What’s worse; blind trust or paranoia? I suppose it depends a great deal on circumstances. If one were living in a war-torn country where suicide bombings and hidden allegiances were common realities, paranoia would certainly serve to protect. But like all psychological states, paranoia and mistrust are double-edged swords. They serve a useful purpose in [...]
Category Archives: Anger and conflict
The depths of cruelty
In yesterday’s Montreal Gazette, former editor Norman Webster wrote about Tuol Sleng, the former high school that became S-21, the Khmer Rouge’s primary prison and torture center. Tuol Sleng and the Khmer Rouge regime represent everything that is wrong with human nature. And it is merely a single chapter in the long history of man’s [...]
Segregation
Us versus Them… From time to time you will notice how themes keep coming back again throughout my posts. That’s because I believe we are not very complicated creatures. We just appear so. In reality, human nature appears complex because there are an infinite number of combinations and permutations that can manifest themselves as a result of [...]
Acting like a jerk
So, it looks like rioting along Ste-Catherine street is now to be expected after every playoff series win. When did that become the norm? The first time that rioting happened in victory was following the 1986 Stanley Cup win by Montreal. It happened again in 1993. I guess this means that we can no longer [...]
Don’t count on my loyalty
Camillo Zacchia, Ph.D. Psychologist – Douglas Institute The Americans have a saying, “My country, right or wrong.” It is a strong expression of patriotism and a good rallying cry in wartime; a good rallying cry, that is, if you want blind faith from your citizens. Faith, loyalty, patriotism; these are all terms that we normally [...]
