X CLOSE
TherapeiaEudaimoniaPoiesis
AboutContact
Search
Menu
Psyche
DonateNewsletter
SIGN IN
Ideas

Thought-provoking articles about human nature from diverse thinkers

Disorders and difficultiesTherapies and practical advicePerspectives and controversies
Self-knowledge and personal growthRelationships, work and leisureValues and ethical living
Creativity and the artsSpirituality and transcendence
LatestPopular
Black and white photo of a military officer in profile wearing a uniform and cap against a blurred landscape background.

Thinking and intelligence

idea

Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid

Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it

by Sacha Golob

Black and white photo of soldiers walking on a ridge with their reflections in the water below.

History and philosophy of mental health

idea

One woman’s six-word mantra that has helped to calm millions

Ahead of her time, yet largely ignored by psychiatry, Claire Weekes taught millions of readers how to overcome anxiety

by Judith Hoare

Black and white photo of a man and woman in swimwear relaxing on a sandy beach with rocky cliffs in the background.

Love

idea

Love shouldn’t be blind or mad. Instead, fall rationally in love

Blind, all-consuming love goes against your interests and impedes your flourishing. Submit your love to rational scrutiny

by Berit Brogaard

Photo of a man sleeping on a bench against a white wall near a wooden door, with cobblestone paving below in sunlight.

Money and economics

idea

Why efficiency is dangerous and slowing down makes life better

The urge to do everything faster and better is risky. Far wiser to do what’s good enough for the range of possible futures

by Barry Schwartz

Traditional Chinese painting of a woman resting on a chair in a pavilion by a pond with ducks and lotus flowers.

Creativity

idea

To be creative, Chinese philosophy teaches us to abandon ‘originality’

Whether grieving a death or connecting to colleagues, creativity enables an artful life, according to Chinese philosophy

by Julianne Chung

A painting of a woman sitting at a table with a glass of beer, a cigarette, and a contemplative expression in a café setting.

Love

idea

Why it can be sublime to love someone who doesn’t love you back

Unrequited love might be bitter and painful, but it is also the ultimate expression of your humanity. Don’t fight it

by Alexandra Gustafson

Photo of an office building’s facade with illuminated windows revealing people working inside at desks and meeting spaces.

Personality

idea

Introverts are excluded unfairly in an extraverts’ world

One in three people are introverts, physically present, but culturally absent. We shouldn’t have to change to be heard

by Noa Herz

A painting of a man with long hair wearing a black outfit and hat, holding a lit cigarette, and sitting in a café with a glass of green liquid.

Thinkers and theories

idea

Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing

For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning

by Costica Bradatan

Close-up photo of a mushroom in an autumn forest surrounded by fallen leaves and trees in the background.

Nature and the environment

idea

The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence

The evidence for fungal intelligence is in: they can operate as individuals, make decisions, learn, and have short-term memory

by Nicholas P Money

Ancient Roman fresco depicting a nude couple in an intimate pose on a bed, with faded hues on a textured background.

Sex and sexuality

idea

What rude jibes about Caesar tell us about sex in ancient Rome

‘Every woman’s man and every man’s woman’ was a slur Julius Caesar’s political opponents levied. What did it mean?

by Aven McMaster

Bronze bust of a bearded man with curly hair, likely an ancient artefact, on a black background.

Emotion regulation

idea

The Stoics were right – emotional control is good for the soul

Both neuroscience and psychotherapy agree that you can change your mental framework as the Stoic Marcus Aurelius described

by István Darabán

Photo of a stack of six sugar cookies on a marble surface with two cookies lying flat beside them against a dark background.

Emotion regulation

idea

The best way to exercise self-control is not to exercise it at all

Accept it: your self-control is weak. You’re more likely to reach long-term goals if you find ways to avoid temptation

by Laverl Z Williamson