Prof Dr Rubaiul Murshed

Individuals who exhibit toxic behaviour tend to be unsupportive of their family members’ choices, interests, and accomplishments.

The human being is the most brilliant social creature among all living beings. But to become truly humane, one needs to eliminate the top three emotional diseases that can eat away at happiness.

There are some health issues that are commonly stigmatised in our society. In some families, mental health conditions like mood disorders or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) may not have been openly discussed, while issues such as anxiety disorders or ‘short-temper’ are more commonly talked about.

The smile may be the most deceptive of all the facial expressions. After dissecting the smile in “Mona Lisa’s painting,’ scientists found her 83% happy, 9% disgusted, 6% fearful, and 2% angry. She was less than 1% neutral and not surprised expression.

Scientists still cannot interpret all body language accurately. A partial shoulder shrug indicates uncertainty or a lack of commitment. A genuine and authentic response causes both shoulders to rise fully and equally. When only one side rises, the message is doubtful. Research suggests that assuming a “power pose” makes people feel more powerful and changes testosterone and cortisol levels. Touch is the most primitive and powerful nonverbal cue.

Body language is a type of nonverbal communication. It mainly includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch, and the use of space.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Ageing is a natural process that can lead to new roads later in life. Human beings cannot be owned, and their value does not depreciate like other objects. Actually, elderly individuals can be intangible assets to society. As individuals grow older, their attitudes and viewpoints can be shaped by their emotions. But combining their experiences and practices can give them a significant advantage.

Confidence is good and important, but when it crosses the borderline it becomes toxic called overconfidence and goes against the laws of nature. Individuals show many psychological biases, and one of the most powerful is overconfidence.

Stoicism used to be practiced by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and is still followed by today’s social emperor Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and many others. It is a way of life planned to make people more resilient, happier, virtuous, and eventually better individuals and authorities.

Stoicism teaches one to be altruistic, helping others without desire for personal gain or recognition. Since we were, in fact, created for it by nature, it is about doing it naturally. It is our function to benefit the species into which we were born.

Many factors affect how much money you need to live comfortably, such as location, lifestyle, age, and health. It also varies from culture to culture and between Western and Eastern philosophies. That is why the definition of happiness varies from culture to culture.

For generations, society has faced the question of how much money is enough to bring joy. What does the world’s most extensive happiness study say about money? It turns out that money does not make people happy, nor does their position.

Money is a good servant, but a bad master—an ancient proverb. People first crave wealth, because they want power, status, and a luxurious life. Eventually, they desire material possessions to compare themselves to others and show superiority. Once the rich become more prosperous, they can have anything they need but still focus on making more money.

‘You’re only as old as you feel’ - a pearl of folk wisdom. Counterclockwise (CC) is an excellent concept that reverses everything from hearing, paralysis, cardiac problems, memory loss and more. It is a proven way to think of someone as younger.

Cloudy weather during the World War II led to a fateful shift in plans, sparing Kuroko from destruction and changing history. Nagasaki became the target instead, highlighting the immense impact of split-second decisions. This incident, akin to ‘the butterfly effect,’ continues to resonate with Kuroko’s inhabitants, reminding us of history’s delicate balance.

Overusing our voice is the most common cause of voice sickness. And when a voice with a range of words or behaviours is used to manipulate, intimidate, and maintain power over someone, it is known as ‘verbal abuse’.

The origin of the term Stockholm syndrome arose in the aftermath of a robbery that took place in Stockholm in 1973. This incident caused a remarkable development that continues today. After the release of the four hostages, they were not willing to press charges against the abductors. After psychological research, the psychiatrist, Nils Bejerot concluded that these people were suffering from something called the Stockholm syndrome.

 Albert Einstein said, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the universe.”

At the end of the 19th century, Scottish author Robert Stevenson wrote a classic story about the two sides of human nature called ‘The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ where he wrote about the duality of human nature.