Category Archives: Becoming Good

Should Goodness Ever Be Defined, or What Have I Done?

Posted on May 31, 2011 by dianesilver

No more dodging the issue for me. Tomorrow is the 365th day of my quest, which means I have to finally give you my definition of goodness. Before I went to WisCon last week, I drafted that post, loaded it … Continue reading →

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

What’s God Got To Do With Goodness?

Posted on May 25, 2011 by dianesilver

The question of moral goodness can’t be considered without looking at religion. After all, religious leaders have been declaring themselves to be the true arbiters of goodness for thousands of years. But does God really have anything to do with … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, religion | 6 Comments

19 Days Left and More on Bradshaw

Posted on May 12, 2011 by dianesilver

I’m down to 19 days on this quest. Tick. Tick. Tick. There’s not enough time. I’m panicking, but I’m also relishing the deadline because I can’t avoid or ignore the Goodness Project now. I have to make this work. Today, … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, Practicing Goodness, psychology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Book Review: John Bradshaw and the Path to Goodness

Posted on May 11, 2011 by dianesilver

John Bradshaw’s book Reclaiming Virtue: How We Can Develop the Moral Intelligence to Do the Right Thing at the Right Time for the Right Reason is delightful, eye-opening, and infuriating.  In the months — and I do mean many months … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, good vs. evil, The Reading List | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Coming Attraction

Posted on May 10, 2011 by dianesilver

Tomorrow I’ll finally post my review of John Bradshaw’s book, Reclaiming Virtue: How We Can Develop the Moral Intelligence to Do the Right Thing at the Right Time for the Right Reason. Stay tuned!

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The Barriers to Action

Posted on April 27, 2011 by dianesilver

This video is a good companion to my previous post. Here political activist Dave Meslin talks about the barriers that keep us from working to change the status quo, even when we want to change it. He’s talking about agitating … Continue reading →

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

Compassion as Technology

Posted on February 15, 2011 by dianesilver

NPR journalist Krista Tippett resurrects and redefines the concept of “compassion” at a TED talk sponsored by the Charter for Compassion. A friend just suggested I check out her radio show, Being, so I was delighted to see Tippett show … Continue reading →

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Metaphor as Reality

Posted on January 5, 2011 by dianesilver

Hmmm. Don’t know what I think about this, but I guess anything that helps us be better people can’t be bad. New research shows that thinking elevating thoughts or moving up — even through an act as mundane as riding … Continue reading →

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Pema Chodron Explains Basic Goodness

Posted on January 4, 2011 by dianesilver

Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron discusses goodness and the trap of getting caught up in ourselves. She says we get so twisted around that we “can’t see others because of our own pain.”

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Breathing Into the New Year, ctd.

Posted on December 31, 2010 by dianesilver

Continuing in the effort to center for the new year, let me ask you this question: How many birds are there at Squaw Creek? The answer: Bunches and bunches and bunches. The large blob in the tree and the blob … Continue reading →

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Breathing Into the New Year, ctd.

Posted on December 30, 2010 by dianesilver

Another photo to remind us to breathe into the new year and let go of our obsession with ourselves. From the Squaw Creek Refuge near Mound City, Missouri, a view of the muskrat mounds. I had no idea they were … Continue reading →

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A Heron and Breathing Into the New Year

Posted on December 29, 2010 by dianesilver

This is the second of my posts about centering and nature. We darn near ran off the road when we spotted this heron at the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. May we all breathe calmly into the new year. If … Continue reading →

Posted in A Little Fun, Becoming Good, Diane's Photos | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Goodness of Centering

Posted on December 28, 2010 by dianesilver

What goes into becoming good? Is it being born with the right heart? The right thoughts? The right parents? Or is goodness a quality that we constantly struggle to find? Today I called Blue Cross & Blue Shield about renewing … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, Diane's Photos | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Brene Brown Answers My Questions

Posted on December 23, 2010 by dianesilver

Storyteller and social work researcher Brene Brown has just answered the central questions of my quest for goodness, or at least most of them. I have asked: What is goodness? What enables human beings to be good? What trips us … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming Good, Goodness Personified, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Dalai Lama Explains Me To Myself

Posted on December 6, 2010 by dianesilver

From the Dalai Lama’s Facebook page today: Although I personally believe that our human nature is fundamentally gentle and compassionate, I feel it is not enough that this is our underlying nature; we must also develop an appreciation and awareness … Continue reading →

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