psychology
781445134818623488
Indeed, religion allows people to imagine that their concerns are moral when they are highly immoral – that is, when pressing these concerns inflicts unnecessary and appalling suffering on innocent human beings. This explains why Christians like yourself expend more “moral” energy opposing abortion than fighting genocide. It explains why you are more concerned about human embryos than about the lifesaving promise of stem-cell research. And it explains why you can preach against condom use in sub-Saharan Africa while millions die from AIDS there each year.
— Sam Harris
781444999210549248
Ego Traps
• If you think it is more “spiritual” to ride a bike to work or use public transportation, but then find yourself judging anyone who drives a car, you’re in an ego trap.
• If you think it is more “spiritual” to stop watching television because it rots your brain, but then find yourself judging those who still watch TV, you’re in an ego trap.
• If you think it is more “spiritual” to avoid reading gossip, tabloid or news magazines, but then find yourself judging those who do read those things, you’re in an ego trap.
• If you think it is more “spiritual” to listen to classical music or soothing nature sounds, but then find yourself judging those who listen to mainstream or pop music, you’re in an ego trap.
• If you think it is more “spiritual” to do yoga, become a vegan, buy organic, buy healing crystals, practice reiki, meditate, wear hippie/thrift shop clothing, visit ashrams and read enlightened spiritual books, but then you judge anyone who doesn’t do those things, you’re in an ego trap.
Always be aware of the feeling of superiority. Self-righteous superiority is your biggest clue that you are in an ego trap. The ego loves to sneak in the back door. It will take a noble idea, like starting up yoga, and then twist it to serve its own ends by making you feel superior to others; you will start to look down on those who are not following your righteous “spiritual” path. Superiority, judgment and condemnation. That is the ego trap.
781089189499453441
The Psychology of Hypocrisy – Why We Do it & How to Stop
“At the root of hypocrisy is a strong desire to be loved and accepted. The fear of humility and judgment is so powerful, that we use doublethink and cognitive dissonance to avoid facing ourselves.”
781015729012178944
“So bullshitting isn’t just nonsense. It’s constructed in order to appear meaningful, though on closer examination, it isn’t. And bullshit isn’t the same as lying. A liar knows the truth but makes statements deliberately intended to sell people on falsehoods. bullshitters, in contrast, aren’t concerned about what’s true or not, so much as they’re trying to appear as if they know what they’re talking about. In that sense, bullshitting can be thought of as a verbal demonstration of the Dunning-Kruger effect—when people speak from a position of disproportionate confidence about their knowledge relative to what little they actually know, bullshit is often the result.”
780998732446564352
The Science Behind Jealousy And Envy| BetterHelp
“There are a number of theories on the reasons why people experience jealousy. Whether it’s over what other people have that we don’t or have accomplished by means of resources, privilege, opportunity, or hard work, it seems like jealousy has always been a part of being human. One theory is that jealousy was how our early ancestors defended themselves from infidelity, according to evolutionary psychology. Today, we’ve taken theory and applied it to more rigorous scientific study.”
780802997701820416
Why Some People Will Always Blame Others
“The above research concluded that differences in emotion regulation predict whether we blame ourselves for our mistakes and misfortunes or we blame others. Specifically:
When experiencing negative emotions, poor emotion regulators are more likely to assume other people are responsible for their own bad choices.
Blaming others appears to reduce a person’s own negative emotions (e.g., anger, guilt, shame). This may explain why poor emotion regulators prefer to point fingers at others rather than hold themselves responsible.”
780372343077912576
Childhood Trauma Influence
Childhood experiences, especially traumatic ones, can shape how people see the world, how they relate to others, and how they view themselves. It doesn’t necessarily define them forever, but it often becomes the foundation they either build on or try to rebuild from.
Let’s break it down a bit more—how childhood trauma shapes a person’s identity, behaviors, and emotional life:
1. Emotional Blueprint
- Childhood trauma can teach a child that the world is unsafe, unpredictable, or that they must suppress emotions to survive.
- As adults, this often shows up as anxiety, depression, difficulty trusting others, or emotional numbness.
2. Sense of Self
- Kids internalize what happens around them. If they were neglected, abused, or constantly criticized, they may grow up with a damaged self-image, always feeling “not good enough” or unsure of their worth.
- This can lead to perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-sabotage, or a fear of failure.
3. Attachment Styles
- The way caregivers interact with children creates an internal “template” for future relationships.
- Secure attachment = trust, openness, balance.
- Avoidant or anxious attachment (often trauma-related) = fear of intimacy, clinginess, or emotional withdrawal.
4. Survival Mechanisms
- Children develop coping mechanisms—like dissociation, hyper-independence, or overachievement—to deal with trauma. These often become long-term patterns that are hard to recognize or break as adults.
5. Core Beliefs and Identity
- Trauma can implant deep-rooted beliefs: “I am unlovable,” “I have to earn love,” “I can’t trust anyone,” or “I’m always in danger.”
- These beliefs shape personality traits, career choices, friendships, romantic relationships—even how someone talks to themselves internally.
6. Repetition Compulsion
- Some people unknowingly repeat traumatic dynamics in adult life—choosing partners or environments that mirror their childhood pain—as a subconscious way to “redo” or resolve it.
7. Creative Expression or Empathy
- On the other hand, trauma survivors often develop heightened sensitivity, creativity, empathy, and depth. Many artists, healers, and deep thinkers come from painful early life experiences.
If you’re thinking of this in terms of healing, transformation is very possible. Therapy, self-awareness, and safe relationships can slowly rewrite those scripts.
How does it shape the way we make decisions or express ourselves creatively as adults?