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Cialdini’s Heuristics
Wise decisions result in a wise life, and a wise life is as good as it gets.
Making wise decisions does not come naturally.
In recent years, we have learned that to make wise decisions, we must understand two concepts: heuristics and cognitive biases.
The Power of “Because …”
I often opine and whine, but empirical studies support my arguments in this article.
musings from a tortured poet
When
passions bore us
people understand Elizabethan
Warren Buffet files for bankruptcy
Self-Absorption or Self-Transcendence?
What are the benefits of having a self-transcendent purpose in life?
Fiddling While Rome Burns
In 64 AD, a conflagration began devouring Rome. Emperor Nero bothered not, some say, with buckets, hoses, or help. Isn’t our version of Rome now burning in so many ways? And aren’t we fiddling?
May I Have Your Undivided Attention?
Anyone who does not understand the importance of “undivided attention” has never had a small child or a hungry cat.
MTG and the Solar Eclipse of 585 BC
I admit to being a tad ambivalent about the prospect of the solar eclipse of 4/8/24.
Rage – Part One
Like an incurable cancer, rage rages on generation after generation.
We need to stop raging before we all kill each other!
Froot Loops for Dinner, Again?
Almost one in nine Americans—including one in eight children—live in poverty. More than 38 million people living in the United States cannot afford basic necessities. More than a million of our public schoolchildren are homeless, living in motels, cars, shelters, and abandoned buildings.
The Minotaur’s Diary
The Greeks may have been the earliest culture to discover that wisdom came clothed in stories, not lists and rules.
Have You Tried Kvetching?
Hello, and thank you for calling Kvetchers International. We are here 24/7 to listen to your kvetching, or, for those of you who prefer to play the passive recipient, we offer various services at negotiated rates (based on your level of weirdness).
Introducing Festivus 2.0
• Festivus is December 23rd.
• What is “Festivus”?
• For the unfamiliar, search YouTube (Seinfeld, Season 9, Episode 10, “The Strike”).
Writing Tips for NI
This article is primarily for those who have not completely delegated the art of writing clearly to ChatGPT or some other form of AI (NI = natural intelligence).
Icarus Debunked
Most of us are familiar with the end of the story of Daedalus and Icarus.
For those of you who may not appreciate the nuances of Greek mythology, I am dropping you near the end of this story.
Eulogy for Bill Richardson
We have also lost one of the greatest negotiators in history. Bill Richardson was not only the Governor of New Mexico, US Ambassador to the UN, and Secretary of Energy in the Clinton Administration, he was also known as the “Champion of Americans Held Overseas” for all of his missions to rescue Americans held prisoners in hostile countries. As a negotiator, no one, except perhaps Benjamin Franklin, was involved in the number of historic negotiations as Bill Richardson.
Using AI to Develop Your Mission Statement?
What is a “mission statement”? A mission statement is a compass. Unlike other compasses, this is your personal compass.
The Wisdom of Daniel Kahneman
Who the heck is Daniel Kahneman, and why should we be spending valuable time talking about someone who is never on the news, looks like the archetype of a nerdy college professor (adorned in khaki pants and scuffed brown shoes), has never invented an electric car, has never thrown a touchdown pass, and about whom no one has ever described as a “GOAT”?
Is Happiness Sustainable?
As a “Certified Happiness Coach,” I wonder about happiness. Is it sustainable or is it intrinsically fleeting and ephemeral?
Is sustainable happiness realistically achievable - without spending most of your life in a Buddhist monastery?
Gatsby – Part One
In recent months, I have written on abstract topics: positive psychology, uncertainty, wisdom, Stoicism. It’s time to leave the clouds behind, at least temporarily, and sink our collective teeth into a good story.
The Simplicity of Toltec Wisdom
Unjustifiably overlooked, Toltec wisdom occupies the dusty back shelves in the metaphysical sections of used-book stores, ignored by the woo-woo nerds who prefer the mini-Zen of Thich Nhat Hanh and the plethora of pop-Hindu put out by Deepak Chopra (Introduction by Oprah).
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