Barack Obama’s approval rating is down to 37 percent, according to a new AP poll. That puts him at the popularity level of miserably failed Presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. But a new Gallup poll puts Republicans at … Continue reading
A reader asks: Is it possible to enjoy feeling bad, and if so, what is the psychology behind that phenomenon? There are people who enjoy feeling bad. They won’t usually put it this way, but they do. Actually, I wouldn’t … Continue reading
We keep hearing about the debt ceiling. Fiscal conservatives in the House of Representatives don’t want to raise it, we’re told—basically because they’re heartless and mean. Raising the debt ceiling, to read or watch the news, is the responsible and … Continue reading
A federal employee decides to write a book on his knowledge of a known government scandal. After signing a book contract with a major publisher, the book deal is subsequently forbidden—by the government. Does this sound like a George Orwell … Continue reading
A reader writes: I have a question about obsessing or putting too much weight on emotions. The question to myself was, ‘What if I did not have emotions, how would I know if what I was doing was good or … Continue reading
This whole government “shutdown” fiasco reminds me of a married couple fighting over money. One spouse insists, “You won’t let me buy what I want. You’re mean!” The other replies, “We’re spending more than we bring in. Look at the … Continue reading
A reader asked for my comments on the psychology of ‘escapism.’ I’ve always found ‘escapism’ an interesting, if not misleading, concept. Usually, the term implies a value judgment. ‘You’re running away from something you should face, and that’s bad.’ Of … Continue reading
A reader writes: Once I asked my daughter (12 years old at the time) what she would do if she were stranded alone on a deserted island (I was looking for some drive in her). She said she would die. … Continue reading
The ‘government shutdown’ is really a crisis for career politicians and their dependents, more than anyone else. However, the issue runs deeper than that. At stake in the ongoing government fiscal crisis is the future of the entitlement mentality. The … Continue reading
“I will tell the truth in the face of the sweet talk and the onslaught of smiles.’ So says Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He’s responding to the ‘smiley campaign’ of Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani. Last week at the … Continue reading
On the floor of the U.S. Senate last Friday [9/27/13], Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) said that ‘a very wealthy group of people’ are backing the Tea Party in what Reid described as an ‘effort to destroy our government.’ … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: I’m trying to understand why I recently had an affair. My wife found out and it hurt her greatly, as well as humiliating me. Can you help me understand why I did this? I’m not looking for … Continue reading