Dishonest individuals often project their own behaviors onto others, assuming everyone acts similarly. This projection leads to a distorted moral double standard, where they rationalize their dishonesty while condemning others for the same actions. Distinguishing between healthy discernment and chronic suspicion is crucial, as suspicion can stem from past trauma rather than actual deceit.… Read More When suspicion reflects their own standards
Crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT) is a legal term, most commonly encountered in U.S. immigration law, although the concept can also arise in professional licensing and other legal contexts. It does not simply mean that a person has behaved badly or immorally. What does “moral turpitude” mean? In U.S. immigration law, the term has no single statutory definition. Case… Read More What does “moral turpitude” mean?
Behaviour What it means What happens to the other person’s suffering? Example Ordinary cruelty Deliberately causing pain, humiliation or distress, or showing a serious disregard for another person’s suffering The suffering is known but disregarded Knowing someone is already distressed and deliberately saying something designed to hurt or humiliate them Bullying Repeated behaviour intended to intimidate,… Read More The important difference
Concept What it means Relationship to another person’s suffering Cruelty Deliberately causing or allowing suffering, pain, humiliation or distress The suffering is knowingly inflicted or disregarded Sadism Deriving gratification, pleasure or satisfaction from another person’s suffering or humiliation The suffering itself can become rewarding Moral disengagement Psychological processes that allow someone to harm or exploit… Read More Cruelty, sadism and moral disengagement are not the same thing
“Karma shows no mercy. The pain you give someone else—the lies, betrayal, manipulation, and disrespect—never truly disappears. It echoes through the universe, waiting for the perfect moment to return.” Whether you see karma as a spiritual law, a universal energy, or simply the natural consequences of our choices, there is a truth that almost everyone… Read More Karma Shows No Mercy? Or Do Our Actions Always Have Consequences?
People who habitually deceive often rely on one thing above all else: A carefully constructed story. At first, that story may appear convincing. Details are rehearsed, explanations are polished, and confidence can make even unlikely claims sound believable. But neuroscience and psychology suggest there is a fundamental difference between remembering the truth and remembering a fabricated version of… Read More “Even the Best Actor Eventually Forgets Their Lines. The Truth Never Does.”
In 1957, psychologist Leon Festinger introduced the theory of cognitive dissonance, proposing that people experience psychological discomfort when they simultaneously hold two or more beliefs, values, or perceptions that contradict one another. The human brain strives for consistency. When our beliefs and our experiences do not match, the resulting tension can feel deeply uncomfortable. Rather than immediately changing… Read More Cognitive Dissonance: Why the Mind Sometimes Protects Us from Painful Truths
“The people who shout ‘Tell me the truth!’ the loudest are sometimes the ones hiding the most.” Psychology and neuroscience suggest several reasons why this can happen, although it is not true of everyone. Some people genuinely value honesty, while others use demands for honesty as a way to control or deflect attention. Behaviour Possible Psychology… Read More There is an old saying:
I think I will cry with relief when I finally get my own home again. Not because it’s bricks and mortar. Not because it’s an investment. Not because it’s a status symbol. But because it represents something far more valuable: Freedom. For decades, I lived under the shadow of threats. If I did something wrong,… Read More Freedom
From a psychology and neuroscience perspective, it’s important not to assume that everyone who lives from inherited wealth has the same motives or character. Some inherited wealth and continue working, contributing to society, volunteering, running businesses, or pursuing meaningful goals. However, when someone becomes excessively focused on inheritance, constantly discussing who will inherit, what assets are… Read More Reward and Motivation Systems
