Author: Michael Williams
The costs of keeping your opinion to yourself
One again I was taken to task in a letter to the Editor, in response to last week’s column. There I responded to questions and concerns others have posed regarding policies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints barring children living with parents...
17 November, 2015
A journey along the healing road
“Well, what seems to have happened during this longish interval of time and distance is that I’ve reached one of those stages along the ‘Grieving Road’. There is a pretty well-defined series of ‘phases’ you go through (I used to know all this stuff in...
27 October, 2015
The problems—and benefits—of social science research
I hate it when I get it wrong. I hate it even worse when I get caught getting it wrong. Of course I have enough experience in both areas that it should be old hat, but I still have to address it. Of all the columns...
13 October, 2015
Life in a world of super-normal stimulation
Nikolaas "Niko" Tinbergen captured the world’s attention when he managed to monopolize the attention of male butterflies with his cardboard female that looked much sexier than the real deal. Niko Tinbergen was a Dutch ornithologist and biologist interested in explaining animal instincts, and what the factors...
07 October, 2015
The problem of institutionalizing generosity
Seventeen months in the nation of Denmark made me an odd kind of conservative. A good friend, Bryce Johnston, is fond of saying, “I served a girl’s mission.” (We’ll see if he ever reads these columns.) He refers to the fact that, for just a few...
29 September, 2015
Discerning darkness, and coming to the light
Last week I commended the book, “The Road Less Travelled” by Dr. M. Scott Peck. The book is a very positive view of live and of love, and encourages the reader to stretch and to grow. This week I review another of his books, “People...
22 September, 2015
Life is difficult; being miserable may be optional.
“Life is difficult. “This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer...
15 September, 2015
The Problem with Having a Hot Wife
Marriage is fraught with difficulties, requiring adjustments on both parts that can take careful planning and accommodation. Much of my work is helping good people to not become overwhelmed with discouragement when they learn to work within some of their inherent incompatibilities. Ruth and I had...
10 June, 2015
A World Gone to Pot, part “Duh”
Marijuana is often described as a harmless recreational substance. Many have pushed for legalization, claiming that is would replace the use of alcohol, making our roads and children safer. Others have promoted pot use a means of becoming more thoughtful and creative. Not so, according to...
01 June, 2015