Posted May 31, 2020 in Monthly News

Another Brick in the Wall

A long time ago, the musical group Pink Floyd wrote and performed a song with the title, “Another Brick in the Wall.” The song is basically about what has come to be called “Social Control.” If you aren’t familiar with the song (and it is “ancient history” at this point), see “Another Brick in the […]

Posted April 30, 2019 in Monthly News

What's a Metaphor?

Debra’s opening quotation is from George Orwell’s Animal Farm, a novel in which the “pigs” get fat and prosperous and the “horses” are worked to death. In the novel, “pigs” and “horses” are metaphors for “capitalists” and “workers.” Animal Farm, an extended allegory, was written and published in 1946. In general, those were “dark days,” […]

Posted February 28, 2017 in Monthly News

The Skinner Box Called Life

Debra’s article this month, “Mohini,” provides an example of learned behavior. Having learned how much space she was allowed, Mohini remained within her learned limits, even when more space was available to her. Behavior is often developed—shaped—by environment. Humans demonstrate this every bit as much as tigers and other animals. B. F. Skinner was a […]