Fate whispers to the warrior, “You can not withstand the storm.”The warrior whispers back, “I am the storm.” —Jake Remington To call life the storm would be tempting but not quite right. It is the world that is the storm; the thing we struggle to navigate; the situations and environments that try us, and break …
“The present time has one advantage over every other—it is our own.” (Charles Caleb Colton) People say that there’s a lesson to be had from COVID-19; that as a species, we have something to learn from the recent pandemic. Perhaps it will remind us of what really matters in life, or perhaps it will alter …
A koala sits among burnt trees after bushfires on Kangaroo Island, Australia, January 14, 2020 (RSPCA South Australia/via REUTERS): I do not wish to depress you, or to bring you down. I do not wish to overwhelm you or to inspire hopelessness. I do not wish to break your heart. I simply wish to wake …
If there’s one new year’s resolution we all need to make, it’s to be more humble. We need to listen more, and speak less. See the strength in modesty. And renounce our egos—or try to. Because the world depends on it. Most of our problems today are driven by what lies opposite to humility: egotism, …
We have become complacent; and in our pursuit of happiness, we desire to be content above all else. I used to believe that judgment was something to be avoided, at least consciously so, in so much that I had no right to compare my losses to those of others; no right to judge my experiences …
For all the climate change deniers and doubters among us, the following three points warrant some further deliberation. (And if you’re already convinced, they may prove helpful in future debates.) 1. Climate change science IS good science. What makes good science? The ability to make reliable predictions, for one. Contrary to what you may have …
It’s hardly necessary to look for evidence that the world is in need of serious change—that we are in need of change. Indeed, the idea that we are overdue for a revolution is hardly novel. The need for large-scale change is substantiated by a variety of global developments, from rising nationalism and xenophobia to unabated …
An alternative title for this post went something like this: “Coping with Climate Change: What to Do When the World Begins to Burn.” That sounds pretty ominous, I know, and while I struggle to be a realist about our current circumstances, it is not my goal to inspire fear or despair. I do not believe …
What’s in a like? Not much, really—another toggle from 0 and 1; an electronic stamp of approval, existing nowhere real and barely contemplated. It is reactionary. Visible, yes, but hardly tangible. Constructed. Created. Imaginary. But it feels good. And sometimes it even matters. This week, in my Psych Café series at UBC (in which my …
Narcissism, egotism, aggression, dishonesty, far-right extremism, xenophobia, and white nationalism—all elements of the growing sociocultural phenomenon known as Trumpism—are on the rise around the world, affecting citizens and politicians alike, and compromising our efforts to promote and uphold the common good. This is how to stop it… What follows is a slightly revised, late-night train …
Disabling Trumpism: Target the Followers, Not their Leader Read More »