Category: Important Concepts
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Acedia and the Climate Lie, Part 2
The Climate Lie I take this term from what I read in The Climate Mobilization website — it refers to: Our society is living within a massive lie. The lie says, “Everything is fine and we should proceed with business as usual. We are not destroying our climate and, with it, our stability and our…
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Acedia and the Climate Lie, Part 1
If you are like me, you probably have never heard of the concept of acedia. I had not until I started my PhD, this despite more than 50 years of extensive reading. In this post, we look at the nature of acedia, and how it is the cultural norm; next post, I will tie it…
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The Threshold of Anxiety in Global Warming
So what are the factors that block engagement in global warming? In a recent podcast The Big Man Can’t Shoot, journalist Malcolm Gladwell identifies the need for social approval as a major factor in effective choice. Gladwell tells the story of a legendary basketball player with only one flaw: his success rate at free throws…
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Difficulties: solvable or resolvable?
When you have a difficulty, is it solvable? Is global warming solvable? In this post, I want to explore the distinction between solvable and resolvable. To solve something means that the difficulty it represents goes away — you are complete with it. To resolve something means you are at peace with it — it may…
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Digression: difficulties versus problems?
When you encounter issues that trouble you, are they difficulties or are they problems? Is global warming a difficulty, or is it a problem? In this post, I want to clarify the distinction between difficulties and problems — I think it is an important distinction in the issues of cultural maturity. I explain it clearly…
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The factors that determine change
My second digression — a mathematical formula, perhaps scary to some (or many). Bear with me; this formula is actually quite easy to grasp. And appropriate for envisioning a mature society. First, math is nothing more than a way to describe relationships between ideas. The ideas may refer to numbers, shapes, automobiles, or any group…
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The Force Field of Change
I woke up this morning aware that, for me to continue this discussion of envisioning a mature society, there are a number of digressions that I need to introduce. I want my writing to emphasize useful process, rather than utopian ideas. So — the Force Field of Change, the factors that determine change, the differences…
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Read the fine print!
I am so tired of the duplicity of our culture! A colleague Paul Ray sends me lots of information about climate change issues, for which I am very grateful — not only are they usually pertinent, but he often highlights the significant components in the emails he sends. Such is the case here, referring to…
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Are you spiritual? What is spirituality? (Part 2 of 2)
In the first part of this post, I discussed religion; I suggest here that spirituality refers to something broader than religion, but includes religion. If we think of religion as expressed as one dimension (belief systems), spirituality has three dimensions: that of belief systems, value systems (faith development over time), and transformative experience (mystical experience).…
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Are you spiritual? What is spirituality? (Part 1 of 2)
A science that does not incorporate spirituality is dehumanizing; a spirituality that does not include science is delusional. I indicated in my last few posts that I would clarify what I mean by spiritual. When I was a therapist, many of my clients struggled with…
Awakening From Your Anger 