"Gaslighting!" These days, it seems to be the answer to everything. Disagree with someone's interpretation of events? Gaslighting. Suggest they might be mistaken? Gaslighting. Ask whether there could be another explanation? Believe it or not... gaslighting. The word has undergone one of the most dramatic cases of semantic expansion in recent years. Originally, gaslighting referred to a specific and deeply abusive form of psychological manipulation in which someone deliberatel

Over the past few years, I've been thinking about the movement called ‘neuroaffirming’ (NA) or ‘neurodiversity affirming’ and what I think about it and whether I identify with it. I think I’ve finally come to my answer which is no, I don't. That doesn't mean I don't respect autistic people or people with ADHD. It doesn't mean I think neurodivergent people should be "fixed," forced to behave like everyone else, or denied accommodations. Quite the opposite. But, I do think the

“The biggest deficit that we have in our society and in the world right now is an empathy deficit.” – Barack Obama “Arguing against empathy is like arguing against kittens.” – Paul Bloom Empathy has become something close to a sacred value in modern culture. In therapy, politics, education—everywhere—we’re told to be more empathetic. And on one level, this makes perfect sense. A world without empathy would be cold, indifferent, and brutal. But can empathy be a problem? It sur