Tag Archives: empathy

Appreciating Stories – as a Scientist, Writer, and Human

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Thoughtscapism

When things get difficult, I seek comfort in stories. This might not be so surprising, after all, stories are the fundamental building blocks of human reality. We view the world through our identity, the story of who we are, and … Continue reading →

Posted in literature, meta, psychology, society | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why It’s So Hard to Talk About GMOs

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Despite our best intentions, discussions about GMOs often quickly degenerate into shouting matches. If we really want to make a difference, we should consider the psychology of how and why our views are formed, and help others do the same. Instead of eagerly fighting with facts, the effect of kindness and curiosity on a debate could surprise you. Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, health, psychology, science communication | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Plants Don’t Have Problems

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

As a preteen I wished that all humans would disappear from the planet and the beauty of nature would be left to flourish unhindered. I imagined I would be offered a big red button and I could annihilate the human race with … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, climate, environment, meta, science | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Adapting to Happiness

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Is happiness all it’s cracked up to be? I write about my reflections on happiness research in this piece which originally appeared in the cultural journal The Woolf: The Woolf’s resident scientist, Iida Ruishalme, approaches happiness from diverse angles, looking at how her ideas … Continue reading →

Posted in linguistics, parenting, psychology, society | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments