I was once doing a radio show about our (my and my father Dr. Robert Firestone’s) work on the “critical inner voice.” The host started the show by talking about all the media attention on terrorism and the fear we, as a nation, were feeling following the attacks of 9/11. She ended her introduction by… Read more »
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“To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson What gives a person’s life meaning is unique to every individual. At one point or another, most of us find ourselves asking if we are truly living a life that is… Read more »
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The news of Nora Ephron’s death as a result of leukemia was such a shock. I keep thinking what a terrible loss. She was such a brilliant writer and director. She was also close to my age – just one day short of a year my junior. We grew up at the same time and… Read more »
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The tragic mass shooting that occurred in Aurora, Colorado just after midnight on Friday, July 20th, left at least 12 people dead, 59 people wounded, and millions of people stunned as to what could possibly drive a person to commit such a violent act. With no motive, we are left to wonder why James Holmes,… Read more »
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Social Phobia vs. Shyness Social phobia also known as Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is not simply extreme shyness. Many people experience some shyness and discomfort, especially in new situations or with unfamiliar people. However, it’s generally tolerable once you warm up and relax after a while. Unlike shyness, such conditions are intolerable for SAD sufferers… Read more »
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When I was a teenager, I realized that most people were living as though death did not exist. I saw men and women trivializing their relationships and lives with petty arguments and melodramatic reactions to insignificant events, while failing to notice basic issues of personal identity and ignoring existential realities. Their passivity, conformity, and inward… Read more »
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As a culture, we are highly concerned with self-esteem. And this is a good thing. How we feel about ourselves determines how we treat those around us and vice versa. In 1890, William James identified self-esteem as a fundamental human need, no less essential for survival than emotions such as anger and fear. And yet,… Read more »
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Remaining undifferentiated renders one unable to fully accept the gift of life and, instead, leaves one merely living out the life of another. The Self Under Siege I believe a fundamental question for people to consider is whose life are they living? Are they pursuing the things that really light them up, that matter to… Read more »
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Memorial Day was established as a day for honoring and acknowledging all of the men and women who have died serving the United States. And in this past decade, there have been many. For those who we’ve lost, we can offer remembrance. But now is also a time to call attention to the thousands of… Read more »
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Dr. Sheldon Solomon on Death Awareness and Culture Formation [SlideDeck2 id=13293] Sheldon Solomon talks about Ernest Becker’s description of how death awareness fashions the formation of culture. SS: These are ideas we kind of, I think, borrowed or maybe extrapolated a little from what we gleaned from Ernest Becker. As you know, his argument is… Read more »
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