Marty Nemko's Blog, page 322

How the End of Jobs Could Be a Good Thing

 
Most experts agree that automation and globalization will cause the loss of at least half of all jobs within the next couple of decades.

Many observers fear that will lead to massive unhappiness, civil unrest, or even Armageddon because people primally need work both to survive and for a sense of self.

I'm inclined to agree but that's a psychologically difficult future to live with, so I've been trying to come up a positive scenario. My PsychologyToday.com article today offers my best shot:

On a Freud Quote: Why navel gazing is a bad idea.

Freud said, “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I argue that he's wrong.

On a Carl Rogers Quote

Next to Freud, Carl Rogers was ranked the 2nd most eminent clinical psychologist of the 20th century.  He wrote:

In a person who is open to experience, each stimulus is freely relayed through the nervous system without being distorted by any process of defensiveness.

Of course, Rogers isn't implying we never should defend ourselves. He's only saying that, to grow, we need to remain open to the possibility that criticism of us is deserved. The question is, "How do you know when you're in fact wrong yet are defending your position anyway?"

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I ask questions to help you decide whether, in a given situation, you're being defensive or are merely defending your worthy position?

On a B.F. Skinner Quote

The father of behavioral psychology, B.F. Skinner wrote, “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.”

What do I remember from my education?  In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer my top-of-mind recollections. They're embarrassingly paltry.

Post-Presidency Career Advice for Obama, with lessons for us all

After leaving office, some presidents, like the Bushes, pretty much faded into private life. Others became activists, for example, the pro-Palestinian/anti-Israeli Jimmy Carter. And then there's Bill Clinton, who likely will be First Husband. 
If I were President Obama's career advisor, of course, my counsel would be conditioned on his goals and desires, but in my PsychologyToday.com article today, I make suggestions based on his public track record as someone committed to liberal causes and an exceptional communicator.

12 Predictions for 2050

As my PsychologyToday.com article today, I make 12 predictions for 2050.

An Ultra-Simple Way to Choose and Succeed in Your Career

The longer I've been a career counselor the more I've become convinced that the professionally recommended process is unnecessarily long. 

I propose something far briefer in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Ambition Versus Gratitude for What One Has

I've always been driven but I'm having to make peace with the reality that I probably won't achieve most of the big dreams I had when I was younger. I talk about it in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Dangerous Thoughts: Which to suppress? Which to shine light on?

Which thoughts should we suppress? Which should we shine more light on?

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I list some dangerous thoughts clients have revealed to me. Seeing them may remind you of some of yours.

An Active Boy Writes to His Teacher

I was an active boy. I couldn't sit still in school. If Ritalin had been around then, I would have been put on it intravenously.

I wouldn't have had the self-awareness nor the moxie to write the letter I posted on PsychologyToday.com to any of my teachers but perhaps your seeing it will help parents who are trying to get the teacher to accommodate to their active child rather than putting him on that risky Ritalin leash.