Posted on 01 September 2010
We are all, to a greater or lesser extent, consumed by self. Quite obviously, we are always in our own company and, therefore, cannot help but place ourselves first in our own worlds. It is inescapable. The world at large, or macro-world, is an amalgam of the billions of individual, or micro-worlds, of which it [...]
Tags: beauty is in the eye of the beholder, no man is an island, objective reality, objectivity, reality, subjectivity, subjectivity of reality
Posted on 23 August 2010
Consciousness is what separates mankind from most of the animal kingdom. The consciousness of ourselves and the world around us shapes who we become as individuals, cultures, and societies. What is referred to as the normative state of consciousness manifests the real world perceptions of most people who would be classified as sane (although one [...]
Tags: altered perception, altered reality, altered states, altered states of consciousness, Ayahuasca, Benny Shanon, Christianity, consciousness, higher states of consciousness, Hinduism, Judaism, Moses, reality, Zoroastrianism
Posted on 11 August 2010
The sounds of nature became the first music heard on this planet. As Homo sapiens emerged and evolved, we added to the symphony. By uttering sounds in rhythmic sequences, early man created songs to express his range of emotions. As time went on, he developed crude instruments, such as drums made of animal skins, to [...]
Tags: George M. Cohan, language of music, music, music genres, musical genres, universal language
Posted on 02 August 2010
How do we define happiness: that which each of us pursues with a single-minded purpose, yet often, fails to achieve? Is happiness a state of mind we delude ourselves into entering, or is it as real as it is fleeting? Is it a secret desire, lovingly nurtured and finally brought to fruition? Is it a [...]
Tags: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes, can money buy happiness, Cinderella, does money buy happiness, finding happiness, happiness, how to find happiness, money, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Posted on 28 July 2010
I believe that I am not overreaching when I state that everyone likes to win, whether such winning relates to games, contests, arguments, debates, or larger personal or professional developmental challenges. And, why would anyone not want to win? Mankind has been conditioned from time immemorial to savor victory – from times both long and [...]
Tags: defeat, Dwight Clark, Jim Valvano, Joe Montana, Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes, Tom Landry, victory, Vince Lombardi
Posted on 14 July 2010
Deeply embedded in our DNA are certain genetic traits that propel our species forward or at least, ensure its continuation. Every human being possesses the drive, if not the actual ability, to earn, create, or steal his or her most basic survival needs. On some level, we all share a sense of humor and a [...]
Tags: Aretha Franklin, Christa McAuliffe, Elvis, human nature, John Travolta, Mario Batali, Michelangelo, Sting, Tom Cruise
Posted on 09 July 2010
In a hostile world in which saber-toothed mammals roamed free and early man literally fought to eke out a living, how on earth did our species survive? The Good Book tells us that God gave man the gift of an immortal soul. The soul is that indefinable and inextinguishable spark of life that transcends death [...]
Tags: 99 Red Balloons, atomic bomb, Captain Kirk, Information Superhighway, ingenuity, Stonehenge
Posted on 29 June 2010
For many of us, our views on science and scientists have been colored by literature and films. For baby-boomers, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and various of what are now known as classic science fiction films gave us the strong impression that while scientific objectives were generally beneficial, the end result often produced evil. Dr. Frankenstein was [...]
Tags: alchemy, chemistry, mad scientist, mad scientists, Robert Boyle, science
Posted on 25 June 2010
We measure our lives in years, with calendar changes, birthdays, holidays, and other events functioning as milestones along our route from birth to death. From day to day, life seems as if it may last forever. Most of us, while in good health, give little thought to the fact that our lives will surely end. [...]
Tags: life, meaning, meaning of life, personal accomplishment, personal achievement, William Shakespeare
Posted on 21 June 2010
In the 1993 biographical drama Rudy, a young man from a small steel mill town overcomes his physical limitations, intellectual shortcomings, and the doubts of friends and family members to achieve his dream of gaining acceptance and playing football for Notre Dame University. The true story, based on the life of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, chronicles [...]
Tags: Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger, Daniel Ruettiger, dreams, goals, perseverence, purpose-driven life, Rudy