In this week’s spotlight, I wish to approach the subject of disagreements. It’s not possible in today’s world to avoid coming across events, beliefs, customs, and/or moral issues, which we may not agree with. Sometimes it seems that it is also almost impossible not to engage in a disagreement, for as the adage (paraphrased some) goes, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.” That said, how we engage is also important for as Robert Quillen put it, “Discussion is an exchange ... Read More
Today, I would like to focus on those people who take an interest in helping others. We live at a time when conflict is everywhere, and it ranges from the strictly verbal to the most violent of extremes. Indeed, if we turn to the news, whether print or electronic, the promotion of anger and enmity confronts us on a 24/7 basis. Nasty labels and poisonous vitriol thrown this way and that contaminate content and undercut all integrity, and yet it is more and more common everyday. Time and Treasure Still, ... Read More
Today I wish to address the idea behind ideas. Think about that—where do our ideas come from and can we somehow encourage more of them? I mean, wouldn’t it be nice if we could magically turn a switch on in our minds and voila, some tremendous far-sighted innovation! According to Abraham Loeb, an Israeli American theoretical physicist and Professor at Harvard University, “They’re nurtured by informal dialogues in environments where mistakes are tolerated and critical thinking is encouraged…Ideas originate from pregnant minds, just as babies emerge from the bellies of ... Read More
In this week’s spotlight I would like to discuss the power of words. In an earlier article I have discussed words as slicers and dicers—reflecting on one of my old modified sayings, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will slice and dice me.” Slice and Dice When we think of hurtful words, we usually think of their emotional toll. How nasty words said in the past feel—then and sometimes still today. The emotional sting from some words can last a lifetime, but setting that aside for a ... Read More
I have often been asked what we do at InnerTalk. In answering this question, I usually begin by saying something like, “Well that begins with a story.” So please allow me to share that story with you now. In the mid 1980s I owned a private agency specializing in intelligence and counterintelligence. The practice of lie detection testing and forensic hypnosis were among my specialties. I had developed a form of dichotic masking that we used to play subliminal messages such as “the truth shall set you free” during detection ... Read More
