Hustle is the story of Stanley Sugerman (played by Adam Sandler), an exhausted middle-aged NBA scout, who, on the verge of giving up on his dream of coaching in the league, is revitalized by his quest to get his newly-discovered talent, Bo Cruz (played by Juancho Hernangómez), into the NBA…

A woman I used to follow on Twitter is a big true crime fan and was always giving recommendations. One weekend, I binge-watched some documentaries she shared that were narrated by family members of people who had committed heinous crimes (I forget the name of the series). What stood out…

I was surprised to learn that one of the collective nouns for a group of vampires is a “basement.” I’ve most frequently heard a group of vampires be referred to as a nest. