In the eighties, I made it a point to become ‘computer literate’. In today’s world of tablets and smart phones, ‘computer literacy’ begins to take on a new and shifting definition.

New Year’s Eve celebrations seem to have gotten smaller in scope. Let’s align ourselves more with the traditional intent of the celebration, and make a radical shift back to the values of repairing relationships and promising good behavior.

The Penn State scandal brings up questions about morality and behavior. One issue that has been largely ignored is that of evil and how it is not as rare as we would like to believe.

Continuing with our look at the psychology of Star Wars, if we use the films as a template for our cultural zeitgeist, are we becoming more like Luke or more like Darth Vader?

I recently wrote about how our emotions can become tangled up with possessions and artifacts that represent past experiences and relationships; how our homes gradually fill up with ‘stuff’ — literal and metaphorical — that blocks us from moving on. But how do we actually go about clearing the clutter?

Certain dates and the events that took place on them have resonance and meaning for us; they shape our sense of who we are, individually and collectively. TV schedulers like to run documentaries on the anniversary of important events, reflecting on the experiences of those involved with the benefit of hindsight, and usually ending by asking how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned. Could this be a useful exercise for us as individuals too?

Many people think that as a psychologist I have this incredible power — that I can easily read their minds; that I can open someone’s head and see what lies inside.