported. Employers who try dumping employees into the healthcare exchanges to avoid having to … Continue reading
Self-Esteem: How Much is Too Much?
Is it possible to have too much self-esteem? It’s commonly thought “yes,” and the definition of “too much” self-esteem is labeled narcissism. This may be well and good, but the question remains: How do we quantify the “right” amount of … Continue reading
Violence Against Women OK…So Long as it’s Muslim
Should courts excuse Muslim men who beat up their wives on account of freedom of religious practices and beliefs? Do religious and cultural “sensitivity” count more than individual rights? It seems incredible that we even must consider such questions, but … Continue reading
Hillary Clinton: Profiteer of Convenience
Hillary Clinton, while preparing to continue Obama’s war against profit, greed and selfishness, has made a cool $200,000 a speech ($5 million total), paid for by companies who fear her future rule over them. Pretty good for someone who condemns … Continue reading
Managing the Boss
Dear Dr. Hurd, I work for a charity. I answer to the executive director who makes me responsible for various fundraisers that I am expected to plan, advertise and set up. However, she then undermines me by either doing things … Continue reading
The Psychology of Status-Seeking
Dear Dr. Hurd: Many people seek mass wealth because it brings social status. Throughout history status has always existed in cultures. From kings and queens to tribal hierarchies. Even the animal kingdom has examples of status. Status appears to be … Continue reading
The VA Scandal Should Be No Surprise
CNN.com reports on 5/20/14: For six months, CNN has been reporting on delays in medical appointments suffered by veterans across the country and veterans who died or were seriously injured while waiting for appointments and care. The VA requires its … Continue reading
Is There a “Right” to Feel Comfortable?
The road to dictatorship is paved with comments like this: “Well, maybe we should have censorship if it involves hate speech.” This is what I’m starting to hear people actually say. “Hate speech” is now defined as anything with which … Continue reading
Objective Passion (Maslow)
Dispassionate objectivity is itself a passion, for the real and for the truth. — Abraham Maslow
Rick Santorum’s “Blue Collar Conservative”
Ever since the 1980s (the era of Reagan), the Republican Party has consisted of two groups. One, the economic conservatives; two, the religious conservatives. The latter favor limited government in economics, with activist government in religious matters (abortion, gay relationships, … Continue reading
ObamaCare for the Military: How’s That Going?
The scandal at the Phoenix [Veterans Administration healthcare] division involved an off-the-books list allegedly kept to conceal long wait times as up to 40 veterans died waiting to get an appointment. Officials were accused of cooking the books to hide … Continue reading