Self help books, I tend to avoid them as I normally find their content lacking. The Happiness Trap however deviates from that trend and delivers a solid, practical method of changing your mindset. The author (Russ Harris) draws from ACT (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance_and_commitment_therapy) to get his points across. He does so in a humble fashion, even suggesting … Continue reading “The Happiness Trap, a Review”
Let’s take a trip back in time to the spring of 2007 and my first and only semester at a Christian college. These were the middle ages of the internet, between dialup and the ubiquity of the smart phone. There was no web browser in your pocket, getting online required you to sit down and … Continue reading “Does Facebook Actually Have Any Positive Value?”
Inevitably there will be some days when it seems that the world is conspiring against us. You will have issues at work, relationships, health, finances, etc. Sometimes these challenges have a quick solution but there as cases where it’s a long drawn out battle. When that battle ramps up to a war of attrition, we … Continue reading “The Blank Painting”
In the American Southwest lies a hypothetical college town called Reflejos, AZ. It is a clean and quiet place only disturbed by the occasional school event. The peace extends from corner to corner of the city with once exception, a notorious street near the downtown area ironically named Church Ave. This area is rampant with … Continue reading “Moral Outrage Culture and its Unintended Consequences.”
Imagine the following scenario: A team of researches at a well known university sequence obscure segments of human DNA. These ones in particular are thought to have remained unchanged throughout the history of life. We share them in common with all lifeforms, they’re present in the most primitive of microorganisms. One night someone was tasked … Continue reading “Are We Really Freethinkers as Atheists?”
Amy is a 20-something year old who doesn’t feel as healthy as she should for her age. In response, she improves her diet cutting out sugar, carbs, and processed foods. She gradually feels better and her physical appearance improves. This sense of well being combined with positive feedback pushes her on. One day Amy hears … Continue reading “How NOT to Show Others the “Light”, The Psychological Quirk of Reactance.”
Out of my recent pics, I chose that image for a reason. It captures the feeling of this part of the country concisely. Most people think of this area as the middle of nowhere or just a desert, but it’s more than that. I see it as a giant Zen garden, simple, mostly empty, the … Continue reading “The Desert Southwest”
Imagine a boy brought into this world under subpar conditions. His parents lack the time, interest, or knowledge to shape him into a well rounded individual. We will call this hypothetical person Brian. Brian is instead raised by a television set or some tablet in isolation. He’s bombarded by media that imparts false expectations of … Continue reading “The Incel Question and the Black Pill”
On April 23rd, Alek Minassian conducted a van attack down Yonge Street in Toronto. This was the first of these incidents to occur at a place where I’ve walked in person before. Since it was an “it could have been me” moment, I payed close attention to the aftermath. Sadly, we all know how the … Continue reading “How Politics Divide Us, Part 4: The Death of Empathy”
We continue with our diametrically opposed duo, Jake and Mary. The first semester at XYZ University is picking up and both students are settling into their respective places. They found the dorms lacking and opted for small apartment units near the school. Utilities have been included with their rents except for cable and internet. They … Continue reading “How Politics Divide Us, Part 3: Bundled Belief Systems”