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Ruskin Bond’s Reflections on Writing
My theory of writing is that the conception should be as clear as possible, and that words should flow like a stream of clear water — preferably a mountain stream. You will, of course, encounter boulders, but you will learn to go over them or around them, so that your flow is unimpeded. If your… Read more
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Is Everything Islamophobic?
So many things are Islamophobic now that for Islamophobic people (which has the potential to be all non-Muslims) it is hard to speak or move — let alone leave the house — without committing a whole slew of Islamophobic hate-crimes. You can be an Islamophobe if you attend the wrong opera (a production of Idomeneo… Read more
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How to Write for the Right Audience
As a writer, you would want to be read, wouldn’t you? Your reader is the reason you write, especially if you write professionally. It could be one person, or two, or a million — that’s beside the point. The important thing is that you offer a beautiful reading experience to the reader. Therefore, it is… Read more
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Dealing with Romantic Expectations
The central fantasy behind all the noise and anguish of relationships is to find someone we can be happy with. It sounds almost laughable, given what tends to happen. We dream of someone who will understand us, with whom we can share our longings and our secrets, with whom we can be weak, playful, relaxed… Read more
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The Rational and Irrational Nature of Humans: Excerpts from Steven Pinker’s Book
Man is a rational animal. So at least we have been told. Throughout a long life I have searched diligently for evidence in favour of this statement. So far, I have not had the good fortune to come across it. ~ Bertrand Russell Homo sapiens means wise hominin, and in many ways we have earned… Read more
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Are You Emotionally Healthy?
Emotional health is the sense that what is happening, is happening now. It is experiencing the world as first-hand, immediate, rather than only knowing what was experienced when you reflect upon it later. You are, as the sports commentators put it, ‘in the zone’. You feel real rather than false. You are comfortable in your… Read more
