By Rebecca McNamara, University of Sydney How do we feel about death, suffering, and struggle, and how do we react to those around us as they deal with these issues? These questions shape and are shaped by society. They guide … Continue reading
When Mitt Romney was caught on camera writing-off 47 per cent of Americans as tax avoiders, Democrats were quick to jump on his remarks as another example of the Republican Party’s ‘empathy deficit’. Since Barack Obama identified a lack of … Continue reading
I have recently returned from a journey deep into the warm, pulsating heart of the happiness movement. Last Thursday I took part in a conference on Positive Psychology at Wellington College (the pioneer of well-being classes), and then I went … Continue reading
Today, for me, promises to be emotional. This afternoon I’m giving a talk on ‘The Logic of the Moist Eye: Tears and Psychology in the Twentieth Century’ at a history of psychology symposium in London organised by the British Psychological … Continue reading
Tonight sees the broadcast of the second episode of Ian Hislop’s Stiff Upper Lip – An Emotional History of Britain on BBC Two. As I explained in an earlier post, I have had a minor supporting role in this series as … Continue reading
This evening sees the broadcast of the first episode of a new BBC Two television series:Ian Hislop’s Stiff Upper Lip – An Emotional History of Britain, produced by Deborah Lee for Wingspan Productions. All being well, I think I will pop up … Continue reading
Last week, an online media outlet (that does not need to be named here) posted a link to an article and entitled it ‘Our favourite animal that thinks its human moment…’. This struck a cord with me – and not … Continue reading
An academic got in touch with me last week, inviting me to a seminar on Stoicism, which was nice of him. On the seminar programme, he described me as ‘an author of books on happiness’. Alas I’ve only written one … Continue reading
‘It was through books that I first realised there were other worlds beyond my own; first imagined what it might be like to be another person,’ wrote novelist Julian Barnes in a recent Guardian essay. It’s an enticing thought that … Continue reading
Sad to hear of Stephen Covey’s death. Covey had a wonderful influence on the literature of self-help and business leadership. In a field full of charlatans, he was a good man and a great historian, who brought self-help back to … Continue reading