thanks for the comment! I recall how Rogers told his biographer that, after a series or lectures in the US by Otto, "I became infected with Rankian ideas."
I'll echo Grant: I joined because I read a great Essay Club, but as a reader I'm happy to follow you towards the things that interest you.
As a busy dad who struggles with exercise time, I've settled on martial arts + instructor led bootcamps. In both cases the classes are 1 hour of continuous effort, and fun enough to make me forget I'm exercising. I used to have a home gym with freeweights: the best for pure time efficiency, and deadlifts, etc. provide functional strength you sometimes need as a dad, but I found it hard to stay motivated at home.
Thanks MF! And thanks for the exercise tip. I've tried a few different martial arts in the past, but nothing has ever stuck. The home gym idea is one that I've considered many times, but I don't have the space for it at my current place. Hoping to change that soon...
Essay Club will continue, don't worry! I hope I didn't give the impression that I'll be stopping that.
Thanks for sharing about your change in what you plan to write about. I think this is normal for writers. And I think it only proves the point that we don't really know what we like until we try it.
My writing is also evolving-- I used to focus mostly on self-help approaches to philosophy and psychology. Now I like analyzing books and movies. I still have that bent towards ethics, but it's different now.
Personally, I really enjoy your Essay Club posts, but then again, do whatever you like. Follow the fun.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on Notes from the Underground, As I Lay Dying, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and/or The Stranger. All great books.
As for exercise, the only thing I can suggest is start with 2 minutes a day. It seems like nothing, but it's doable, and if you're lucky it might turn into 15 or 30 minutes. And just a little bit a day can add up to a lot in the long run. It's the same with writing.
Thanks Grant! Don't worry, Essay Club will continue - I have no plans of stopping this.
"I'd love to hear your thoughts on Notes from the Underground, As I Lay Dying, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and/or The Stranger. All great books." - good idea, I think I'd enjoy writing about these, especially For Whom the Bell Tolls. There's a part of me that questions whether I'd have anything interesting to say about any of these books, but maybe I need to ignore that and give it a go.
Thanks for the exercise tip - you're right, I need to start (very) small. Even 2 minutes is better than nothing.
I guess if I had to describe my writing ambitions going forward, it would be The Essay Club but for really good books and movies. So maybe I’m just biased towards that type of discussion. But it doesn’t have to be through a post! We could just chat sometime.
Sounds like a good idea! I've subscribed to you, will keep an eye out for more of that. And I'm always happy for a chat in the DMs (I think mine are open?)
The universities I attended were pretty modern in their approach to psychology. We learned a little about psychoanalysis and other similar approaches to psychology/psychotherapy, but not much - it was mostly when learning the history of psychology, or as part of a larger course on the main treatment modalities (so psychoanalysis/psychodynamic might get one lecture, then CBT, then IPT, etc.). My postgrad/professional training was CBT-based. The unfortunate consequence of this is that I don't know much about Rank or Becker, and have only read a little of/about Solomon (wrt Terror Management Theory). I think there is some truth to Solomon's theory, but I don't think it explains as much of human behaviour as he seems to suggest.
I'm a little more familiar with Rogers. Even the most ardent Behaviourist has to recognise the importance of being person-centred in the therapy room, so he came up a few times throughout my education and training. I think his approach gets a lot right - 'unconditional positive regard' and empathic understanding have always been important in my approach to therapy - but I think the Rogerian approach needs to be combined with something more active for therapeutic change to occur. If you've ever watched the video of Rogers' session with 'Gloria' you'll know what I mean - it's basically all reflection, so to someone with a more active/practical approach to therapy it's frustrating to watch.
thanks for the comment! I recall how Rogers told his biographer that, after a series or lectures in the US by Otto, "I became infected with Rankian ideas."
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00221678950354005
Interesting, I'd never heard that. I'll try to read some of Rank's work at some point - sounds like he's been quite influential.
I'll echo Grant: I joined because I read a great Essay Club, but as a reader I'm happy to follow you towards the things that interest you.
As a busy dad who struggles with exercise time, I've settled on martial arts + instructor led bootcamps. In both cases the classes are 1 hour of continuous effort, and fun enough to make me forget I'm exercising. I used to have a home gym with freeweights: the best for pure time efficiency, and deadlifts, etc. provide functional strength you sometimes need as a dad, but I found it hard to stay motivated at home.
Thanks MF! And thanks for the exercise tip. I've tried a few different martial arts in the past, but nothing has ever stuck. The home gym idea is one that I've considered many times, but I don't have the space for it at my current place. Hoping to change that soon...
Essay Club will continue, don't worry! I hope I didn't give the impression that I'll be stopping that.
Thanks for sharing about your change in what you plan to write about. I think this is normal for writers. And I think it only proves the point that we don't really know what we like until we try it.
My writing is also evolving-- I used to focus mostly on self-help approaches to philosophy and psychology. Now I like analyzing books and movies. I still have that bent towards ethics, but it's different now.
Personally, I really enjoy your Essay Club posts, but then again, do whatever you like. Follow the fun.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on Notes from the Underground, As I Lay Dying, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and/or The Stranger. All great books.
As for exercise, the only thing I can suggest is start with 2 minutes a day. It seems like nothing, but it's doable, and if you're lucky it might turn into 15 or 30 minutes. And just a little bit a day can add up to a lot in the long run. It's the same with writing.
Thanks Grant! Don't worry, Essay Club will continue - I have no plans of stopping this.
"I'd love to hear your thoughts on Notes from the Underground, As I Lay Dying, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and/or The Stranger. All great books." - good idea, I think I'd enjoy writing about these, especially For Whom the Bell Tolls. There's a part of me that questions whether I'd have anything interesting to say about any of these books, but maybe I need to ignore that and give it a go.
Thanks for the exercise tip - you're right, I need to start (very) small. Even 2 minutes is better than nothing.
Good to know.
I guess if I had to describe my writing ambitions going forward, it would be The Essay Club but for really good books and movies. So maybe I’m just biased towards that type of discussion. But it doesn’t have to be through a post! We could just chat sometime.
Sounds like a good idea! I've subscribed to you, will keep an eye out for more of that. And I'm always happy for a chat in the DMs (I think mine are open?)
What do you think about Otto Rank, Carl Rogers, Ernest Becker, Sheldon Solomon et al?
The universities I attended were pretty modern in their approach to psychology. We learned a little about psychoanalysis and other similar approaches to psychology/psychotherapy, but not much - it was mostly when learning the history of psychology, or as part of a larger course on the main treatment modalities (so psychoanalysis/psychodynamic might get one lecture, then CBT, then IPT, etc.). My postgrad/professional training was CBT-based. The unfortunate consequence of this is that I don't know much about Rank or Becker, and have only read a little of/about Solomon (wrt Terror Management Theory). I think there is some truth to Solomon's theory, but I don't think it explains as much of human behaviour as he seems to suggest.
I'm a little more familiar with Rogers. Even the most ardent Behaviourist has to recognise the importance of being person-centred in the therapy room, so he came up a few times throughout my education and training. I think his approach gets a lot right - 'unconditional positive regard' and empathic understanding have always been important in my approach to therapy - but I think the Rogerian approach needs to be combined with something more active for therapeutic change to occur. If you've ever watched the video of Rogers' session with 'Gloria' you'll know what I mean - it's basically all reflection, so to someone with a more active/practical approach to therapy it's frustrating to watch.