How to ensure that anger is constructive, not destructive
We all sometimes encounter injustice and brutality, as when we see police excesses against the helpless. If such experiences make us feel outraged, that is [...]
Honestly dishonest?
Suppose a person does something because they are misled. To help them correct themselves, they need to be shown how they are being misled. We [...]
How to get insights?
We often want to get fresh insights so that we can be wiser, smarter, happier. If, however, we think of insight primarily as coming up [...]
Discreet Indiscretions?
When we succumb to some wrongdoings, if they are minor, we may downplay them by considering them mere indiscretions. And we may do those [...]
How to hold others accountable without becoming judgmental
Suppose police remain silent while a rioting mob lynches hapless victims. For such an alarming dereliction of duty, the police need to be held accountable. [...]
How to be moral without becoming judgmental
How to be moral without becoming judgmental Morality essentially centers on discerning which activities are acceptable and which aren't. If we can’t or don’t make [...]
Protecting ourselves by defining and defending boundaries
Suppose a country has a hostile neighbor, who is constantly trying to infiltrate into its territory. If the boundary between the two countries is not [...]
How to deal with fear of the future
How to deal with fear of the future Whenever we face situations wherein our future seems dark and dangerous, our mind starts becoming paranoid. The [...]
Two ways to deal with dissatisfaction
Two ways to deal with dissatisfaction When we see some things we don’t have — a bigger house, a faster car, a newer phone — [...]
From worthless anxiety to worthwhile anxiety
As life’s uncertainties make us anxious, we often long to be anxiety-free. Curiously however, when we are relatively free from anxiety, as when we are [...]
Are we devaluing our life?
If someone devalued our life, treating it as if it were worthless, we would oppose, and oppose fiercely. Yet we often unwittingly undervalue the resource [...]
Desire — curbed or cured?
Our desires sometimes get us into big trouble, as when we get lured into an addictive indulgence or a toxic relationship. On being thus misled, [...]
Wrong to say others are wrong?
We live in a world where people have varying viewpoints, some that seem acceptable to us and some that seem utterly unacceptable or even unconscionable [...]
War won, territory lost?
Suppose an army fought determinedly against an enemy and won the war — yet lost the disputed territory. How might that happen? Maybe another regiment [...]
Don’t just be remorseful — be resourceful too
We all stumble and fall at times. And sometimes our mistakes have serious, even grievous, consequences. On committing such mistakes, it's natural and necessary that [...]
Capitalism, communism, materialism
Recent human history has been characterized by an ideological war between capitalism and communism (or its milder cousin socialism). Despite their history of confrontation, both [...]
How to deal with discouragement
How to deal with discouragement Suppose we have an ability, but don’t have any forum for expressing it. Becoming discouraged, we stay silent. In general, [...]
How attachment blinds without letting us realize that we are blinded
Suppose an aggressor attacks a person and brutally destroys their eyes. We would consider that aggressor atrocious. Shockingly, we all are attacked by a terrible [...]
Without inner knowledge, outer knowledge can become useless
Suppose we live in a locality where thieves ambush people walking through the streets. We need to know how to protect ourselves from those thieves. [...]
Are emotions subjective or objective?
Our emotions shape us significantly. What enlivens us, what enrages us, what enchants us — all this reveals who we are. What triggers attraction in [...]
Why we prefer outer news to inner news?
By exploring our inner world and learning about ourselves, we can better tap our abilities and increase our contributions. This is far more beneficial than [...]