People tend to seek consistency in their beliefs and perceptions. Cognitive dissonance is what happens when new information contradicts an existing belief. What is cognitive dissonance? A dictionary definition of cognitive dissonance is ‘anxiety that results from simultaneously holding contradictory or otherwise incompatible attitudes, beliefs, or the like, as when…
If you ask someone on the street what the most important character trait is, you will receive more than a few different answers. While some would speculate that being generous towards others is prevailing, others will state that intelligence should come first. The answer pretty much depends on the subjective…
Some classic novels offer such extraordinary insight into the weaknesses of modern western civilization that they seem almost prophetic. 1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The picture of Dorian Gray is the first on my list of classic novels. True, it's not quite a sci-fi dystopia, but it offers…
I want to live a quiet life. In fact, I’ve learned to love my own company, and mediocrity doesn’t bother me at all. All around me is noise, people are everywhere and talking so loud. They’re making plans, discussing goals and all the while, I’m in the corner trying to…
Hear the term brainwashing and you might think of government agents ‘turning’ unwilling spies against their own countries, or cult leaders using mind control to manipulate their followers. You might even go so far as to think of the term brainwashing in relation to propaganda spread during the First and…
What if the cause of phobias has to do with the fact that our ancestors' fears are passed down to us through the DNA memory? The more we understand about the world around us, the more baffled we are. Even though scientists have previously speculated on the existence of genetic…
Have you ever had dreams about being pregnant? Did you wonder what this kind of dreams could possibly mean? Let's find out. We’ve all had dreams that are fairly easy to interpret. You know the ones I mean, where you turn up naked at some important event? Or someone is…
A critical thinker rarely takes things at face value. They like to analyze and evaluate all sources of information before coming to a decision. Critical thinking is an essential skill, especially in an age of fake news and misinformation. We need to question sources and make sure the information we take in…
