On conformity: The more aware we are of our vulnerabilities to social pressure, the better we can defend against the impulse to conform. While it is often easy to remain skeptical toward groups we do not belong to or those we have already left, the urge to conform is strongest within the groups we identify … Read more
If you ask Buddhist monks — who are known for their cultivated disposition toward good behavior — how to handle insults, they will reveal an approach that is equal parts paradoxical and profound. Whenever you’re insulted, they would say to you, steer your mind toward this wholesome thought: “There is no person insulting me but … Read more
. At this point, I can confidently say that the practice of brahmavihara meditation has made me less judgmental of other people. But it would be wrong to say that I’m completely free of this mental habit (it is part of the human condition, after all). On rare occasions when I do judge someone, I … Read more
. Scrolling through Reddit last night, I came across a post titled “Isn’t This the Real Dream?” where a Redditor described a carefree lifestyle of working 30 minutes a day and then spending the rest of their free time playing games, watching movies, staying fit, buying random useless stuff, and being “happy forever.” Pretty nice, … Read more