Category Archives: Psychology

How To Be Crazy — Constructively

Posted on April 11, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

A while back, I wrote about “How Not To Be Crazy.” And if you must choose between being totally crazy and being totally sane, it’s better to be sane. But let’s face it: total sanity is kind of a barren … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Cervantes, Don Quixote, Evolutionary Psychology, First-world problems, In-Group, Insane, Manichaean, Manichaeism, Out-Group, Quixotic, Simplistic thinking, Social Conflict | 2 Comments

Advantages of Getting Older

Posted on April 6, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

I got some reading glasses today. However, they’re not actually for reading. I can do that fine except with paperback Hebrew dictionaries, whose print is almost microscopic. I gave up on those a long time ago, and got a magnifying … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Psychology, Society | Tagged Aging, Millennials, Older, Optimism, Positive thinking, Presbyopia, Rationality, Reading glasses, Skepticism, Tolerance | 3 Comments

I Did Something Stupid Today

Posted on April 4, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

I did something stupid today. I got mad at my phone. And that’s a big part of what’s wrong with the world. Not the fact that I got mad. I’m obviously not that powerful. And thank goodness that I’m not: … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Psychology, Society | Tagged Anger, Blaming, Externalization, Irrational behavior, Irrationality, Projection, Social Conflict, Stupid, Stupidity | 2 Comments

Touching on Joe Biden

Posted on March 31, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

I try to keep this blog non-political, and this blog post is no exception. It’s neither to support Joe Biden nor to denounce him. It’s just about my own personal experiences and thoughts. As most people know, Biden is preparing … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged 2020 election, Biden, Democratic Party, Elderly, Harassment, Politics, Presidential campaign, Sexual Harassment, Unwanted touching | 2 Comments

Do WMDs Make Religion Too Risky?

Posted on March 27, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

On his blog, philosopher Eric Kaplan posed a serious question (paraphrased here): If our weapons can destroy all life on earth, can we still afford to believe in a God who plays favorites? People sometimes claim that God is “… … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Epistemology, Jewish Philosophy, Judaism, Philosophy, Psychology | Tagged Aggression, Atheism, Belief in God, Kin Selection, Philosophy of Religion, Religion, Sapolsky, Steven Weinberg, Theism, War | 3 Comments

Why Power Corrupts Us

Posted on March 23, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

Power tends to corrupt us. So do privilege and status. Of course, we like to believe that it happens only to other people. We could never be corrupted by power and privilege. We’re too good for that. Unfortunately, however, we’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Psychology | Tagged Consideration for others, Courage, Empathy, Power, Power corrupts, Privilege, Serenity, Wisdom | 3 Comments

We Are What We Are

Posted on March 21, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

We are what we are. The only question is what we choose to do about it. When I worked on Capitol Hill, I knew a political writer who was a nasty, hateful person. Then he became a Christian. And — … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Human Relations, Judaism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazim, DNA, Evolution, Globalism, Group behavior, Hillel, In-Group, Kin Selection, Moment Magazine, Nationalism, Open borders, Out-Group, Proxy variable, Yoram Hazony | Leave a comment

Beware of Double Standards

Posted on March 16, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

Nobody likes double standards, at least in theory. Double standards treat people differently for reasons that normally shouldn’t make a difference. For example, consider last week’s university admissions scandal. Some students got admitted on their merits. They’re angry that a … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Psychology, Society | Tagged Admissions consultant, College admissions, College admissions scandal, Double standards, Higher education, Hypocrisy, Social trust, Unfairness | Leave a comment

You’re Responsible for You

Posted on March 14, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

When you’re a small child, you feel that everything is about you. Your parents often encourage that delusion. They try to create a bubble where your needs are satisfied, your feelings are considered, and your safety is ensured. It’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Psychology | Tagged Acceptance, Courage, Humility, Mental Health, Rationality, Realism, Self-Respect | Leave a comment

A Retro Idea to Improve the Net

Posted on March 6, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

In 1949, the legendary American comedian Groucho Marx resigned from the Friars Club of Beverly Hills. His reason? “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.” A lot of people are … Continue reading →