Author
Debate about use of “Dr.” disrespects expertise, fuels distrust of science
Jill Biden, educator and first lady, and I share the same nickname with students: “Dr. B.” We both have terminal degrees, hers an Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of Delaware and I, a Ph.D. in English from Oklahoma State University. I’m called “Dr. B” because my students have a difficult time pronouncing my […]
Political sectarianism fuels vaccine resistance
Emotional intelligence is the ability to fathom our feelings so as to reduce stress, enhance reasoning and perceive emotions in ourselves and others so as to enhance awareness and mental well-being. The ability to process emotions has many benefits. We can interact prudently and mindfully with others, communicating effectively, overcoming challenges and defusing conflict. The […]
Hoaxes and scams take an emotional toll
Countless people have lost millions of dollars to online hoaxes and scams, but the biggest collective loss concerns trust. Losing trust hurts us more than money ever could. Internet deceptions afflict everyone, from a child awaiting a pet to a pensioner awaiting a Social Security check. Let’s deal with pets first, as these scams have […]
How can we keep our composure when everyone is so angry?
Everyone seems angry, cheated, entitled, resentful, deprived — new American norms afflicting every walk of life — from viral Karens and road-raging Kens to berserker travelers and conspiratorial lawmakers. What has happened to Americans in the past decade? Many blame fake news. Others, social media. And some say we’re responding psychologically to real depredation and […]
How often do you lie? It’s probably more often than you realize
This summer, I contributed a chapter on falsehood to an influential book edited by Alex Grech, founding director of the 3CL Foundation. Alex also teaches new media at the University of Malta. The book’s title puts our global situation in perspective: “Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society: From Fake News, Datafication and Mass […]
After a tsunami of negative emotions, can we find saving grace?
In the past few years people have weathered a tsunami of negative emotions, triggered by political strife, economic hardship and global pandemic. How many have you experienced in the list below? Fear Anger Disgust Rage Annoyance Sadness Loneliness Melancholy Social media spread those emotions among the populace. The Brookings Institution used Twitter data to document […]
Bourdain film illustrates ethical issues with voice cloning, media manipulation
In a new documentary about the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, he is heard discussing his life shortly before committing suicide. “You are successful, and I am successful, and I’m wondering: Are you happy?” Questions arose about Bourdain’s voice. He wrote those words in an email, and people were wondering how the filmmaker purloined an […]
Satire explores unspoken truths but is often misunderstood
Satire explores the truths that few admit but all know, using a double-meaning title and what’s known in literature as an “unreliable voice” without making its points against innocent others. That’s a tall order. Without truth, attempts at satire lapse into sarcasm or comedy, generating insults or laughs at the expense of another person, thing […]
Memorial Day memories: Courage of war correspondents
I never fought in the Vietnam War. I joined United Press International, a worldwide wire service, in 1975 at the end of that conflict. My heroes were UPI war correspondents — Leon Daniel, Kate Webb and Joseph L. Galloway. Daniel was a friend. He died in 2006. Webb was a role model and later, mentor. […]
Basic truths: Can you cite the rainbow of veracity?
With Americans spending on average almost 2 ½ hours a day on social media, small wonder that few of us can define the various categories of truth. Sure, we know all about falsehoods — fake news, hoaxes, half-truths, exaggerations and so-called “white lies” — and can identify each with little prompting. Did you know that […]
Finding peace of mind in a disquieting age
Often our troubles are so intense that we think of them every waking minute, longing for peace and quiet, a lull, however temporary, so we can regain our balance. There is no peace in the disquiet of pandemic and partisan politics. There are two main meanings of peace. One is the absence of war. The […]