On July 9, 2008, I was the guest of “Just Right” with Robert Metz on radio CHRW (FM 96.8, London, Ontario, Canada). The topic of the one-hour program was “The Psychology of Green”.

Over the course of the program, I contrasted rational individuals of high self-esteem with irrational individuals of low-self esteem. Many incompetent individuals, with low self-esteem, implicitly or explicitly adopt a belief about the nature of happiness which is very different from the belief held by competent, high self-esteem individuals. Happiness, to the incompetent, is merely zero sadness; numbness; zero emotion. In contrast, to the competent, happiness is an above-zero emotion, resulting from the achievement of rational values.

I proceed to discuss how the incompetent adopt philosophical beliefs which are designed not to help them identify and act in accordance with the facts of reality, but that serve the purpose of convincing themselves or others that it is not possible to identify and act in accordance with the facts of reality. Such beliefs are intended to have the effect of providing self-esteem without that which makes it possible: achievement. However, in practice, such a self-deceptive philosophy is destructive of the self and of others. It amounts, in the end, to a death cult of zero-worship, which regards those who achieve values as the wasteful and the evil, and which regards sacrifice - by oneself, but especially by rational, productive, achievers - as that which must be achieved by any means necessary.

The one hour program was video-taped. I’ve edited-in some visual content which provides some useful evidence and context. The result is broken into a two-part video (you can watch each part below). Enjoy.

Part 1:

Part 2: