Honesty is a consequence of wanting the truth. One refuses to lie because one doesn’t want to dishonor the truth. Most are confused about this, and think that the purpose of honesty is to be fair to others. It is … Continue reading
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Greens: Get to the Point!
Here’s a question: If it will take 10 or 15 years for newly drilled oil to reach the American market, as liberals and environmentalists claim, then why wasn’t action taken 10 or 15 years ago–when President Clinton could have easily … Continue reading
A Can-Do “Prayer”
An alternative to “I can’t”: “I am able to succeed at living. This is because I have a mind that can know reality and be right. My mind is intelligent enough to set a long range goal. My mind is … Continue reading
Trapped?
One of the most common causes of depression or any other kind of emotional malaise is feeling trapped. In reality: You’re rarely trapped. The more you think you are, the more depressed you will feel. But feelings are not facts. … Continue reading
Oil Rage
Politicians and media pundits keep saying: “Everyone’s so ANGRY about the soaring gas prices.” Are you angry? I’m not. I don’t know anybody who is, either. Just about everyone I know–myself included–is concerned about gas prices. The concern arises from … Continue reading
Office Hostility
Q: Dr. Hurd: What fundamentally motivates people who continue to act in a disagreeable way even after you confront them about it? For example, my coworker intermittently makes indirect suggestions that I am gay. I am not, and I eventually … Continue reading
When Friends Don’t Do What You Want
Remember that being someone’s friend doesn’t mean always agreeing with them. And sometimes disagreeing with them means that sometimes, while you’re respectful of their making their own choices, you’re not going to enable or participate in those choices. If a … Continue reading
Half a Right Is No Right
Q: What exactly goes through the minds of people who rationalize an unwritten “social contract” to justify having to pay taxes and such? It’s quite obnoxious having that same useless drivel brought up again and again whenever I get into … Continue reading
Conflict–Not So Bad?
Avoiding conflict is never a rational motive, and never leads to a “safe” choice. People lie to avoid conflict. In the process, they do damage to themselves and eventually to others they intended to protect, when the lie is exposed. … Continue reading
Stubborn
Persistence is what you exhibit when you know you’re right, why you’re right, and why you have no choice but to stand firm. Stubbornness is when you feel right, you’re not sure why, but you’re sure not going to let … Continue reading
Lies and White Lies
Q: Considering the different degrees of lying, should you dissociate yourself with someone who white lies? My thought is the leap between white lying and all out major lies is very, very small. If a person will white lie to … Continue reading
There IS a Point to Not Voting
Q: Dr. Hurd, I agree with you that the choice for President is terrible. I want greater freedom and individual rights in both the personal and economic realm, and I want a strong, principled defense against terrorism. But I’m voting … Continue reading