Nobody can deny the progress humans have made in science and technology. But when it comes to moral and political progress, doubts start to rise. Why is that? How can we figure out the truth? Is progress an illusion? Why Are We Critical of Progress? 1. The Illusion of Profundity Pessimism sounds more profound than optimism. "It's all bad" sounds more trustable than "It's all good," if one had to choose. "Harsh truth" sounds more believable than "encouraging fact." This intellectual bias makes … [Read more...]
How to Relieve Emotional Tension in the Face
Let's talk about your face. What's the state of your face right now? The muscular state of your face, that is. Don't look in the mirror. Don't touch your face. Just experience it from within, proprioceptively. Is your face smooth and impressionable like a child's, ready to spontaneously express whatever emotional impulse comes up? Or is your face tense and rigid, stricken by past emotions imprinted in its musculature, perpetuating old memories like reminiscent scars? Emotional distress is … [Read more...]
The Lies Introverts Tell Themselves
What is an introvert? Someone with a natural tendency to spend much of his time alone, to be quiet and reserved in social situations, and to reflect his opinions deeply, to analyze all the time. An extrovert, by contrast, is more inclined to be outgoing, to socialize and make new friends, and to express his opinions freely, to talk all the time. Introversion is simply an inclination, a tendency to behave in a certain way. Any personality is essentially just that—a set of behavioral … [Read more...]
What Archery Taught Me about Worry and Cooler States of Mind
Last Sunday I tried archery for the first time in my life. As always with such things, I was hooked immediately. If it weren't for dinner reservations, I wouldn't have stopped even after six hours of shooting arrows, blood-painting my arm, and straining my shoulder in a bliss of flowing joy. It took me a while to get somewhat comfortable with the primal weapon, but once I had roughly assimilated the basic motor patterns, I learned something fascinating. Whenever I wanted to hit gold, I … [Read more...]
How Cultural Beliefs Affect Willpower
Willpower Metaphors Does using willpower deplete your limited willpower tank? It will, if you think it does. "Let me first rest and refuel my tank" or "I better reserve my self-control energy for later..." But what if you see your will not as a tank that can run out of fuel? Multiple studies have shown that beliefs about self-control are self-fulfilling prophecies. If your willpower is limited, it is probably limited by your willpower limitation anxiety. Not depletion limits your willpower, … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- …
- 17
- Next Page »