Behavioral therapies can be seductive, especially to parents who want a quick fix for a difficult child. The danger of behavioral therapy, however, lies in its failure to recognize the importance of the mind, even in a young child. Granted, … Continue reading
Bullies don’t typically go after people who are physically weak. They go after people who see themselves as wrong, i.e., morally weak. That’s what’s happening right now with terrorism. Terrorism receded for a time after 9/11, but now it’s back, … Continue reading
Unemployment is not going away. It might not be going up, either (at least at the moment), but it’s not going away. Panicked politicians are under pressure to “do something.” So let me get this straight. It’s up to government … Continue reading
Most people form their opinions based on the conclusions of at least one, and usually two or more significant people. It’s as if someone else holding a viewpoint makes it valid or real, but until you find a person holding … Continue reading
Take your dreams seriously. This means taking some action on your dream, almost every day. If your dream is capable of being realized, then you’ll see the progress that springs from action. If your dream is not possible to actualize, … Continue reading
Competition can absolutely be rational. I applaud the value of team sports, both for players and spectators. It’s an optional value, but definitely an objective value in life. People can compete for unhealthy or healthy reasons. You won’t likely know … Continue reading
One form of “magical thinking” is the false belief that someone can “be stopped” from a self-destructive or self-defeating course. The magical thinking starts with the belief, “I should be able to stop him/her.” What follows is, “If I cannot … Continue reading
I read that banks are finding new ways to pass on costs to customers. Examples include higher annual fees on credit cards, elimination of “rewards” programs and the elimination of grace periods for late payments, even one-day grace periods. These … Continue reading
In less enlightened times, people assumed that mental and emotional distress — severe anxiety and depression, for example — had no cause, other than maybe supernatural. Today, it’s assumed that these are totally caused by brain chemistry. But has it … Continue reading
The disappearance of certain sayings from our culture provides some insight as to why there’s so much wrong in the world today. One of these sayings is: Say what you mean and mean what you say. Basically, this refers to … Continue reading
I’m reading a lot about the Great Depression these days. One thing I read is that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the socialist/fascist of his time (as Obama and company are today), stayed popular even though the economy did not improve … Continue reading
Sometimes people rewrite history. They do so after the end of a marriage, romantic relationship or friendship. Rewriting history, in the sense I’m talking about, means altering the facts to suit your new conclusions. It means leaving your own errors … Continue reading