Thought-provoking articles about human nature from diverse thinkers
Animals
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You can think like an animal by silencing your chattering brain
The desire is partly whimsical, but a brief shapeshift across the taxonomic gulf could help us better empathise with animals
by Bryony Tolhurst
Death and dying
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As a society, we’re not death phobic, we’re death complacent
Our culture is routinely diagnosed with an excessive fear of mortality. A calm look at the evidence tells a different story
by Ingemar Patrick Linden
Anxiety
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If you think you are ‘just not a math person’ then think again
Understanding how mathematics anxiety takes root points to ways to overcome it, opening up new opportunities and pastimes
by Nathan T T Lau & H Moriah Sokolowski
Difficult emotions
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Feeling nothing can be as devastating as feeling too much
Emotional ‘emptiness’ is a damaging, underexplored phenomenon. Better understanding it could help steer people to fulfilment
by Christopher J Hopwood
Cultural diversity
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Insularity can be a good thing, for creatures and cultures alike
The plight of threatened species can help us understand – and respond to – the endangerment of local ideas and practices
by Antone Martinho-Truswell
Autism
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Late autism diagnosis: it’s a relief, but who’s behind the mask?
By the time an adult learns they’re autistic, they have often been covering up for years. A period of self-discovery awaits
by Leonie Mercedes
Hallucinations and delusions
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If you hear voices, here are some empowering ways to respond
Hearing voices isn’t always a problem – but if they’re stressful or frightening, it is possible to regain a sense of control
by Mark Hayward
Conflict and conflict resolution
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Restorative justice fits human nature more than retribution does
As recognised by ancestral wisdom and Indigenous practices, our need to repair relationships is a deep-rooted instinct
by Flavia Corso
Communication and language
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Why every utterance you make begins with a leap of faith
Time pressure and the limitations of memory compel you and your listener to engage in a fascinating linguistic trade-off
by Julie Sedivy
Technology and media
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The reason that even hands-free calls are risky for drivers
Cars are filled with ever more communication and entertainment tech, but our minds are stuck with the same limitations
by Robert Rosenberger
Social history
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Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American
Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state
by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray
Parenting and families
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Trapped with no escape: the hidden problem of sibling bullying
When brothers and sisters victimise each other, the harms can be serious. But it’s never too late to heal old wounds
by Kristen Cvancara