Is guilt our favorite way to suffer? I think it is. Shame, fear, and anxiety might be more intense as torments go, but guilt (life’s “fitful fever”—Shakespeare) is the emotional hotspot that flares up most frequently in the backwoods of human nature. And it doesn’t take … [Read more...] about Guilt: A Favorite Way to Suffer
Inner Passivity
Understanding the Psyche of Boys
Boys are being bad, again. They’re displaying “a stunted masculinity,” says the cover story in the current issue of The Atlantic magazine. The article, titled “The Miseducation of the American Boy,” bemoans “the brutal language” of teenagers and young men whose primary values, … [Read more...] about Understanding the Psyche of Boys
Breaking the Chains of Self-Imposed Oppression
There are two main forms of oppression, and we’re candidates for unnecessary suffering if we can’t distinguish between them. Oppression when imposed on others is obviously cruel and harmful. Yet there exists another kind of oppression, a torment we unconsciously place on … [Read more...] about Breaking the Chains of Self-Imposed Oppression
Jordan Peterson’s Blind Spot
With his lectures, interviews, and YouTube exposure, Jordan Peterson is having a positive influence on many thousands of people. The Canadian psychologist has been described as “the most influential public intellectual” in the Western world. He has, however, become a … [Read more...] about Jordan Peterson’s Blind Spot
When Food is Used to Feed Inner Conflict
Food is not always used, as we know, for healthy nourishment. Often it serves an ulterior motive, as a way for us to sneak into psychological mischief and indulge our emotional appetite for unresolved inner conflict. When people struggle with overeating and weight gain, … [Read more...] about When Food is Used to Feed Inner Conflict