Marty Nemko's Blog, page 319

An Ode to Readers of How-To Articles

The how-to article is considered a lowly form of writing. I consider it much underrated as are people who seek education, training, and edification from them. 

Thus, in PsychologyToday.com, I wrote a an ode to the reader of how-to articles.

On Autumn and Fall, Life's Last Smile

A few days ago, we entered autumn or fall. The word, "autumn" implies hope, the endless cycle of renewal in which autumn is a necessary prerequisite to spring. In contrast,  the word "fall" implies unidirectionality...downward.

"Fall," alas, more accurately describes the final quarter of our life, the metaphor often invoked for our descent into decrepitude and extinction. William Cullen Bryant called fall, "the year's last, loveliest smile." Is it not life's last smile?

How can we cope with thoughts of death and, worse, with the dying process, which lyricist Johnny Mercer, in the song, Autumn Leaves, called, "hearing winter's song?"

I address that in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Is "The Pursuit of Happiness" Overrated?

Psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik questions the wisdom of "the pursuit of happiness?" I lay out her case and my response in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

A Better Goal for Mark Zuckerberg's $3 Billion: A Super-Intelligence Pill

Everyone is falling over themselves to praise Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg for giving $3 billion in the attempt to cure all disease by the year 2100.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I argue it would be wiser for him to fund research that would develop a super-intelligence pill.

A Better Goal for Mark Zuckerberg's $99 Billion: A Super-Intelligence Pill

Everyone is falling over themselves to praise Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg for giving $99 billion in the attempt to cure all disease by the year 2100.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I argue it would be wiser for him to fund research that would develop a super-intelligence pill.

Changing Someone's Mind

The American Psychological Association ranked Leon Festinger the 5th most influential psychologist of the 20th century. 

I was taken by his quote, "A person with conviction is a hard person to change. Tell him you disagree and he turns away. Show her facts or figures and she questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see your point."

Changing anyone is difficult but there are mitigators. I list five in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

The Gig Economy: Is that trend good? An internal debate

In the past 50 years, the U.S. workforce grew by 100% but by 300% in the number of part-time/temp/contract workers who want to work full-time. 

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer an internal debate on whether our trend toward a gig economy is a net positive.

How to Give Advice That Will Be Accepted

We're all warned not to give advice. Yet even unasked-for advice can be helpful and embraced if worded appropriately. 

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer templates for framing advice-giving.

Hedonism vs "Workaholism": A debate

For most people, including the Framers, core to the life well-led is "the pursuit of happiness."

Career corollaries include: "Make work fun," "Prioritize work-life balance," and "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." 
Outside-of-work corollaries include: "Life's short. East dessert first," "He who dies with the most toys wins," and "Par-tay!"

Yet some people believe the life well-led is mainly about being productive and contributing, that time spent frivolously could be better spent.

Perhaps the debate I posted on PsychologyToday.com today will help you gain clarity on whether you want to move somewhere new on the hedonist to work-centered continuum. 

On Meeting the Intended

We typically think of birth, marriage, and death as life’s signal events. There’s a less-considered one: when parents meet their child’s intended spouse.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer the thoughts that might then race through that parent's mind .