Category: World events, a psychological view

WHY ELECT OBAMA WHO PUT US IN MORE DEBT & DIDN’T FIX THE ECONOMY? by Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Psychiatry, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view

He was elected because most of us weren’t naive enough to blame him. He inherited a catastrophe and then the party that created the catastrophe continued to affix blame rather than work to cure the problem.

Plus, why would most women vote for a man devoted to taking away their right to choose?

Plus, why would most Latinos vote for a man who wants them out of the country?

Plus, why would young people vote for a man and party that’s determined to keep the rich, rich and the poor struggling. Most of us started out as struggling students without a birthright of status or money.

Plus, we instinctively distrust a person who will say whatever it takes to get what he wants.

There are some psychological lessons to be learned:

Respect others’ values and work to give them the power to live those values.

Set aside some of your own narcissistic needs for the betterment of the country.

It’s reasonable to change your mind, but admit you’re changing it and do your  best to explain why you changed it.

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I’M NOT GOING DOWN EASY, by Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Psychiatry, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view

It was one if those cocktail parties where half a dozen men stood together talking about sports and politics, and the spouses were congregated on the other side of the room talking about Nietzsche or Bloomingdales or maybe even the men. One of the guys said,

 “We’re moving. Just sold our place and have an accepted offer on a new place.”

“Downsizing?” one guy said, taking a sip of Cabernet.

“Nah. Actually the new house is bigger.”

“Bigger? Why? You’re 70 aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“So why bigger?

“Why not?”

“You have a lot of money?”

“Hardly.”

“But aren’t you preparing for retirement? What if you get sick?”

“What if I don’t get sick and live 25 years? I don’t want to go down easy. I want to live, really live.”

“Oh,” the other guy said with a contemplative expression on his lined face.”

Shouldn’t we all live life to the fullest and have the right to make our own rules?

Wasn’t it Ibsen who said, ‘the majority is always wrong’. It’s the people who come up with ideas that no one else ever thought of that are often the most successful. I’m talking not only about financial success, but more importantly, emotional happiness.

Getting older doesn’t mean that you’re relegated to the trash heap. It just means that you’re getting older. There’s a real opportunity to put whatever wisdom you’ve accumulated into action.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist.