“What is wrong with you? What is wrong with you? Jesus Christ, what the hell is WRONG with you?” Your words echo in my mind like a beaten child’s wails, their residue embedded in my tissues and tear ducts and neural networks like a terrorist sleeper cell living invisibly in the city they are Heaven-bent…
Tag: personal growth
96) Abuse, Trauma, Shame, and Healing
Hello Dear Reader, In an upcoming series of posts, I am going to explore the dynamics of the inner monster that seems to doom so many people to suffer lives of loneliness and limitation — Shame. As we go through these posts, we’ll explore where Shame comes from, what it feels like, how it…
94) The Day I Saw My Future Unfold
I heard a story once about a girl whose parents were murdered right in front of her. She spent the rest of her life selflessly devoted to one person, with seemingly no will of her own. I knew a man once whose boyhood was robbed by war. He spent the rest of his life addicted…
88) Jordan Peterson: Part 7 – Psychology at the Ending of the World; Subsection 2 – The Doctrine of Original Awesomeness
So what’s the alternative? Do we need more “rules” to help us live like half-decent people who aren’t slobs and losers and depressed and too-agreeable and “weak” and addicted? Do we need more external authority figures structuring our lives for us? Do we need more Dad-advice telling us to clean up our rooms, stand up…
87) Jordan Peterson: Part 7 – Psychology at the Ending of the World; Subsection 1: Where Jordan is Wrong AF
After carefully pointing out, and occasionally flat-out ranting about the irresponsible errors in Jordan Peterson’s public proclamations, I’m ready to sum this up by taking a look at truly the worst part of everything he has said (in my opinion). To put this in context, here’s the deal. The world is rapidly becoming “fucked”. That…
67) Purpose: A Four-part series — Part 1 — “Tearing Down the Wall”
This title comes from Pink Floyd’s brilliant album, The Wall. The Wall is a 3-level album. At the first level, it is a personal narrative, a musical autobiographical allegory of Roger Waters himself, centered around a fictional character named, appropriately enough, “Pink”. At the second level, it is a narrative of the experiences of…
58) Jordan Peterson, Part 5: The Perfect House Problem; Subsection 1 – He Who Is Without Sin
============================================================= Tarantula Identification Assessment Tool Put a check beside each of the following that describes you, at least “somewhat”. – Do you feel self-conscious about your looks? – Do you procrastinate? – Do you criticize yourself? a lot? – Do you watch too much TV, play too many video games, spend too…
51) The strongest man I ever knew: A memorial
Dear Dad, I have some questions to ask you. I’ve asked most of them already, when you were alive. I’m sure you would remember those times; they were pretty heartfelt. But you were unable to answer them. I didn’t understand why, then, but I’m pretty sure I do now. I’ve done a lot of work…
50) Dirty Feet (TW: suicide, sexual assault)
(NOTE: I realized recently that the author of this post is unspecified, and some people have thought it is me. To be clear, this is a letter sent to me by someone who took my classes, and I thought I had commented that it was my “first guest post”, but clearly I didn’t here. Sorry…
38) Jordan Peterson: Part 1: Problems with fundamental assumptions: “In this corner, Dominance hierarchies!!! (crowd goes WIIIIILLLLLLLD!!); and in this corner, Compassion!!! (Woooo…..????…*pin drop*)”
Subsection 1: Foolishness as Lack of Balance and Contextual Sensitivity “You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!” ―Obi-Wan Kenobi, to Anakin Skywalker In the most succinct way I can put it, I think a good…