Can AI Make Us Happy?

With all the hype that ChatGPT created, I read up on the topics of AI and its value. Some lead me to predictable pathways, like Henry Kissinger and Co, overly enthused about AI's potential. Some went straight to ‘how to avoid dystopia’, like Eva Paus's collection of academic works. Dutch...

Are You a Scrubber or a Soaker?

When you have dirty dishes, do you scrub them immediately, putting a lot of effort into it, or do you leave them to soak, sometimes overnight, so that when you get to them, they wash easily? When I managed to figure out a way to do a task, say berry...

A Poet, Emotion & A Rule of Thumb

All emotions are pure which gather you and lift you up; that emotion is impure which seizes only one side of your being and so distorts you. Rainer Maria Rilke Sometimes a poet can capture the essence of something better than psychologists, scientists and therapists combined. Rilke’s perception of our...

3 Ways Emotions Can Help Achieve Your Potential

These days you can’t cross a street without someone talking about ‘achieving their potential’. I recently had a few interesting discussions with twenty-something year olds, many between the jobs, struggling to decide what to do next. The pandemic prevented so many distractions, like traveling, forcing many to sit down and...

Can Alexa Make You a Pushover?

In the book Lonely Century - one of the scariest books on societal issues, and that is saying something, considering the last few years - Noreena Hertz refers to an article 'Is Alexa Making My Son An Asshole? The author describes tantrums and insults that his son throws at Alexa, but...

Butt Off the Couch Threshold

The other day in the gym, one guy performed what felt less like a workout and more like a dance. As he was slowly moving through what seemed like a well-organized routine, his body movements were mesmerizing – hanging off a high gym pole with his hands, he slowly changed...

There Is Nowhere To Go But Up?

If there is one good thing about being sick, it’s that you can indulge in movies or shows without the guilt. Often it is the only thing your mind is up for as the books seem to require too much brain power. But when your indulgence leads to a musical...