Roger B. Burt's Blog, page 38
September 19, 2016
The Human Personality
Of course you have a personality. How would you describe it?
What It Is
Character is defined as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. As such it is hardly pinpoint. And there is no system which clearly defines what makes up character. But being open ended is part of its utility. Sometimes, though, it’s useful to have clear definitions about stable components of a person. When we turn to personality we find such a system is available.
The American Psychological Associa...
September 14, 2016
Someone Precious
Companion
Is there someone who travels with you?
Discovery
She never told me her name. I call her Companion. Often she sits looking off toward a distant horizon seeming deep in concentration. I wonder what holds her attention but do not ask. I think I know. Clearly she has a world of her own but I know she is there for me. In fact, while I don’t know her name, I know who she is.
Every man travels through life with a woman inside of him—his anima. Our relationships with them vary cons...
September 12, 2016
Not The Election You Think
What Primitive Forces Are Shaping This Election?
There is evidence that the political landscape is being distorted by forces which are going almost unnoticed and getting no coverage. The race for the presidency appears close but there is evidence to suggest what we think are fundamental issues are not what are driving the public. History and analysis suggest the real driving forces may be social, psychological and deeply underlying.
Revealing History
Long ago there was another two party syst...
September 7, 2016
Revelations
Do you search for revelations or do they just come?
World in Crisis
An important election is hurtling at us. The contenders are unusual and, to put it mildly, a lot is at stake. Being absorbed in this political conflict may obscure our view of the true extent of conflict in the world. We face the effects of what may become a hundred years war in the Middle East. There are countries in Africa with frightening genocidal potentials. Precious efforts at political maturity in Europe are being en...
August 31, 2016
A Failed Debate
What would you like to see debated?
Unfortunately this political season is not proving to be particularly illuminating. There are so many important issues to be addressed and the greater focus appears to be on noise. I saw the following item in Bloomberg Business recently. I don’t agree with every conclusion but some of it is illuminating. I highlighted some of it.
Currently we are seeing the shallow nature of the political discourse and how obstruction and failure of vision has cost us de...
August 29, 2016
BREXIT and the Future of the United States
Note: There will be no post on Labor Day. The next post will be on Wed 9/7 when we resume twice weekly posting with a new array of topics.
Technology in the hands of businessmen Do you see a process like Brexit in America’s future?
The Problem of Narrow Vision
Following the Brexit vote Alan Greenspan was interviewed on Bloomberg television. He believed that Brexit was a mistake but his answers told me he did not fundamentally know how to approach the effects. It was clear he was looking for a...
August 22, 2016
Self Blame Versus Self Actualization
Are you accountable for everything that happens in your life?
The Moment of Decision
Catastrophic events require major decisions for which we may be totally unprepared probably because we thought they would never happen to us. And our attitude about the event may well affect the eventual outcome.
Certainly there are times when we need to take ownership of something that happens to us and that we may have contributed heavily to an unfortunate incident. But often it may be simply a terrible l...
August 15, 2016
An Accidental Passage
The Illusion of the Open Road
What bumps have there been in your road?
Planning for the ups and downs of our future can only be somewhat effective. Maybe we are fortunate and our course is smooth, but, in the end, a clear open road is unlikely. And then there is the matter of our perceptions and expectations about our lives. We may suddenly be forced to change them.
One evening, years ago, I left the office late. We had been having elevator problems in our highrise building and the wait for...
August 8, 2016
Life As a Journey of Discovery
What periods of discovery have you had?
We Begin With “How It Is”
First for us in life comes family. From there our world expands. There were my parents and my brother and then my mother’s two sisters. They lived together and would have been called maiden aunts. There was so much more.
Families can be secretive for reasons that are never clear. It was decades later that I found who one of my aunts was. My maternal grandfather was a milkman in the silk stocking district of Manhattan. That wa...
August 1, 2016
Vision – Pie in the Sky
How do you think seniors are doing?
We Have Work To Do
Even if the actualization of a thought is distant or unlikely, there are times when some things have to be said.
Here is today’s dream.
The Elder Tsunami
The “advanced” economies of the world are facing the rapid aging of their populations which means a growing burden on the societies as a whole. The birth rate is often low and getting lower which means less familial and societal support for the elderly. Who will take care of them as th...
