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Political Violence: Freedom's Got a Shotgun
[DISCLAIMER] Unique disclaimer: Nothing expressed herein is meant to serve as a how-to method regarding violence, which the American Psychological Association defines as “the expression of hostility and rage with the intent to injure or damage people or property through physical force.” Readers are strongly encouraged to use personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”) when reviewing the material contained herein. As explicitly stated within my bl

Deric Hollings
15 hours ago18 min read


You Cannot Vote Your Way Out of Oppression or Comply Your Way Out of Tyranny
[DISCLAIMER] In You’ll Enjoy Yourselves I stated, “Rationally, I choose to acknowledge the limits of my control and influence. Ergo, I don’t vote. Others choose to delude themselves with the illusion of control and influence by voting” as that which is rational is in accord with both logic and reason. Here, “logic” is the interrelation or sequence of facts or events when seen as inevitable or predictable, and “reason” is a statement offered in explanation or justification

Deric Hollings
2 days ago17 min read


The Devil Wears Prada 2: Maybe We Should Just Be Not Perfect Together
[DISCLAIMER] *The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of 20th Century Studios, fair use I never read the novel The Devil Wears Prada (2003)—about a young woman hired as a personal assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor, a job that becomes challenging as she experiences difficulty trying to keep up with her boss’s schedule and disobliging expectations. All the same, I watched the comedy-drama film The Devil Wears Prada (2

Deric Hollings
6 days ago11 min read


Eighty Years Here, We Live and We Die, It's Like a Blink of an Eye
[DISCLAIMER] When they were assembled, before apparently going on to pursue solo careers, the group Tragic Allies reminded me of golden age hip hop. Therefore, I still appreciate the album 14 Forms: The Book of Estee Nack (2015) by former group members lyricist Estee Nack and producer Purpose. As a side note, Estee Nack has more self-ascribed nicknames than any other rapper or lyricist of which I can think. A personal favorite is “Nacknuggets.” In any event, on the aforem

Deric Hollings
May 27 min read


The Great Dictator: More Than Machinery, We Need Humanity - You Are Not Machines!
[DISCLAIMER] *The Great Dictator (1940) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of United Artists, fair use When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Alythia Kwan, I heard her spin the song “Sauce (Redspace Remix)” (2026) by Juan Vazquez, Maximo Gambini, and Martin Di Sciascio. It has an audio sample of The Great Dictator (1940), about which one source states: The Great Dictator is a 1940 American political satire black comedy film written, d

Deric Hollings
Apr 2711 min read


Embarrassment Attacking: Risk-Taking Exercises
[DISCLAIMER] There’s a tool used in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) known as shame attacking. Regarding this useful technique, I stated in Shame Attacking: When working with clients, I find it worthy to differentiate guilt from shame. Guilt (from inside) is something I take credit for, as shame (from outside) is something others assign credit for. Regarding shame and REBT, one source states, “[S]hame attack [homework] assignments are valuable as they challenge

Deric Hollings
Apr 2516 min read


A Cause for Concern Doesn't Cause Concern
[ DISCLAIMER ] I invite you to consider a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) which involves how I practice Stoicism regarding a current event. Although you may be tempted to pass by this post, because you don’t care about media stories, I encourage you to stay. I don’t necessarily like or love current geopolitical events, though I make an attempt to daily practice REBT—which involves facing matters for which I have little appreciati

Deric Hollings
Apr 2011 min read


A Special Burden
[ DISCLAIMER ] With Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I opt for use of self about which one source states, “The term use of self in therapy refers specifically to the ways in which the therapist draws upon their own feelings , experiences or personality to enhance the therapeutic process.” As “feelings” were referenced by the aforementioned source, I find it valuable to clarify what this element represents in regard to the construct of beliefs . I say this be

Deric Hollings
Apr 1912 min read


Outcome: Victim Mentality and Playing the Victim
[ DISCLAIMER ] * Outcome (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit , property of Apple Studios, Apple TV, and Strong Baby Productions, fair use When discussing mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “ mental health ”), I often discuss what it is to be a victim (an individual who is the target of another person’s violent , discriminatory , harassing, or assaultive behaviors). There’s a reason that I address this matter. I posit that there’s a di

Deric Hollings
Apr 1917 min read


Avatar: Aang, the Last Airbender - Unconditional Acceptance
[ DISCLAIMER ] * Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender (2026), also known as The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender (2026), spoilers contained herein. Photo credit (unofficial movie poster), property of Paramount Pictures (Paramount+), Nickelodeon Movies, and Avatar Studios, fair use When providing psychoeducational lessons on mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “ mental health ”) within my blog—which predominately focuses on Rational Emotive Behavior T

