The art of thinking straight
How to use your brain properly to discern the bias — and wisdom — in conspiracy theories.
Is it collusion, or incompetence, or there’s really nothing to see here?
Psychopaths & Sociopaths
Here you’ll find posts about psychopathy and sociopathy, especially in politics and the workplace.
What are these conditions? Are they just about lack of empathy? Is it possible to be just a little bit psychopathic? And why do these traits seem to concentrate in the senior ranks of government and industry, spoiling things for everyone else?
Nerds Of Business podcast
I am the featured expert for Season 3 of the Nerds of Business podcast, examining the six elements of mindset required to succeed as a disruptive entrepreneur:
Resilience, creativity, confidence, drive, managing negative behaviour, and leadership.
The courage to be disliked
What’s your disapproval personality type? If I told you it’s possible to learn to tolerate criticism and disapproval, would you want to?
A fascinating exposition of resilience, from the habit of people-pleasing to psychopathy in global politics.
Warning: Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) may harm your relationships
Research shows that the way some painkilling drugs work may significantly suppress your ability to feel empathy for others’ pain and pleasure.
Evil will always concentrate, unless…
My Halloween special is about corporate evil, from bad behaviour of political groups to large scale organisational corruption and abuse.
I have a theory that evil concentrates over time due to a natural quirk in human nature. Fortunately, this also means that unhealthy institutional cultures can be prevented or cured.
Should presidents and prime ministers have mental health selection criteria?
If the US presidency were a regular job, Psychologists would draw up selection criteria and candidates would be screened for stability and competence.
How might the world look if more leaders were earnest public servants instead of unstable egoists and sociopaths?
Is your boss a corporate psychopath?
Does this remind you of anyone? Superficially charming, even warm. Extreme intimidation of others. Manipulative and controlling. Bad tempered. Self-obsessed. Lacking remorse.
Then you may be working with a corporate psychopath. Contrary to popular understanding, psychopathology is not always about murderousness. It’s defined broadly as …
And there’s a surprising amount of it about. One woman in 200 is classifiable as a psychopath, as is one man in 80. Chances are, you have a psychopath in your building. Read more…