Category Archives: Becoming Good

Interesting Read: Science Explores Giving

Posted on November 30, 2010 by

USA Today has a good overview of new research into the origins of generosity. The answer may be in our parenting, our mother-child bonds or our hormones.

Posted in Becoming Good, Practicing Goodness | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Quote-a-thon: The King of Thailand

Posted on September 29, 2010 by

The King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej: “A good person can make another person good; it means that goodness will elicit goodness in the society; other persons will also be good.” Via Brainyquote.com.

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The Hard Work of Compassion ctd.

Posted on September 24, 2010 by

If we seek to understand each other, isn’t that the work of goodness? Is it good to make compassion something more than a favor granted to those we deem worthy? But how do we understand those who harm us? How … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, good vs. evil | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Hard Work of Compassion

Posted on September 22, 2010 by

Anyone who seeks to understand goodness needs to read Ta-Nehisi Coates’ post about the “hard work of compassion.” He is an African-American engaged in the not-so-mundane task of reading Mothers Of Invention, a history of women in slaveholding families during … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, good vs. evil | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Problem with the Enlightenment

Posted on September 21, 2010 by

I’ve always been a big fan of the Enlightenment. When I came across a quote in a paper by Jonathan Haidt and Craig Joseph, however, I began to wonder if all that emphasis on reason and rational action had left … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, psychology | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Continuing Saga of Meditation and Prayer

Posted on September 20, 2010 by

I’m one month into my meditate pray-a-thon, and I have to admit that this is both easier and far harder than I expected. I thought I’d stumble over my schedule and be unable to apply butt to seat to keep … Continue reading →

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My Christianity Problem ctd.

Posted on September 8, 2010 by

My Christianity post continues to wander around the net, collecting comments and links (Thanks to Zoe Pollock and Andrew Sullivan’s Daily Dish.). For days now I’ve been thinking about one of the 65 comments that popped up on Bilerico. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, empathy, religion | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

We Live or Die By Our Stories

Posted on September 7, 2010 by

I suspect most of you will remember the first news story I’m going to tell, but I wonder if you have even heard of the second. I didn’t until I stumbled on the story this week in a new book. … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, empathy, morality | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

My Christianity Problem, ctd.

Posted on August 31, 2010 by

I’m beginning to think I wrote a litmus test, not a blog post in Monday’s “Wherein I Confess To My Christianity Problem.” In comments I’ve received in private conversations, here on this blog, on Facebook and on Bilerico where I … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, religion | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What’s the Path to 21st Century Enlightenment?

Posted on August 26, 2010 by

Matthew Taylor presents a provocative idea about how we should launch a new enlightenment in the 21st Century. Taylor is chief executive of the RSA. He wants us to consider a new morality based, in part, on empathy to guide … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, Politics | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Our Morally Stressed Culture

Posted on August 18, 2010 by

Today I came across research that prompted me to consider a rather nasty question: Is our culture so stressed and dysfunctional that we are swiftly becoming incapable of acting morally? The first warning note was sounded by Notre Dame Psychologist … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, psychology | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sam Harris and the Dangerous Quest

Posted on August 17, 2010 by

I’m beginning to understand Sam Harris’ argument. He’s seeking an alternative to religion as the basis for morality, and he’s seeing morality as the core issue of our time. In a presentation and lengthy discussion at the Edge Foundation conference … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, good vs. evil, morality | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Practicing Goodness ctd.

Posted on August 16, 2010 by

I appreciate the suggestions folks posted about how I might practice goodness for the rest of this quest. Yesterday, however, while sitting in a car with the air conditioning running  and deep in an unexpected conversation, I took the leap … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, Practicing Goodness | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Rich and Goodness

Posted on August 13, 2010 by

If there is any validity to new research, then we finally have a scientific rationale for what Jesus noted all those many years ago. From the King James Bible: And again I say unto you, It is easier for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, good vs. evil, Politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Soul-Crushing Boredom, Banality, etc., of Goodness

Posted on August 5, 2010 by

Goodness is hideously boring, banal, unsophisticated and ignorant of the realities of life, among many other things, or at least that’s what I’ve been told as I’ve journeyed on this quest. Not everyone has this attitude, but some do. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, good vs. evil | Tagged , | 5 Comments