Eldon Taylor's Blog, page 11

June 7, 2018

Myth, Metaphor, and Wives’ Tales

In this week’s spotlight I wish to discuss the nature of myths, metaphors and wives’ tales. Science has traditionally tended to scoff at these things, dismissing them as just so much nonsense. Is that fair? There are several so-called wives’ tales that science and data have discovered are indeed true. For example, the wives’ tale that insists a long difficult labor will lead to a boy is statistically supported, at least according to a survey in the Maternity Hospital in Dublin.1 Proven Tales How about the wives’ tale that hot baths can damage sperm or the idea that carrots improve ...
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Published on June 07, 2018 14:16

June 1, 2018

Games People Play

In today’s spotlight I wish to discuss the idea of the imitation game. One of the more famous quotes regarding imitation states, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” is by Charles Colton. Now Confucius had this to say about imitation, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” By contrast, Herman Melville apparently held imitation in disdain, or at least some forms of it, when he stated, “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” Imitators ...
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Published on June 01, 2018 08:37

May 24, 2018

When Fake News Divides

In this week’s spotlight I wish to address something we all hear a lot about today, and that is the idea of fake news. Now I’m not going to go down the road of Trumpian fake news, so relax if that concerns you. No, I’m more interested in bringing to your attention how the media can rush to judgment in ways that divide our country and contaminate our thinking about matters outside of the world of politics. Sensationalism We hear a lot today about the evils of Google, as this past weekend’s 60 Minutes show argued, or the Facebook scandal ...
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Published on May 24, 2018 14:31

May 17, 2018

Smart Toys

In this week’s spotlight I wish to remind you of some of the threats that exist in today’s world of ever advancing technology. In my book, Gotcha! The Subordination of Free Will, I addressed issues like televisions that watch you, automobiles that can be taken over remotely while you’re behind the wheel, devices that listen in to your conversations, free flashlight apps for your phone that track your every move, cloning devices that copy data from your computer or cell phone in an instant, and so forth. None of these devices are science fiction and they represent just the tip ...
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Published on May 17, 2018 15:08

May 3, 2018

The Impostor Syndrome

In today’s spotlight, I would like to discuss the impostor syndrome, or the idea that if others knew what you know about yourself, that somehow this would diminish or even discredit you. This complex, or syndrome, (also known as impostor phenomenon, fraud syndrome or the impostor experience) is a psychological pattern in which people doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” Many people hold themselves back from success because they fail to believe that they deserve it. As a result they can develop methods to avoid attention and allow those feelings ...
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Published on May 03, 2018 16:04

April 26, 2018

Who I Am and Who I Want to Be

In today’s spotlight I would like to discuss the notion of self. We all have a self-portrait of sorts—that is, we all know ourselves by some common measures like our name, marital status, home, occupation, etc., and we also all know ourselves in interior ways such as our likes, dislikes, proclivities, attitudes, ambitions, secrets, and so forth. As such, our identity is who we have come to know ourselves as. Constant Self? Now imagine that you lost your senses all together—would that change who you know yourself to be? Probably not. So what if you suddenly became an acquired savant ...
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Published on April 26, 2018 12:38

April 20, 2018

Control

Who’s In Control In this week’s spotlight I would like to discuss the difference between what we can control and what we can’t. We all know people who are, what is commonly referred to as, control freaks. Generally speaking, a control freak is a person who feels an obsessive need to exercise control over themselves and others, and to take command of any situation. To some extent, we are all somewhat inclined to be a bit of a control freak especially in light of the idea that we should be in control of ourselves—but just how much control do we ...
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Published on April 20, 2018 08:46

April 12, 2018

Ghosts and Ghouls: Real or Imagined

In today’s spotlight I would like to discuss the notion of ghosts and ghouls. Defining the difference between ghosts and ghouls may not be as straightforward as one might at first blush think. A ghost is generally defined as an apparition of a dead person that is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as a nebulous image. Now, does that include a master, a guide, and/or an angel? The matter is unclear here. In other words, does a person have to be dead in order to be a disincarnate being appearing to you? As for a ...
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Published on April 12, 2018 14:35

March 26, 2018

Different Forms of Mindfulness

In today’s spotlight I wish to discuss two kinds of mindfulness. Mindfulness is generally understood as meditation—meditation with the intent of relinquishing the capital I, the sense of self, and entering a state of oneness. One is therefore taught to let their thoughts go by and not follow them like some puppy on the sidewalk following every set of legs that passes by. Instead, the teaching emphasizes the need to let thought just go by and focus on your breathing. Mindfulness to Reframe There is another form of mindfulness meditation that is very useful, and one I often suggest to ...
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Published on March 26, 2018 09:47

March 15, 2018

Does It Really Matter?

In today’s spotlight I want to take on the question, “Does it really matter?” Think about all the issues we are presented with in our everyday life. When you list them in your head you will find that, perhaps you are concerned about the traffic between home and work, or the coffee you spilled on your shirt or blouse, or some lying politician, or a flood in a foreign land. Then ask yourself, “Does it really matter to you in the here and now?” Is there anything you can do about it? How do these concerns make you feel? Stress ...
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Published on March 15, 2018 12:52