Deric Hollings
Apr 1614 min read


Place to Hide
[ DISCLAIMER ] I thought of a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) when listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by the talented Roksana . As an aside, it would’ve been nice to have been able to dance to a Roksana set during my raving days. She goes hard! In any event, during the DJ set in focus, Roksana played the song “ Place to Hide ” by Mark Dekoda and Droplex . In repetition, the lyrics state: Tell me what you want f

Deric Hollings
Apr 147 min read


The Future's Not What It Used to Be
[ DISCLAIMER ] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Allia Sounds and Dimitri Aless , I heard the duo open with the song “ The Future ” (2025) by Ankhoï and Luch . In repetitious order, the lyrics states: We hold hands, as if nothing has changed I go forward, you come back to me We don’t have long to rearrange The future’s not what it used to be While viewing these lyrics through the proverbial lens of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT),

Deric Hollings
Apr 135 min read


The Cartesian Crisis: What Do I Control? What Do I Influence?
[ DISCLAIMER ] Reality , as defined by the American Psychological Association (APA), is “in philosophy, that which genuinely exists , usually in contrast to that which only seems to exist .” There are many Western, Eastern, and other philosophical perspectives which address this concept. This brings me to the notion of truth (the body of real things, events, and facts : a judgment , proposition , or idea that is true or accepted as true —being in accordance with the

Deric Hollings
Apr 1215 min read


Real Terrorism: Operation Eternal Darkness
[ DISCLAIMER ] When serving in the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps (1996-2007), I was taught that terrorism was the use of violence against noncombatants to achieve political or ideological aims. Generally, such terroristic action involves intention (a determination to act in a certain way). To draw a meaningful distinction, I invite you to consider two hypothetical scenarios. Scenario one: A U.S. Marine expeditionary force deliberately targets a village of civi

Deric Hollings
Apr 910 min read


Impermanence and Uncertainty: I Don't Know Where Tomorrow Will Take Me
[ DISCLAIMER ] On the album Freakjet (2022), rapper Vel Nine (also known as Vel the Wonder ) released the song “ Winning Team ” that featured rapper YL . Wisely , Vel Nine stated, “I don’t know where tomorrow will take me, but I know where today is.” This is a matter of uncertainty. According to the American Psychological Association, uncertainty is defined as “the state or condition in which something (e.g., the probability of a particular outcome ) is not accuratel

Deric Hollings
Apr 85 min read


How Could This Happen to Me?
[ DISCLAIMER ] On the second studio album Still Not Getting Any... (2004) by Canadian rock band Simple Plan is the song “ Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?) ”. Describing the video for the track, one source states: The music video tells a story of a car crash on a rainy evening where a young male drunk driver crashes his Toyota Camry head-on into a Trans Am driven by a female, resulting in her death. The drunk driver, however, survives relatively uninjured, and en

Deric Hollings
Apr 510 min read


9 PM (Till I Come): Accepting What Once Was
[ DISCLAIMER ] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Mila Rubio , I heard her spin the track “ 9 PM (Till I Come) ” by trance music German DJ and producer ATB from his debut studio album Movin’ Melodies (1999). That track brought back a lot of pleasant memories! Hearing one of the EDM tracks I spun when DJing in the ‘90s and ‘00s, I thought of a relatively brief psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Now, I invi

Deric Hollings
Apr 56 min read


It Is More Human to Laugh at Life Than to Lament It
[ DISCLAIMER ] I’ve paid close attention to the 2026 Iran war (also euphemistically referred to as an operation, hostilities, conflict, etc.) which was started by the United States (U.S.) and Israel—specifically, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister [PM] of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu . In particular, I’ve observed quite a bit of propaganda ( ideas , facts , or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause). Much of what

Deric Hollings
Apr 310 min read


Every Time Someone Tries to Win a War Before It Starts, Innocent People Die
[ DISCLAIMER ] * Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) spoilers contained herein. Screenshot from Avengers: Age of Ultron , property of Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, fair use In Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Steve Rogers and Tony Stark discuss the latter’s mistake that results in artificial intelligence (AI) supervillain Ultron coming into existence. The former states, “Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people di

Deric Hollings
Apr 19 min read


Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice: I Guess We Had a Good Run
[ DISCLAIMER ] * Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit , property of 20th Century Studios, Hulu, and Disney+, fair use I often share my opinions on movies, expressing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) about how I tolerate and accept outcomes of frustration, annoyance, and disappointment which stem from my beliefs. For clarity, one REBT source states (page 71): REBT conceptualizes [ distress ]

Deric Hollings
Mar 319 min read
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