Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

From Cadbury ad   Did you recently quit work or retire? In my recent travels, I've seen a lot of signs saying "Now Hiring." Some offer sign-up bonuses. Yesterday's news reported a drop in unemployment claims. In a recent report, Rosenberg et al. ( 2021 ) reported 4.3 million Americans quit work in August--that's nearly 3% of the US labor force. This phenomenon has been dubbed The Great Resignation . So, what's going on? It's a little early to say and according to Miller ( 2021 ), people offer a variety of reasons. Some, of course, decided to retire during the worldwide 2020 pandemic when some were laid off. Some have weighed the benefits of retiring early vs. later and decided the additional monthly income isn't worth the stress or they'd rather do something else with their time. The Pandemic as Career Crisis So many of us have had our lives significantly affected by the pandemic. I retired early because I wanted to enjoy life more than earn more m...

O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in Thee tonight She pushes the button by the miniature piano and begins to jump up and down as Frosty sings his seasonal song. Her younger sister follows her lead. Then the music stops. But they press the button and the happy tune resumes. From tree to fireplace, one decoration to another, our granddaughters light up our home. The Christmas story is of course about a child. Everyone can identify with the joy of a newborn child. Adults everywhere love to give gifts to children—just to see the sheer delight that comes when preschoolers unwrap a new surprise. The Bethlehem Christmas carol mixes light and dark images. The forces of good and evil are present. And hopes and fears become focused on one small child born in Bethlehem ravaged by war for millenni...

Hero is a word often used nowadays, but in this extraordinary year there is a convergence of historic events giving many thoughtful people pause for reflection. I am writing this on Memorial Day in the USA, so it is natural to think about those warriors who died in service to a nation whose defenders made a significant difference in two global wars in the first half of the last century. Cemeteries in the US and on foreign soil are eternal reminders of the sacrifice of young Americans. We do well to honor them and their families. How we honor those who died fighting for us says as much about us and our values as it does about those who died. I hold these Americans in high esteem because of their tremendous contribution to ending the horrors perpetrated by the Nazi regime on my family and nation. So, this Memorial Day takes on more importance as we celebrated the 75 th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day just a couple of weeks ago (8 May). It is the very horror of t...

DOES YOUR SPIRITUALITY MAKE SENSE? Religion & Spirituality | Meaning | Why? |  Psychology of Palm Sunday Nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus of Nazareth went public as a king. It was the first Palm Sunday. The crowd of supporters cheered as he rode into Jerusalem.  They honored him as a king ought to be honored with palm fronds and clothes before him and sang part of an old psalm (118). And the Jewish people welcomed him with expectations of salvation from Roman oppression. But what they got a week later didn't match their expectations. It didn't make sense. Jesus never does. New religious movements pose threats to established religions. People identified as kings or leaders pose threats to national leaders. Then as now; people in power use their power to quash minority movements by attacking their leaders. Then as now; religious leaders join with political leaders in a combined effort to maintain their way of life. The words of Jesus were taken as a threat ...

Precious lives  Children  & Death  & Religion A woman cradles a baby and breathes life into his mouth. On Wednesday 19 February, 2014 Miami traffic halted on a busy highway. Pamela Rauseo held her 5-month old nephew and cried for help. He had stopped breathing. She performed CPR as many travelers sprang into action. The baby lives thanks to Pamela’s quick response and all those good neighbors described in the Miami Herald report . WGNtv.com news linked the event to a Christian text in their headline: “Good Samaritan performs CPR, saves infant’s life on busy highway.” Others spoke of the miracle . Religious language comes easy in American culture—especially when an infant is saved from the clutches of death. ***** Also on Wednesday, a Pennsylvania couple faced prison because they did not seek medical care for their 8-month old son. They come from a Pentecostal heritage. USA Today quotes their beliefs: We believe in divine healing, th...