A sense of “Being” is one important criterion we use when evaluating whether we have lived evolved lives. We assess whether our lives that have been meaningful and fulfilling by examining the “Four B’s,” which include “Being,” (personal) “Belonging” (social), “Believing” (values) and “Benevolence” (altruism). “Belonging” was the subject of my last column, […]
BELONGING and LONELINESS Those of you familiar with my writings know that I consider “Belonging” to be one of “The Four B’s,” the cornerstones of how we evaluate our worthiness. The others in this ‘quartet of life quality’ are Being, Believing and Benevolence. Individuals with a sense of Belonging have meaningful relationships with others who like and appreciate […]
If you walked on many a university campus today you might conclude that national and international issues confronting society have taken a back seat to other concerns. To be sure, some college students express concerns about the worries of the world (wars, economic and racial disparities, immigrants on perilous journeys, climate change, terrorists, […]
We’ve repeatedly heard the term “demagogue” in the media and blogosphere, and in political discourse. So just who is a demagogue? You know it refers to a charismatic political leader (or wannabe) whose vociferous words and outspoken opinions are persuasive to many people, but are found to be offensive or threatening by others. Demagogues tend to be narcissistic and authoritarian, […]
Whenever a well-known person gets into serious self-inflicted trouble, like fiscal improprieties, sexual escapades, substance abuse or other unacceptable personal behavior, a predictable pattern of public reaction ensues. First the misadventure brings forth expressions of harsh criticism, disappointment and anger, and demands for confession of guilt and of remorse. But this is soon followed by an onslaught of “piling on” in the […]
We appear to be living in an era of incivility. There is constant spewing of aggressive comments and derogatory insults on radio and television, in political campaigns, in business and athletics, and certainly in the trolling blogosphere. Equally troubling, we often witness rudeness in our everyday lives, in the streets and stores, and even in many […]
The adage in the title is translated from the original German (“Mann tracht un Gott lacht.”), and refers to the fact that, plan as we might, unpredictable events will still happen in our lives, for better or for worse. The randomness of life has challenged us since the dawn of humanity. Most of us strive to bring […]
May people live in insular worlds made up of “us” and “them.” The us people are more comfortable when they are among those with whom they share common backgrounds, customs, traits and values. When they are among the them people, they may feel a sense of unease, even of estrangement. The us people might […]
Saul Levine M.D.Our Emotional Footprint Psychological and Political Polarization are Toxic We are a politically paralyzed and polarized country, but is this more about our differing psychological perceptions? Our democratic political system is acrimoniously divided. The politicians we elect hold diametrically opposed sentiments, with extremist views on the liberal left and […]
Many Americans are passionate fans of the Kardashians, who are a well-known reality TV family made up of diverse “Beautiful People.” They are omnipresent in the media and avidly followed via their show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” Why? They haven’t given the world new ideas, artistic works or musical performances, athletic achievements, literary contributions, scientific […]