People keep talking about the Tiger Woods scandal as a “teachable moment.” They debate whether or not it is, in fact, a teachable moment “for us” or whether it isn’t. My question: Why does something that some celebrity does have … Continue reading
In psychological theory, there is something called the ‘ideal self.’ A person is thought to hold, consciously or subconsciously, a view of the person he’s supposed to be. If the ideal is rational, there’s no serious problem with this, but … Continue reading
Don’t worry about what others say or think. You know what your track record is — good or bad. You were there.
The most important function of government — making it the only acceptable alternative to anarchy — is the protection of the individual from physical force. Governments cannot prevent people from becoming criminals, of course, and much criminal punishment comes after … Continue reading
Will the truth set you free? Absolutely. If something really is true, it’s part of reality. You’re much better off in contact with reality than not. If you’re ignorant, knowing what’s true sets you free to be knowledgable. If you’re … Continue reading
Several people wrote and asked me if there are ways to battle “seasonal affective disorder” (SAD) either mentally or cognitively, as opposed to biochemically. My answer is yes, it is definitely worth a try. If you find that you get … Continue reading
Many people have a false idea that the end of a relationship, or a divorce, is a “failure.” It isn’t, necessarily. All that it really means is that the two members of the relationship no longer satisfy each other. Failure … Continue reading
Intelligence is the ability to think in terms of abstract concepts, as opposed to merely perceiving persons, places and things. Brilliance is when those abstract concepts prove to be true.
Obama’s forthcoming war in Afghanistan rests on the same flawed foundation as did Bush’s war in Iraq: It’s not winnable. I don’t mean it’s unwinnable militarily; it’s unwinnable conceptually, and therefore military victory is beside the point. The inability of … Continue reading
To be “thankful” means to have something to cheer, or to celebrate. In order to have something to celebrate, you first have to embrace life. Embracing life is not just a wish, but an ongoing rational task requiring effort and … Continue reading
Is America too big to fail? No. America was based on big, sound ideas. These ideas included individual rights, freedom, and private property. They included rationality in the sense of people thinking, and being responsible, for themselves. These big, sound … Continue reading
Anxiety (when it’s not rational) is usually the result of insufficient self-esteem. Self-esteem consists of two parts: Self-efficacy and self-worth. Self-efficacy refers to the view that one is competent, and self-worth refers to the view that one deserves the results of one’s … Continue reading