In Back to the Future, a pivotal moment surrounds Marty McFly’s ability to cement his parents’ romance—in the past. His entire existence, his future, hinges on a single moment in time. Marty’s parents, George McFly and Lorraine Baine, fell in love at the ‘Enchantment Under the Sea’ Dance on November 12, 1955. This is when …
Rising sea levels, ocean acidification, deforestation, ecological collapse—should our time on Earth end early, these are just a few of the ways in which catastrophe will unfold, given current trends. But these things are not our real killers… From a psychological perspective, it would be wise to consider the human qualities underlying the environmental changes …
The World Will End in Apathy & Entitlement (Or, Our Killer is Narcissism) Read More »
What is tolerance? What does it mean to be tolerant? And what exactly is it that should be tolerated? On the surface, tolerance seems like a fairly simple and straightforward concept. But one need only read the comment section of any news story or social media post on human rights to see that in application, …
What is it going to take to make this work? This is a question I often ask in my final lecture of Personality Psychology, a class that is both advanced degree fulfillment and crash course in human nature. The question is a reflection on just that—our nature. But it it is an increasingly difficult question …
The future is not as I imagined it would be. In the seventh grade, I submitted a science report entitled Will the Earth Ever End? I admit that I’ve been fascinated with apocalyptic scenarios since I was very young. My science report mentioned everything from environmental collapse to a large-scale alien invasion. In hindsight, I …
Donald Trump now formally occupies what is arguably one of the most powerful seats in the world. On the surface, this may seem like it has very little to do with me or my politics as a Canadian. But when I take a step back, I see the bigger picture. This world is reaching a …
It seems, after all, that in this world we find ourselves together. In quantum physics, there is a theory referred to as the many-worlds interpretation, which postulates the existence of an infinite number of alternate universes, each with a slight variation on past and each with multiple variations on future to come. It is the …
I have recently found myself faced with a peculiar conflict (of the existential variety). In my heart of hearts, I have long considered myself a socialist. I say this not in a strictly political sense, but in a moral one. (Politically, I tend to think of myself as a progressive liberal.) Importantly, I am sensitive …
A Brief Reflection on Individuality and the Need to Connect Read More »
This past summer I taught a course on personality psychology. At the end of the final lecture, I shared a thought that went something like this: It doesn’t matter to me if you like animals. There are many people out there who do not like children, but that doesn’t make it acceptable to abuse children, …
Due Conservation: The Humanity of Non-Human Rights Read More »
As an adolescent, I had a very strong disdain for all things religious. My bet was always on science, and as far as I was concerned, that meant that life had no place for religion. Evolution was my creation story; the primordial sea was my Garden of Eden. And God? Well, let’s just say I …
The Great Religion Debate: How We’ve Got it all Wrong Read More »