If you saw somebody trying to put out a fire with gasoline, your reaction would most likely be: “Stop!” If the person turned to you and said, “Well, I didn’t start the fire!” you’d be dumbfounded. Perhaps that’s why 70 … Continue reading
Q: Dear Dr. Hurd, I have been reading your columns for awhile now. I understand that you oppose the idea that morality is supernatural, derived from God, or in any way religious. What you do seem to be saying is … Continue reading
You’d think that President Jimmy Carter’s former pollster would be one of Obama’s biggest apologists. Not so much. Here’s what former Carter aide and supporter — Patrick Caddell — has to say about Barack and his party: ‘President Obama’s undoing … Continue reading
Many people suffer from the false belief that, “These bad things happened in my childhood, and they ruined me.” It’s like saying, “I’m damaged goods.” Actually, no such thing is true — or could be true. The damage from the … Continue reading
A moral person is not someone who follows arbitrary rules or commands. A moral person is not someone who answers to “God.” A moral person is actually someone who “answers” to objective reality, something ascertained and understood through the honest … Continue reading
‘So long as our leaders tell us that we must trust them to regulate and redistribute our way back to prosperity, we will not break out of this economic quagmire,’ says Daniel S. Loeb, a prominent hedge fund manager on … Continue reading
Hi Dr. Hurd: I read your “Daily Dose” column and am getting a kick out of these “excuses” and “toxic euphemisms.” One such excuse I have in mind is that of Borderline Personality Disorder. Translation: “I am a jerk and … Continue reading
As the late George Carlin used to say, “It’s all B.S. — and it’s all bad for you.” Such is the state of American culture at this point in time. Readers continue to send in great examples of toxic euphemisms … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: In the Aug. 23 Daily Dose of Reason, you asked us to send in psychobabble euphemisms that we’ve heard, along with our translations. Here’s mine: My ex-therapist: “You’re suffering from childhood trauma.” Translation: “I’ve rooted out a … Continue reading
“I’m having a bad day.” Translation: “I’m letting everything get to me and I have no power over making myself happy at all!” “He/She makes me so mad!” Translation: “Someone else has that kind of power over how I react … Continue reading
Always listen to what people DO, not to what they say. If the two are in sync, then you’re fine. If the two conflict, then you’ll know what the truth really is.
Americans are hopeful that their economy will rebound, in time. Most are still hopeful that Obama and his Washington cohorts will steer or drive that economy towards eventual recovery and prosperity. Frankly, even some Republicans I talk to actually believe … Continue reading