Monday, May 22, 2017
How to Spot a Compulsive Liar Before Starting a Relationship
Lying is morally wrong but it is also quite normal. Everyone does it. In fact, one researcher said [1] that lying is an unavoidable part of human nature.
How many times have your loved ones asked if you were ok and you said that you were, when in fact you were not? Or have you ever been running late and told your friend that you would be there in five minutes when you knew fully well that it would take at least ten? And what about when toddlers say that they haven’t eaten any chocolates despite having their face smeared with it?
At a certain age, we learn that lying is hurtful and most people will develop a good set of morals to try to hurt other people as little as possible. Pathological lying, however, is very different.
What is pathological lying?
I once knew a girl who was charming, sociable and gregarious. Over time, however, I started noticing too many inconsistencies in her stories and claims that were blatant untruths. Whenever she was caught out, instead of confessing like a normal person, her pathological lying continued to the point that she even created further lies.
Scientists have discovered that there are brain abnormalities in pathological liars[2]. The prefrontal cortex at the front of the brain is responsible for remorse and morals. Brain scans revealed that those inclined to pathological lying had much less grey matter in this area.
What signs should you look for?
Contradictions
Their stories are inconsistent and will eventually begin to become undone over time.
Attention seekers
They will go to lengths to concoct elaborate, grandiose stories or achievements, in order to get them the attention or admiration they want.
Defensiveness
The goal of pathological lying is to manipulate you. If you question something that may seem inconsistent, they will instinctively get very defensive or possibly even angry.
Master liars
It may take a substantial amount of time before you are able to detect their web of lies because it is an art they have perfected. If they suspect that they may be found out, they will simply make up another lie to cover things up.
Asking you to repeat yourself
If they are caught off-guard, they may ask you to repeat what you have said so that they have enough time to fabricate something else for you to believe.
Unafraid of their lies
They lie with no regard or fear of the consequences or how it may impact the other person.
What you should know about dealing with a pathological liar
They spend time studying you
It’s important for them to study you in order to learn what your weaknesses are and to be able to take advantage of you. They will get an understanding of how to sway you and what things you may or may not believe.
They lack empathy
It is not possible for them to feel remorse for their actions like a normal person because of how their brain is wired. They lack the ability to be concerned about if they may hurt you or how their lies could impact you. Do not expect them to sympathize with you or see the results of their actions. They are, however, able to feign emotions if it benefits them.
They will use whatever means necessary, whether psychological, emotional or sexual, in order to deceive you into whatever they desire. This sense of “connection” that you will feel towards them causes you to lose your guard and feel a false sense of trust.
There is no cure for pathological lying
In order to get treatment, they would first need to admit they have a problem, which they will rarely do. Furthermore, a lot of psychologists would not agree to treat them, since they are often unable to be truthful in sessions. Lying is second nature to them and simply, they do not know how to exist without doing it.
Reference
| [1] | ^ | BBC: Lying |
| [2] | ^ | Livestrong.com: Treatment for a Pathological Liar |
The post How to Spot a Compulsive Liar Before Starting a Relationship appeared first on Lifehack.
from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2q9PmJ2
10 Places to Get a Regular Supply of Free Samples by Mail (No Joke!)
Imagine receiving a regular supply of free samples through your letterbox?
These free samples by mail could include things such as cleaning products, cosmetics and packaged food.
Free samples are a great way to try out some of the latest products. One week you may have a new toothpaste to try – the next week you may be snacking on a delicious chocolate cookie sample.
As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. And by requesting free samples by mail (I’ll show you how shortly), you’ll have not just variety – but fun too!
Tell Me More About Getting Free Samples Sent to My Door!
So, it looks like I’ve caught your interest. That’s great news!
Just before I introduce you to 10 places where you can get free samples by mail, let me clarify a couple of things.
Firstly, all the places I’ll talk about are currently active in sending out free samples to consumers. (In other words, no links to out-of-date or dead pages!)
Secondly, location is key. If you live in North America, then you’ll have a wide selection of places to sign up to. In other locations (for example, Africa, Asia and Europe), you’ll have fewer choices – but free samples by mail are still a possibility.
Lastly, to whet your appetite for the freebies, here’s a short list of product examples:
- Pet food.
- Beauty products.
- T-shirts.
- Greeting cards.
