Happiness and the Pursuit of Leadership

Leadership Development is Human Development

Pamela B. Paresky Ph.D.

How Do We Grieve Now?

Social distancing has created a need for new rituals and methods of support for those grappling with loss. But they aren’t yet in place. For kids, there is a book that may help.

Rescuing Blessings From Hell

Given the risks of large gatherings, the 4th of July this year may be a good time to celebrate another kind of independence: What blessings of liberty might we "rescue from hell"?

On Social Media, We’re All Contagious

Right now, crusaders engaging in public humiliation and vengeance are seen as trusted moral exemplars. To heal wounds — and our fractured democracy — we need helpers instead.

Why Did a Major Newspaper Get a Random Woman Fired?

Why did the Washington Post publish a story in June 2020 about an offensive costume at a Halloween party in 2018? Is social isolation making us all mean?

The Apocalyptic Psychology of Mobs—and Media

Apocalyptic psychology is a quest for absolute moral purity and the power to enforce it. A heightened focus on moral contamination may be related to a focus on viral contamination.

Four Things to Create a Quarantine of Kindness

Tips for a better experience during a stay-at-home order.

Stay Social While Engaging in Social Distancing

Human beings are meant to be around others. We are social, not solitary beings. This period of physical distancing will be challenging. But it's not insurmountable.

Why Do Democrats and Republicans Hate Each Other?

A recent study found that 15% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats think the country would be better off if large numbers of opposing partisans “just died.” What is going on?

Why New York Times Readers Love to Hate Bret Stephens

Columnist Bret Stephens is the object of outrage once again, but his critics are offended by a column he didn't write. Perhaps cognitive bias is to blame.

When Bigotry Pretends to Be Social Justice

An elite, progressive school with an aggressive anti-racism program is accused of rampant bigotry.

News Media Fall Prey to Satirical Hoax

Journalists are starting to replace ethics with empathy. The result is bad journalism – and being taken for a ride.

Chloé Valdary Disagrees

Chloé Valdary's "Theory of Enchantment" program brings compassion and humanity to disagreement and diversity—and empowers people to choose their lives.

Confronting Dehumanization and Baseless Hate

Frank Bruni gets hate mail for being gay. How does he respond? How do you respond in the face of baseless hate?

Human Beings Are Not Insects, Vermin, Parasites, or Garbage

Civil discourse norms are eroding. A narrow conception of who constitutes "us" can lead to dehumanizing rhetoric and feelings of disgust toward people we consider the "other."

We Need More Wonder and Awe

In 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first human being to walk on the moon. The sense of awe and wonder that the space program once inspired created a sense of global unity we now lack.

Valuing Civility

Articulating the views of persuadable Trump supporters results in a social media free-for-all. Covering an Antifa protest ends with an assault. What has happened to civil society?

The Apocalyptic Cult of Cancel Culture

Apologies don’t cut it. Forgiveness? Forget it. When people say “be better,” they mean “be better—or else.” Cancel Culture is apocalyptic.

New Data Suggests Campus Climate May Be Getting Chillier

The organization Heterodox Academy aims to increase open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.

Student Protest: Rebels Without a Clue

Have students at NYU and Sarah Lawrence lost their minds? Or is there something we're missing?

What About the Teens in the College Admission Scandal?

Many kids in the cheating scandal had no idea their parents were interfering with their applications. Lawnmower parenting might clear a path, but it leaves a trail of debris.

What's the Problem with "Traditional Masculinity"?

The frenzy about the APA guidelines has died down. What have we learned?

Has Callout Culture Finally Gone Too Far?

Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray is the latest target of the online outrage machine. But the Twittersphere's reaction is encouraging.

The End of Tolerance

Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz are willing to engage in dialogue and disagreement because they see each other as intellectual equals who share a common humanity.

A Glitch in the Intellectual Dark Web: #Pangburned

Figures from what some call "The Intellectual Dark Web" were slated to speak at an all-day conference. But the promoter canceled and folded. And people came anyway.

New York Online Dating Scam Targets Dozens of Men. But Why?

In an "epic tale of subterfuge in online dating," dozens of men show up at a park thinking they are meeting a date.

One Year After Charlottesville, What Have We Learned?

What can we do about bigotry, hatred, and racial violence? A former skinhead says the answer is love.

Harvard Study: Trigger Warnings Might Coddle the Mind

A new Harvard study indicates that trigger warnings may undermine resilience in the aftermath of trauma, and promote a stigmatizing view of trauma survivors as emotional invalids.

In 2018, Being Conservative Became a Microaggression

Daniella Greenbaum wrote a mainstream conservative opinion piece and Business Insider retracted it. Greenbaum resigned, and the world of acceptable ideas got even smaller.

'Radical love' is one of Aspen's 'Big Ideas.'

Can our fractured democracy be repaired by addressing our nation's poverty of empathy, and replacing hate and recriminations with "radical love"?

Miserable and Middle-Aged? Is Something Wrong With You?

A new book delivers an important message: It's a myth that experiencing mid-life malaise means there's something wrong with you or your life.

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