So to put it simply, forcing people to choose is not always wise, and remaining neutral is not always possible. — Richard Thayer, author of Nudge It’s always easier to identify problems rather than provide solutions. Just ask my dentist. Unfortunately, it’s no different in psychology, where the purpose of the field—arguably more than any other…
But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. — George Orwell, 1984 Language is powerful. Probably more powerful than you think. For although “sticks and stones can break bones,” words can topple nations. It is language that provides the basis for record keeping. It is language that allows us to have laws that govern…
Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt that they are right. — Laurens Van der Post People often ask me: What’s your favorite theory in social psychology? But often what I think they’re really asking is what’s the most important theory? So let me tell you: naïve realism. Naïve realism asserts that humans…
If you wish to make a man happy, add not to his riches but take away from his desires. — Epicurus Depending on who you voted for this presidential election, this post may be particularly relevant to you. It builds off another post I wrote four years and a day ago, where I gave some psychological…
In the past, men created witches; now they create mental patients. — Thomas Szasz As we discussed last week, under certain circumstances or through certain disorders, people can experience some true, nighttime terrors—literal hallucinations where the evil doer is not dreamed but seen in front of the perceiver. And although these phantasms were short-lasting, with the…
Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting. — J.M. Barrie, With great sorrow, I regret to inform you that this will be my last ever blog post. Sadly, schoolwork is just piling up. Outside demands are growing. And in truth, my motivation to continue writing this blog has abandoned…