One thing, though, is the repeated attempt toward good and the desire for such. Yes, one does think of finally having arrived at a place, to a state of solution from which evil no longer rises. Philosophers have wanted that; religious texts speak of it. Both of these in the ideas of Utopia, of Paradise, or of Heaven (Hell, even, as a symbol of judgment) are ideas of that finality. It is the human desire for relief, again manifest in what humans think and aspire for as societies and individuals.
The ability to perceive, and to look deeper than mere appearances is a truly wonderful gift. Deeper insight is in the very constitution of some from birth. For others, it can at best be a gained skill. While for the former it comes effortlessly and naturally, for the latter it comes as a labored, deliberate […]
In this interconnected modern world, there are possibilities like never before. The possibility of discovering optimistic individuals who can contribute positively to our world is definitely there. It is with optimism for such a possibility that enormous efforts have been made. From a local level to the global, this possibility drives so much human communication. […]
John Steinbeck is a great writer, as the Nobel committee seemed to have suggested. He answered the recognition in his own way. It is a pleasure even reading his quotes. As he says, understanding other people – that would seem rather obvious to be the cornerstone of communal living, of individuals co-existing in society. While […]
The self is one of the earliest realities a person becomes aware of. Right from the time a child is born, he becomes aware of his own self. He senses and responds to his environment. He feels hunger, pain, and also the pleasurable sensations of being held and fed. In all of this, the child […]
It is difficult to communicate with others if you do not have any confidence in them. One of the things that make being a human special is the ability to communicate. It is the ability to put thoughts into words that make us unique. It is also, thus, reasonable to conclude that we alone are […]
There isn’t a greater art and more of it needed at this time than of engaging with people. Engaging with people should be considered the end of all philosophy, systems of belief, or even the systems of society. When a person engages in thinking out solutions to issues or attempts to foresee the end of […]
It has been observed in recent times, how the more we discuss matters the more we move away from peace. This cannot possibly be created by any one person or group of persons. The masses of millions of people who take out a portion from their own time to engage in arguments and debates have […]
I remember my father as a wise man. He acquired a wisdom that comes from doing work with his own hands, tinkering with any machine for hours and finding a fix when many others would simply give up. And he had the gift of interacting with people face-to-face with an uncommon familiarity. I don’t know […]
A [creative] boy will toil up hill with a toboggan for the sake of the few brief moments of bliss during the descent; no one has to urge him to be industrious, and however he may puff and pant he is still happy. But if instead of the immediate reward you promised him an old-age pension at […]
A true community is not just about being geographically close to someone or part of the same social web network. It’s about feeling connected and responsible for what happens. Humanity is our ultimate community, and everyone plays a crucial role. ~ Yehuda Berg It is a particular trait among thinkers and of their thinking to […]
Bipolar disorder has become the accepted name given to the manifest inner conflicts of disturbed individuals. While there are questions and concerns over the diagnosis of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) itself, there are special considerations that arise as a person’s beliefs are considered. The source of those beliefs also invariably comes into question. Aside from […]
It seems the most common of tendencies, and almost instinctive for us to compare ourselves with another. We are competing in appearances, in words, in wealth, education, nation, or some other reason that human society has developed to put a division in the family. Our comparisons produce envy and jealousy, but also the aspiring to […]
What is Jumping to conclusions? Jumping to conclusions (officially the jumping conclusion bias, often abbreviated as JTC, and also referred to as the inference-observation confusion[1]) is a psychological term referring to a communication obstacle where one “judge[s] or decide[s] something without having all the facts; to reach unwarranted conclusions”.[2][3] In other words, “when I fail to distinguish between what I […]
The algorithm used in the Facebook data breach trawled through personal data for information on sexual orientation, race, gender – and even intelligence and childhood trauma Source: How Cambridge Analytica turned Facebook ‘likes’ into a lucrative political tool | Technology | The Guardian Public data has become a means of dispassionately looking at humanity for […]
To look upon the conflicts of mankind is an experience of great dismay. Yes, there are those who have firmly come to the conclusion that to be in a state of perpetual conflict and infighting is human destiny. For we seem to have evolved from the lower state of existence through our struggles, developed into […]
Mentors and teachers are a special gift to human society. These cannot simply be understood to be professions or titles, or some kind of a degree that is earned from an institution. Rather, these are linked to the personal qualities and concerns of the individual. Even more so, it is connected with how a person […]