JASON HELMES: You develop confidence and strong mental health by doing things, not by thinking or via therapy.

Just finished this book - Bad Therapy by @AbigailShrier

This is one of the most eye-opening books I've ever read. It's a must read for any parent, any teacher, and should be required reading for any school administrator as well.

The book dives into trying to figure out why… pic.twitter.com/HXiNJUqsbK

— Jason Helmes (@anymanfitness) March 7, 2024

Thank you to Karen de Coster's "The Therapy State" @ Lew Rockwell.

Find Abigail Shrier's website here. And her Twitter feed here.

Some takeaways:

1. We incessantly ask kids how they're feeling, if they're happy, how their mental health is, etc, and this is creating kids who think they're fragile instead of resilient.

2. Trying to solve every problem for kids has caused a generation who can't do anything for themselves.

We (Gen X) were told to "suck it up" or "you'll live" or "rub some dirt on it" all the time. Many of us came to the conclusion this is "bad parenting" because our feelings were neglected, and we vowed not to do this to our own children. Because of that, kids immediately over-dramatize everything that happens to them, making mountains out of molehills, and thinking the world must revolve around their emotions and feelings.

3. You develop confidence and strong mental health by doing things, not by thinking or via therapy.

You can't think your way out of anxiety. You don't gain confidence by analysis of your thoughts or mental health issues. You gain confidence and eliminate anxiety by doing gradually more difficult tasks, excelling at them, and realizing you are a competent, capable person.

4. One of the best ways to decrease your happiness is to chase it.

Our society constantly tells kids they should be "happy" and asks them if they are. Happiness isn't a state you should be in 24/7. That's not realistic. Joy and bliss aren't permanent states - they are fleeting. Contentment, stillness, and being even-keeled are much better goals to aim for mentally.

Do Viruses Exist? If Not, Then What Is It that Virologists Are Seeing Under a Microscope?

Thanks to Karen De Coster @ LRC and her post, "A Farewell to Virology."

If this topic interests you, I highly recommend that you listen to the new Tom Woods podcast, “Do Viruses Exist?" If this topic doesn’t interest you because you’ve been taught to never question the existence of so-called contagious viruses, you have an even better reason to listen to this podcast.

No, viruses do not exist, and finally, the case against the clown show known as virology is starting to be noticed among the podcast community. Tom interviews the heroic Dr. Mark Bailey, apparently, at the request of many of his listeners. Mark and his wife, Dr. Sam Bailey, are very adept at making the case against virology. Additionally, know that both of the Baileys are also well-versed in Austrian Economics.

Tom asks some good questions for a guy who is starting to explore this topic, and I love Dr. Bailey’s responses, especially as concerns his explanation of what an “anti-viral” really is, and what it really does. So much good stuff from Mark Bailey in this short interview. Problem is, Tom needs a Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and maybe more with Dr. Bailey to touch on all of the foundational concepts of the topic. Here are a few links to browse.

• This is Dr. Sam Bailey’s website.
• Here is Dr. Mark Bailey’s 67-page paper, “A Farewell to Virology (Expert Edition)“.
• Here are links to my recent LRC blogs on this topic: (1) “The Great Fabrication: Viruses and Evil Bacteria” (2) “More Virus Lies. CDC Lies and Gets Caught” (3) “Germ Theory’s Greatest Hits: Now It’s Ebola” (4) “Endless Virology Clownery: RSV takes the Stage“