I have seen an interesting pattern emerge over the last few years with the young (meaning typically under 25 years old) clients with whom I work. On the plus side, all are thoughtful, deep, well-liked, and nice people. They are accomplished students, athletes, and performing artists. These young people are driven by generally healthy values [...]
Anybody who has ever tried to make a significant change in their life (in other words, pretty much everyone) knows how hard it is. Old ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving, no matter how unhealthy they are or unhappy they make you, can become so deeply entrenched in our psyches that positive change seems nearly [...]
Did you know that the so-called self-help industry is estimated to be worth $13.2 billion in 2022, up from $9.9 billion in 2016? What does that tell you about personal growth these days? Several observations. First, if you’ll pardon the pun, it’s a growth industry. Second, self-improvement has become a part of our cultural landscape. [...]
Given my subtitle, you might be thinking that I’m a Luddite or some crackpot Chicken Little (“The Skype is falling!!”). But I’m not some anti-tech kook (really, I’m not). But over the years, I have assumed the role of a modern-day Paul Revere (“The techies are coming!”), wanting to alert people to the real harm [...]
Here is a fascinating article offering a provocative new theory that the decline in drug use in the past decade is due to the rise in smartphone use. Epidemiological data has demonstrated that young people are using alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs significantly less than 10 years ago. This relationship between drug and smartphone use has [...]
As the author of Your Children are Under Attack, I'm no fan of popular culture. Its aim is not to support healthy development of young people, but rather to profit from selling kids junk and attitudes wrapped in "it'll make you happy" vibes. Well, recent research from the UK provides painful support for my views. [...]
Young people in America don’t seem to be held in a very high regard these days. They’re accused of a veritable rap sheet of bad attitudes and bad behaviors. We constantly hear about the impending Armageddon when the next generations take over our country. Some of the less-than-admirable qualities that are attributed to young people [...]
I was just interviewed for an article by The Daily Beast that described recent research that found that playing violent video games actually created feelings of guilt, produced an increase in moral sensitivity, and might promote prosocial benavior. I am skeptical, to be sure.
Romantic comedies, reality TV matchmaking shows, and sitcoms aren't just entertaining (to some). Here's a scary article that describes research on how popular media is changing the way we see love. For example, people who watch shows such as The Bachelor tend to believe in love at first sight and idealize love. In contrast, watching [...]
Let’s be honest. America may be the most competitive country in the world (though China is rapidly catching up). Competitiveness lies at the heart of what has driven our country to become the best on Earth at so many things. Whether the space race, the arms race, the human genome race, or the rat race, [...]