…I’m going to weigh the pros and cons and evaluate whether my emotions are valid, partially valid, or maybe even groundless.’ This is what people who engage in flawed reasoning (and then end up ‘apologizing’ all over themselves) don’t do. Reason should always trump feelings. This doesn’t mean feelings are bad, or that reason is always correct. But facts and logic are the only means through which we can choose to indulge — or reject — our emotions…. Continue reading
…chology and relationships. A lot of people have a lot of work to do in this area. The good news: You do not have to be a victim of it, nor a victimizer, if you pay attention to it. Be sure to “friend” Dr. Hurd on Facebook. Search under “Michael Hurd” (Rehoboth Beach DE). Get up-to-the-minute postings, recommended articles and links, and engage in back-and-forth discussion with Dr. Hurd on topics of interest. Also follow Dr. Hurd on Twitt… Continue reading
…nvalid claim that government should (or can) have anything to do with this valid thing coming about. Government could help much more by getting out of the way, getting out of families’ lives, leaving them alone and holding them accountable for their actions so more of them would learn, on their own, how to properly feed their children. I wouldn’t defend Michelle Obama by defending people like Nancy Reagan, because Nancy Reagan had no more business… Continue reading
…l or believe that you deserve it. A sense of entitlement can be valid. For example, you pay money for a television, computer or car. You’re entitled to have that car work as advertised and promised. You sign a contract with a real estate agent or a home builder. You’re entitled to have that contract honored. Someone gives you their word they will do something. Whether that word is legally binding, you’re morally entitled to expect them to keep the… Continue reading
…ecomes a problem when you relegate your assessments of other people to the realm of unexamined emotions. It’s like flying an airplane without eyesight. You can’t expect your judgements to be based on emotions alone, because emotions can either be valid or groundless. They are, by nature, neither automatically right, nor automatically wrong. Conscious, clear-headed thinking must be used to separate fact from fiction. Many of us swing between two fa… Continue reading
…career while I still retain what I have, perhaps with a few changes.” This combination of circumstances might not exist, especially if real estate issues are factored in. Though monumentally significant, none of these are reasons to not have an ongoing discussion where “…we don’t stop until we’ve exhausted every possibility.” Here’s how it should work: (1) Partner A wants a change that Partner B does not initially want. (2) Both partners take the… Continue reading
…It takes time and many more repeated experiences to learn what someone is really like, and how good of a match they really are for you. And this all assumes the person feels the same way back. Most of us are not delusional or going through life in a drug-induced stupor. But our minds do have a propensity for “making people up.” For that reason, it’s advisable to proceed with facts and logic as always part of the mix. Keep your judgment handy even… Continue reading
…cal abusers employ stealth humor because they know their criticisms aren’t valid and won’t stand up to the light of day. And valid or not, it’s beside the point anyway. The subtle abuser isn’t trying to help anybody. He’s not saying, ‘I believe in you. You can do better! Can I please make a suggestion?’ His veiled disapproval is meant to put you down or make you feel bad so that he can feel better about himself. Stealth humor is perfect for anyone… Continue reading
…truly incredible. The television shows Homeland and House of Cards do not compare to what’s happening in real life these days. The media, academia, the “deep state” federal agencies such as the FBI and the Democratic Party are dominated by hard left conspiracy theorists. Who would ever have thought it? The fundamental error of a conspiracy theory is that it’s irrational and arbitrary. It relies on an arbitrary assumption that certain facts exist… Continue reading
…etermined by philosophical beliefs and ideas. In that context, look at the latest poll findings from RasmussenReports.com [from 2-20-15]: Most Americans think the president shouldn’t be able to ignore the courts – but nearly half of Democrats disagree, a new poll shows. The Rasmussen Reports survey finds 60 percent believe the commander in chief shouldn’t be able to ignore federal court decisions, with just 26 percent disagreeing. “But perhaps mor… Continue reading
…titled to something is not a guarantee that you’ll receive it. People have free choices and free will. No matter how valid it might be to assume another should do something, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact of whether he or she will do it. Entitlement becomes a neurosis, a disturbance or a dysfunctional syndrome when people treat their emotions of entitlement as the equivalent of facts. It sounds like that may be what went on here. Th… Continue reading
…gs might carry the day, despite any tough talk from the past? Isn’t that a valid, real and practical concern? Or are we to assume that religious conservatives like this take none of their beliefs seriously? And if that is true, what does that say about their integrity and trustworthiness? The same goes for economic matters. Ted Cruz says he opposes Obama’s taking over of the private sector. But will Cruz’s deeply Christian beliefs of service to ot… Continue reading