18 Oct, 2022
The statement above is usually (mis)attributed to economist John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946). Many - if not most - facts are time-boxed. A famous example is the 1609 controversy on heliocentrism: does the Earth rotate around the Sun (eg, Galileo Galilei) or vice versa (ie, the Roman Catholic Church)? Not changing your mind when the facts change, reveals the existence...
12 Oct, 2022
In a recent facebook remark, I wondered how we can restore togetherness in a society; or in Dutch: hoe krijg je saamhorigheid terug in een "samen"leving? Our Western societies are often characterized by glorifying freedom (eg, sexual expression, speech) and by individualism. I received several replies. A friend of a friend is convinced that global grass roots...
13 Apr, 2022
Last Friday, I had an epiphany. In my 2015 blog, I wrote about the 4 ingredients that constitute a relationship. My 2016 blog added another 3. My 2021 blog was a summary. These 7 ingredients define many (or all) types of relationships: communication, forgiveness, intimacy, respect, togetherness, trust and vulnerability. Any type of relationship starts - and ends -...
1 Feb, 2021
Recently, a father sent congratulations on his daughter's wedding on Dutch radio. That message also mentioned that this couple is each other's friend. Latter struck a nerve. Despite some exceptions, a lack of friendship is indeed characteristic for my failed relationships. Moreover, the people whom you will miss, are your...
10 Oct, 2019
In a recent Dutch language interview with Jean-Claude Juncker, he used a common French expression: "Je m'en fous!" (FD, De Tijd). A polite translation would be: "I don't care" (what others think). The accompanying emotion reveals a more offensive meaning. A recent interview with Swiss philosopher Alain de Botton recommends a similar approach to life...
17 May, 2019
My blogs on happiness and satisfaction resulted in a new and related topic: compatibility a.k.a. "capable of existing together in harmony" (MW). The (in)compatibility of men and women is a source for many writers, like John Gray's 1992 book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, and also many comedians (eg, Mark Gungor's Tale of Two Brains). The reason why...
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