Category: Pointless Overthinking

body of water at daytime
Pointless Overthinking, Self-awareness

An Exploration of Martin Buber’s “I and Thou”

Martin Buber’s book “I and Thou” is an inquiry into how our relationships with others shape our reality. His main thesis, which runs throughout the course of the book, is that there are two different modes in which we encounter the world, namely through ‘I-It’ or ‘I-Thou’ relationships. Let’s take a closer look at these concepts in more detail. I-IT I-It relationships are entered into to achieve … Continue reading An Exploration of Martin Buber’s “I and Thou”

formerwriters10 Comments
Pointless Overthinking

What Does It Take To Kill?

Putin’s War Poses Uncomfortable Questions by Todd Fulginiti The news today shows another round of destroyed Ukrainian buildings, including a theater where civilians had been sheltering to avoid being killed by Russian shelling.  It didn’t work.   Other headlines cite breadlines and humanitarian help centers coming under fire as well.  The death tolls are unknown.  But there is death.  And these people are not even … Continue reading What Does It Take To Kill?

Todd Fulginiti29 Comments
Pointless Overthinking, Self-awareness

Where There’s Smoke

If I were to lead into this article with “Where there’s smoke,” we could finish the sentence with, “there’s (A. An arsonist. B. An inexperienced chef. C. Fire).” In truth, there are numerous other potential words that could be applied to complete the sentence. The majority of readers won’t need to read the choices, because we’ve been conditioned to automatically choose “C” as the answer. … Continue reading Where There’s Smoke

formerwriters6 Comments
woman in black hijab headscarf walking on field
Pointless Overthinking, Self-awareness

Why Being Wrong Is Right

If you think back to the Middle Ages and compare what we know now to what we thought we knew then, you’ll probably come to the conclusion that we weren’t terribly smart. That most of what we thought we knew about the world was patently wrong. It seems obvious to us now that the earth revolves around the sun (and not the other way around), … Continue reading Why Being Wrong Is Right

AP228 Comments
Pointless Overthinking

Putin’s War Through My Black Eyes

Like most people across the globe, I have followed Putin’s war (you should check Troy’s piece on this available here) on Ukraine with utter dismay. The unbridled greed for power and blatant disregard of human dignity on one hand, and the unnecessary and avoidable loss of innocent lives on the other. Scales tip. To borrow a leaf from Troy’s piece, what Putin’s war has taught … Continue reading Putin’s War Through My Black Eyes

Billy Osogo37 Comments
Health and Wellbeing, Language, Pointless Overthinking, Politics

What Vladimir Putin’s War Is Teaching Me

Before I get into the body of this piece, I’d like to say that the conflict in Ukraine is especially interesting and tragic because I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Poland during the mid-nineties, not long after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall.  I was sent to Rzeczpospolita Polska—I still remember quite a lot of Polish—to … Continue reading What Vladimir Putin’s War Is Teaching Me

Troy Headrick34 Comments
brown landscape under grey sky
Pointless Overthinking

The Meaning of Yin and Yang

Night and day. Light and darkness. Masculine and Feminine. Chaos and order. Life is comprised of a series of interconnected opposing forces. Everything that exists has an opposite, just as there is always two sides to the same coin. Although we are inclined to seek pleasure without pain or cling onto the ‘good’ while banishing the ‘bad’, we come to realize the flawed logic of … Continue reading The Meaning of Yin and Yang

formerwriters7 Comments
active dance dancer dancing
Pointless Overthinking

Question of the Day: Number 553

What would you do for a living if money wasn’t an object? I’ve been pondering this question quite a bit lately. I’m curious to see your response. We’ve all heard the saying, “Love your job and you’ll never work a day in your life.” If money wasn’t an object, would you keep your same job? If not, what would you be doing instead? Continue reading Question of the Day: Number 553

formerwriters34 Comments
close up portrait of lion
Pointless Overthinking

A Stoic Approach to Fear

Seneca: A Stoic Life One of the things I admire about the Stoic philosophers is that they embodied the wisdom that they preached. Seneca, one of the three notable Stoics (along with Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus), used the philosophy of Stoicism to navigate the turmoil and uncertainties during his life. Although he maintained a high status in ancient Rome as a politician and financial clerk, … Continue reading A Stoic Approach to Fear

formerwriters11 Comments
photo of woman playing with her children
Pointless Overthinking, Random Thoughts

The Two Paths to Wealth

I have two images of wealth in my mind.  One looks like what most people envision. A lavish lifestyle, a big plastic mansion, a luxury yacht, 8 sports cars… You get it. Then there is this second image. In this picture, there is a place called home. It’s quaint, rustic. Filled with messy, silly, somewhat annoying children. There are a lot of friends and family nearby. … Continue reading The Two Paths to Wealth

AP210 Comments
Pointless Overthinking

The Road To Utah

If I were asked to speak of this planet’s natural beauty, it would be impossible for me to do so without mentioning Utah. It would, In fact, be the first place to spring to mind. In my opinion, Utah is the epitome of breathtaking beauty; due in part to its layered plateaus, vast openness, and weathered rock formations that stand like mythical creatures reaching for … Continue reading The Road To Utah

formerwriters12 Comments
photo of men having conversation
Pointless Overthinking, Self-awareness

The Wisdom of Being Wrong

If only things were that simple. If only events could be packaged into neat containers of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ or ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Despite our proclivities towards binary and dualistic thinking, life is a whole lot messier. Many circumstances are morally ambiguous and uncertain. Being in this metaphorical ‘grey’ area of not knowing can be uncomfortable. We crave certainty and straightforward responses. We are inclined … Continue reading The Wisdom of Being Wrong

formerwriters23 Comments
Creativity, Health and Wellbeing, Language, Pointless Overthinking

The Result of “Bad Living”

I almost never have writer’s block, but I’ve had it recently.  That’s at least partly a function of having published somewhere between 150 and 200 pieces on this website. Here’s the thing.  Writer’s block does exist.  It’s often a byproduct of mental fatigue.  It can also be caused by what I’ll call “bad living.” In my particular case, my being creatively blocked—sounds a lot like … Continue reading The Result of “Bad Living”

Troy Headrick26 Comments
Pointless Overthinking

Question of the Day:  Number 552

A few days ago, my Egyptian wife—she’s often more aware of things happening in North Africa than I am—told me about Rayan Oram, the five-year-old Moroccan boy who’d fallen into a dry water well and gotten stuck about a hundred feet down.  The child’s plight prompted an amazing five-day attempt—many hours of which were livestreamed on Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language channel—to free him from his tiny, … Continue reading Question of the Day:  Number 552

Troy Headrick1 Comment
Health and Wellbeing, Pointless Overthinking, Self-awareness, Work and Life

Finding My Way

Today, my aim is to engage in a little self-care.  I’m not sure how this is going to turn out, but I’m certain of my purpose.  I want to get a few things off my chest.  I want to look at myself in a kind of metaphorical “mirror” and write about what I see when I gaze into the looking glass. When I was younger, … Continue reading Finding My Way

Troy Headrick31 Comments
Pointless Overthinking

A Nickel For Your Presence

As part of my healing process when my marriage of twenty years suddenly ended, I set out on long motorcycle rides that provided an excellent way of helping me transition to life as a single man. For me, motorcycling offered a sense of freedom that was truly magical in nature. On one of the first of several such trips, when I was a relative newbie … Continue reading A Nickel For Your Presence

formerwriters22 Comments