How could we ever do anything without power? Power empowers: yet we know power is a problem. Social interaction is the human condition—and it cannot possibly be improved without exercising power.

The problem is that it is now a universally recognised truism that power corrupts. Why? Read on for a taxonomic answer! But first let's explore some issues.

Recent academic research suggests that power heightens pre-existing ethical tendencies. But this sort of study actually avoids the power issue. It confuses «having power» with «exerting power».  Power in the political or social sense is not just being powerful or having authority, but using it on others. More specifically: “using it to get someone to do what they otherwise would not do”— More...

Caterpillars can turn into butterflies.  Amazing!  That is what I call transforming your life!  How do they do that?

Why can't I transform my life?  Why can't we all change and stop humanity's horrors?

What is their secret?  Those voracious and destructive caterpillars turn into beautiful delicate butterflies, flitting about pollinating flowers and crops.  Stupendous! 

From destruction to goodness.  (Of course, More...

The last blog about «purifying the mind» asked if there was an alternative popular word for "purify". There is: it is "detox". But do you detox your mind or your body?

A few blogs ago I talked about the Mind v Body debate and other dialectics in developing a personal identity.  I promised to tell you how mind (thesis) and body (antithesis) are synthesized.

The recent blog on purifying yourself has reminded me of that promise because to detox your mind is a different kettle of fish to detoxing your body.

Body v Mind is generated by an Identity Approach named "Emotional Being".  If you combine «Body + Mind», the synthesis is «The Self».  Do you agree that your Self is both your mind and your body?  I hope so, because you can't have a Self without having both of these.  This higher level Identity Approach is named "Individual Being".  What then catalyzes More...

«Egoism and altruism» is a hardy perennial of philosophers and now a staple for academic psychologists.  Are people basically self-interested or basically concerned for others?

Trick question.  Once the issue is posed like this, any hope of understanding oneself or acting sensibly is lost. 

People act in their own self-interest.  They must.  Some are certainly more self-centred than others.  People are also capable of concern for others and demonstrate benevolence.  They must.  Otherwise it would be hard to live in groups.  Again, there is variation amongst people in the degree of altruism.  For some of you, it might be hard to live with yourself if you were irredeemably selfish. 

The issue is never what academics or philosophers assert people 'are'—and which, supposedly, is what you are or what I am.  The issue in real life is always about what am I going to do at this moment in this situation given who I am.  The variations here are almost infinite.

Yes, we do have tendencies and styles.  But we are not More...