Marty Nemko's Blog, page 353

A Letter from a Man Who Talks Big, Does Little, and Hates Himself

In each installment of this daily series, I respond to a composite letter that asks for my career advice. Here is today's offering.

Letter from a Nurse Who Accidentally Killed A Patient

In each installment of a daily series in PsychologyToday, I respond to a composite letter that asks for my advice.  

Today's is how a nurse might deal with having accidentally killed a patient.

My Career Advice to a Dejected Liberal Arts Graduate

A college graduate did everything she could to land a good job after college graduation but the best she could get was to be a clerk at a car rental agency. 

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer some advice. 

My Career Advice to a Struggling Actor, Now 28

My career advice to a struggling actor, now 28. That's today's installment in my PsychologyToday.com series in which I respond to composite letters complaining about worklife.

Escaping from Golden Handcuffs: Letter from a "Trapped" Government Employee

This is today's installment in my PsychologyToday.com series of composite letters of complaint about one's worklife and my responses.

A Letter from a High School Student Who's Scared About College

Today, I start a series of PsychologyToday.com articles that present a letter that's a composite of complaints I've heard. After each, I offer my response.  

Today's letter comes from a high school senior who's scared about the cost of college and what to major in. 

In Praise of Seriousness

America is the land of upbeatness: Whether political candidates, workplace norms, or in social gatherings, upbeat and chipper are rewarded, seriousness and soberness denigrated--"Debbie Downer."

Much can be said in favor of being upbeat: Especially in challenging times, an optimistic view is usually welcome. And upbeat people make others and themselves feel good.

Who could argue against all that? I could, and do so in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Could the Reduction in Good Jobs Actually Be Good for America?

Automation, dysgenic birth rates, high immigration rates of unskilled people,  the ballooning cost of hiring an American, and globalization will dramatically cut the number of good jobs in the U.S.  As a result, most Americans will have to live much simpler, less materialistic lives. Some will rebel--e.g., violent revolution may be possible. Less aggressive people will replace the time they would have spent in paid work in volunteerism, relationships, and in creative output, e.g., writing, painting, singing, community theatre.   Is it thus possible that quality of life, net, in the U.S. will be better as a result?

Negotiate with ISIS?

There's consensus that the only way to deal with ISIS is to bomb the hell out of them. 

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I propose adding another approach. 

Addressing Information Overload

So much information is available, curated, with just a one-second Google search.

You'd think having all that knowledge at our fingertips would make us feel more secure.

Yet it makes many people feel less secure and more overwhelmed. They suffer from data overload.

How might we be informed without feeling overwhelmed? In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer two options plus a way to make peace with our inevitably incomplete knowledge.