Monthly Archives: September 2010

Quote-a-thon: Dennis Potter

Posted on September 30, 2010 by dianesilver

British dramatist Dennis Potter: “A bad act done will fester and create in its own way. It’s not only goodness that creates. Bad things create. They have their own yeast.” Via BrainyQuote.com.

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Quote-a-thon: Marcia Epstein

Posted on September 30, 2010 by dianesilver

Marcia Epstein: “Each of us must help the world become safe and nurturing for all people.” Although Marcia doesn’t mention the word “goodness,” this certainly sounds like goodness to me. Marcia is the director of Headquarters Counseling Center in Lawrence, … Continue reading →

Posted in Practicing Goodness, quotations | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Quote-a-thon: Henry David Thoreau

Posted on September 30, 2010 by dianesilver

“All good things are wild, and free.” Via thinkexist.com.

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Quote-a-thon: The King of Thailand

Posted on September 29, 2010 by dianesilver

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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Quote-a-thon: Indian Proverb

Posted on September 29, 2010 by dianesilver

“Conquer a man who never gives by gifts; Subdue untruthful men by truthfulness; Vanquish an angry man by gentleness; And overcome the evil man by goodness.” via http://www.thinkexist.com. Unfortunately, ThinkExist is seriously vague about the source of this proverb, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Practicing Goodness | Tagged | 2 Comments

Quote-a-thon: John Wesley

Posted on September 29, 2010 by dianesilver

From the founder of Methodism, John Wesley: “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with the zeal you … Continue reading →

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Mark Twain on Goodness

Posted on September 28, 2010 by dianesilver

“Be good and you will be lonesome.” I haven’t verified this, but it certainly sounds like Mark Twain. The quote is from ThinkExist.com. I like this quote because it backs up my theory that somehow, someway the concept of goodness … Continue reading →

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Distracted

Posted on September 28, 2010 by dianesilver

Like the “slain” monster in the final seconds of a horror flick, that big project I  got off my desk 12 days ago is back. (Oh no!) It’s time for me to finally finish the darn thing, so I will … Continue reading →

Posted in housekeeping | 3 Comments

Thank You!

Posted on September 27, 2010 by dianesilver

Thanks so much to the two wonderful people who donated to the Goodness Project this weekend. Your gifts will help fund the video and audio equipment I need to expand this effort from mere text to an all-talking, all-singing, all-laughing … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Supporters | 2 Comments

Not My Science of Morality

Posted on September 24, 2010 by dianesilver

Notre Dame Psychology Professor Darcia Narvaez mutters the obvious about the Edge Foundation conference and its consensus statement on the science of morality: Can a bunch of white guys, experimenting on inexperienced college students REALLY figure out how humans being … Continue reading →

Posted in psychology | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

The Hard Work of Compassion ctd.

Posted on September 24, 2010 by dianesilver

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

Another Person’s Goodness

Posted on September 23, 2010 by dianesilver

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt and his colleagues irritate me. Their reasoned, exhaustive work on morality makes it impossible for me to do what I want to do: Claim the high ground, declare that my idea of goodness is the only definition … Continue reading →

Posted in good vs. evil, morality, psychology | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Hard Work of Compassion

Posted on September 22, 2010 by dianesilver

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 dianesilver

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 dianesilver

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 →

Posted in Becoming Good | Tagged , | 3 Comments