http://jaydixit.com Adventures in journalism, psychology, and New York City. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:25:20 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Ten days ago, on Friday, June 13th, 2008, I had the extraordinary privilege of talking to George Carlin. As far as I know it was the last in-depth interview he gave before he passed away yesterday at age 71. Originally it was slated to run as a 350-word Q&A on ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/06/23/george-carlins-last-interview/ My article on low sexual desire, originally written for Psychology Today's Web site, is now up on MSN. I didn't quite get a byline—it just says "By PsychologyToday.com"—but if you scroll down and read the fine print at the bottom in six-point font, I think you'll find my name down ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/04/16/the-height-of-sexual-desire/ There are two kinds of vacations: the kind where you’re trying to actually do something—explore a foreign country, see the sights, climb the mountain, learn to scuba dive/ski/blow glass, and the kind where you do nothing at all—you lie out on a beach, read the paper by the pool, or ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/04/02/being-and-nothingness/ Last week I wrote about how the placebo effect can have a potent effect on medical symptoms. The reason: the power of expectations. We expect to get better and so we do. Here’s a related thought experiment. Suppose I’m a sommelier and someone orders a $20 bottle of wine and I ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/24/is-a-5000-prostitute-worth-the-price/ When someone finds out I work for Psychology Today, they always react the same way. “Oh really?” they say. “Are you a psychologist?” This response is so reliable that my colleague Carlin Flora warned me about it my first day on the job. “Ha ha, no!” I usually reply. “I’m not ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/17/self-deprecation-is-a-people-skill/ I spent the weekend reading my friend Jenny Lee's new book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food. It's a wonderful account of Jenny's journey across 42 states and 23 countries around the world as she uncovers secrets about Chinese food. The main point of the book ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/05/chop-suey-american-comfort-food/ I’m not sure how I first became interested in accents. The obvious suspect upon whom to pin the blame would be my father, an immigrant from India who speaks with what you might call a subtle foreign accent. Growing up, when my brother and I needed to do an impression ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/03/the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/ The other night my roommate and I were having a conversation and the subject of goals came up. I had been reading about the state of effortless concentration and enjoyment that psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has famously termed “flow.” Flow occurs when you’re so absorbed in a task that you lose ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/03/goal-post/ How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 1. I would rather be with you than anyone else. (strongly disagree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 strongly agree) 2. I yearn to know all about you. (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9) 3. For me, you are ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/03/love-in-the-time-of-neuroscience/ The case of the med school murderer in Sweden has sparked a fascinating debate about the purpose of criminal sentencing itself. The relevant question is what's best for society and whether the criminal is likely to harm others in the future. The purpose of the criminal justice system should be not ... http://jaydixit.com/2008/03/03/prison-yard-logic/