- Wallets.
- Snack bars.
- Vitamins.
Free Samples by Mail… Tell Me Where to Get Them!
It’s now time to share my recommendations for the best sites to claim free samples from.
Let’s start with…
#1 SampleSource
This company sends out boxes of 6-12 free samples about four times a year. Products include baby wipes, cereals and tissues. Register with SampleSource to be notified of the availability of their free samples. (Canada and U.S. only.)
#2 Influenster
As their name suggests, Influenster wants to send free samples to you in exchange for you sharing about the products on your social media accounts. Once you’ve become a member (join for free!), they’ll send you a box of free goodies every few months. The more you share pictures and reviews of the products – the more free samples they’ll send you! (All major territories.)
#3 PINCHme
This organization will send you free samples in the hope that you’ll then go out and buy the equivalent full-size products. To receive regular boxes of free food, drink and cosmetic samples (and sometimes coupons), then sign up and create your profile. (U.S. only.)
#4 House Party
Thinking of throwing a house party? If yes, then be sure to sign up with this company. They’ll send you a box of ‘themed’ products and services that you can hand out at your party. Register with House Party. Wait for the fun freebies to be mailed to you. And then start sending out your party invites! (Worldwide.)
#5 YoFreeSamples
This site is a great resource for a whole host of free samples that can be mailed directly to your door (with no survey requirements!). You’ll find anything from books to perfume, with new offers listed daily. Head over to their site to see what’s currently available. (Mostly U.S., with occasional offers for other countries.)
#6 Magic Freebies
The U.K.’s most popular freebie site. Register for their email newsletter, and they’ll send you a daily email with eight free sample offers. These include products such as disposable razors, dog bowls, and even fake tan! So, what are you waiting for? (U.K. only.)
#7 SweetFreeStuff
Since 2002, this simple site has been linking to the best free sample offers currently available. To get started, sign up to their daily email newsletter, which contains links to the latest offers. As well as free samples, SweetFreeStuff also gives information on coupons and deals. (Worldwide.)
#8 Sample A Day
Would you like to receive a notification of a new free sample every day? Well, that’s the promise from this site. They claim to thoroughly research all offers, ensuring there are no catches or hidden surveys! From baby products to socks, this site is sure to have something for you. Registration is super-easy. Simply enter your email address. (Australia, Canada, U.K. and U.S. only.)
#9 Pretty Thrifty
This site specializes in free beauty products, but also lets you claim free samples such as energy drinks, snack bars, and even magazine subscriptions. Pretty Thrifty has more than 85,000 followers on social media, so clearly knows how to attract free sample hunters. One thing that makes Pretty Thrifty stand out from most of their competitors, is that their email newsletter is available in daily, weekly and monthly formats. (Mostly U.S., with occasional offers for other countries.)
#10 CrazyFree
My final tip for getting the best free samples by mail, is Australian company CrazyFree. Their funky website offers big brand free sample offers, which currently include items such as Dolce & Gabbana perfume, Coke Zero, and Happy Dog pet food. To claim the offers, select the free samples you would like, and then complete their registration form. (Australia, U.K. and U.S. only.)
Receiving regular free samples by mail is a fabulous way of testing out the latest products on the market (and some that aren’t even on the market yet!)
You’ll impress your friends and family with all the free stuff you’ll be receiving. And take it from me… it’s a fun, free and rewarding hobby.
The post 10 Places to Get a Regular Supply of Free Samples by Mail (No Joke!) appeared first on Lifehack.
from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2q9GHGr
Traits of Critical Thinkers That Make Them Become High Performers
We are living in the age of “fake news” and “alternative facts”, straight up lying seems to be an accepted part of news and politics. Because of this, simply being able to tell exactly what is going on can be difficult. To be able to think critically is now a very important skill.
Though what exactly is critical thinking? Critical thinking is when you are presented with a piece of information and engage with it independently [1] and actively to discern how accurate it is. Too often we are encouraged to be passive with news and information, it can seem sometimes that we are being told how to react, think, and feel by the media or other sources.
This is avoided if you think critically. If you think critically you will be guided through life by your own observations [2], knowledge, and experience, and not be led.
5 Traits of skilled critical thinkers
But what exactly are the benefits? Surely it can’t just come down to being able to watch the news objectively? Well, that’s true, there are many, many benefits of being a great critical thinker, here are just five.
- Skilled at finding the subtle links between two different pieces of information to form a larger whole.
- Good at turning their critical thinking skills inwards, and as such can pick up and judge their own biases [3] or prejudices, which is the key for their ultimate removal.
- More desirous to remain well informed and knowledgeable as information governs their worldview.
- More open-minded as critical thinkers by their nature can think for themselves. There is none the less the openness for their minds to change when new information is presented.
- More creative [4] as whatever you write, draw, film, sculpt, paint, dance, act, or whatever you love to do, has tiny traces of the work of other similar great artists who came before.
A critical mind can take these influences and use them effectively, also, the open mindedness of a critical thinker means that they won’t shoot down any ideas that come to their mind. Something which, you may well know, can stop a creative project in its tracks.
How to boost your critical thinking skills
In this article so far I’ve described those who can think critically as if they were a different breed. This is certainly not the case. Critical thinking is a skill, and like any skill, it can be gained and improved.
Open up your range of sources
It’s totally natural to listen to those we know we will agree with, we might only watch the same news channel or use the same websites just because they follow our worldview. However, even good sources tend to follow certain biases. These biases will be invisible if that is all we see, so it can be important to reach out and investigate other sources, especially ones we don’t agree with.
It’s like what F Scott Fitzgerald said:
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function
Analyze what you hear by asking the following questions
- Who/what said it? (EG, who are they to you, what do you know about them)
- What did they say? (EG, What was the exact content of what they said? Was it fact? Opinion? Or was it opinion disguised as fact?)
- Why did they say it? (EG, what could they have to gain by relaying this info to you, can it be to just inform you, or do you have to agree with them?)
These questions, and questions like them are the fundamental grounding of critical thinking.
Apply variations of these questions to your own mind
Much like the one providing you might have hidden biases, it’s possible that you might as well. To be aware of them will immediately improve your critical thinking ability.
Don’t take anything at face value
It’s inevitable that people will be guided by their own motives [5] . Because of this anything done or said may be done with these specific motives (possibly self serving motives) in mind. I don’t mean to be suspicious, it is the natural way of things. But assuming that all is not what it seems in regards to what you see enables the process for you to begin to think critically.
Apply Occam’s Razor
The world, paradoxically, is both infinitely complex and impossibly simple. As such, that old saying “Whatever the simplest solution is, is probably the correct one” is so common, because it is so true. If a piece of information seems needlessly complicated, it may well be, and if you consider why it is being presented this way, this may pave the way for you to find a larger truth in it.
Applying critical thinking to what you are presented with can have a revolutionary, and immediate impact on how you see the world…use with caution!
Reference
| [1] | ^ | SkillsYouNeed: Critical Thinking Skills |
| [2] | ^ | TheCriticalThinkingCommunity: Defining Critical Thinking |
| [3] | ^ | InsightAssessment: Characteristics of Strong Critical Thinkers |
| [4] | ^ | CriticalThinkers: 6 Powerful Characteristics of Great Critical Thinkers |
| [5] | ^ | WiseBread: 7 Steps to Improving Your Critical Thinking |
The post Traits of Critical Thinkers That Make Them Become High Performers appeared first on Lifehack.
from Lifehack http://ift.tt/2q9KRxW
Evolution of New York City compared with the evolution of the...
Evolution of New York City compared with the evolution of the Otis elevator, New York City
A detail of the frieze inside the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence
A detail of the frieze inside the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence
The projected Circle Building on Columbus Circle, New York City
The projected Circle Building on Columbus Circle, New York City
Design for the proposed Foreign Office Building, London
Design for the proposed Foreign Office Building, London
Street Artist: JRJR (b.1983) is the pseudonym of a French... crss
Street Artist: JR
JR (b.1983) is the pseudonym of a French photographer and artist whose identity is unconfirmed. He exhibits freely in the streets of the world, catching the attention of people who are not typical museum visitors.
After finding a camera in the Paris metro in 2001, he traveled Europe to meet those who express themselves on walls and facades and pasted their portraits in the streets, undergrounds, and rooftops of Paris. JR’s work combines art and action and deals with commitment, freedom, identity and limits
His Facebook.
Enjoy past street art features and follow us on Twitter.
posted by tu recepcja
crss