Two people wrote to me recently (a stranger and a good friend) who are going through some pretty turbulent times in their lives. The stranger is going through family chaos and health issues, just barely keeping their head above water, just trying to survive. The good friend is going through a time of feeling down,…
Tag: health
Safe Spaces Make Sense, but Not Always
Conflict regarding the desire for safe spaces is no different on a fundamental level than conflict regarding speech and behavior. Case in point: the hue and cry for “safe spaces” on college campuses. Should college campuses have safe spaces? Should the entire college campus be a safe space?
A Guide to Letting Go of Shame & Fear
We allow fear to cause us to shrink from taking the action we want, or to make those actions less enjoyable. We allow shame to make us feel bad about ourselves and our lives, degrading our happiness and relationships. What would it be like if you were free of shame? How would you act if you were free of fear?
How to Become a Self-Help Rock Star
Today I would like to say something about the value of enthusiasm and optimism, but the chances are high that you’ve already heard a million quotes about the virtues of whistling while you work or the value of doing everyday chores with a sense of pride. Instead of giving you another quote about this topic, I’ll share an important distinction: Inspirational philosophy versus Inspired practice.
Misplaced Trust
If someone hated you and wanted you to die, would you follow their health advice? Would you let them talk you into behaviors you knew were risky? Would you listen to them at all? Yet, people let government employees tell them what rights they have.
A Proposal: Cut the Court
President Trump should announce that he is holding off on appointing a successor for Kennedy and asking Congress to reduce the size of the Court to seven justices, effective with the NEXT retirement. If Congress complies, that next retirement will likely be Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is 85 and holding on for dear life rather than allow her successor to be chosen by a Republican president.
The Magic of Seeing Everything as Sacred
What would happen if we changed the way we saw every single thing around us, including other people, including ourselves, including every little thing we see?
Libertarian Criticisms Miss Mark
Libertarians are scolded for heartlessly refusing to admit the protection government provides society against bad guys. Except when those bad guys are politically connected, hold an office, or run one of the thousands of bureaucratic positions used to rob and control members of society in the name of governing. You can’t protect society by sacrificing the individuals who comprise it.
An Unschooling Tale: From Watching YouTube to Reading Financial Statements
Were you voluntarily reading financial statements at age nine? I certainly wasn’t. And I’m fairly certain that the first time I read one was to prepare for a test, not because I was personally curious about an organization’s economic health.
You Are Surrounded by Alternate Universes
I don’t see a lot of evidence for the actual existence of alternate universes. That sort of thing seems to be beyond the possibility of proving, almost by definition. But there is a metaphorical sense in which choices add up to make alternate universes. We get to see the results of the choices we didn’t make in the other people who did make them. In other words, other people = alternate universes.