In his influential paper of 1943, A Theory of Human Motivation, the American psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed that healthy human beings have a certain number of needs, and that these needs are arranged in a hierarchy, with some needs (such as physiological and safety needs) being more primitive or basic than others (such as social... Continue Reading →

        Brené Brown is a shame-and-vulnerability expert. I know: that was my reaction, too. I’m really not wired for this sort of stuff, but bear with me.   Here’s the thing: Brown, whose talk in 2010 on 'the power of vulnerability’ has been viewed nearly six million times on ted.com (the organisation dedicated to 'ideas... Continue Reading →

Most likely you have heard of the work of Joseph Campbell, the American writer and teacher who made his mark on the world with his captivating analysis of the hero’s journey that is found in many myths throughout human history. From Homer’s Odyssey to George Lucas’ Star Wars, Campbell traces the journey that a man... Continue Reading →

People love to blame procrastinators for their behavior. Putting off work sure looks lazy, to an untrained eye. Even the people who are actively doing the procrastinating can mistake their behavior for laziness. You’re supposed to be doing something, and you’re not doing it — that’s a moral failure right? That means you’re weak-willed, unmotivated,... Continue Reading →

Let’s pretend for a moment you’re giving a presentation in a room full of very important people. You want their feedback—ideally, some sign of positive approval—because you know you’re being evaluated. You look to a person in the front row. You notice their facial expression: a furrowed brow, sideways smirk, maybe a disapproving head shake.... Continue Reading →

By negating and downplaying actual social and political contexts and focusing on the individual, or more so, the individual’s brain, McMindfulness interventions ignore seeing our inseparability from all others. They ignore seeing our inseparability from inequitable cultural patterns and social structures that affect and constitute our relations, and thereby ourselves. McMindfulness thus forfeits the moral... Continue Reading →

Late historians Will and Ariel Durant spent four decades of their lives studying, compiling, and writing the history of Western civilization. The product of their efforts, The Complete Story of Civilization, went on to span several million words across more than 8,800 pages divided into 11 books. After finishing the last one, they took on an... Continue Reading →

We prize space, privacy and independence, and the richer we get the more of these we can afford, yet their corollary is being alone. Our economy works better if people move around to find work, yet mobility stretches and breaks the bonds of family and community. Capitalism and a mobile labour market make connections between... Continue Reading →

If you’re like many people, you may have decided that you want to spend less time staring at your phone. It’s a good idea: an increasing body of evidence suggests that the time we spend on our smartphones is interfering with our sleep, self-esteem, relationships, memory, attention spans, creativity, productivity and problem-solving and decision-making skills. But there is... Continue Reading →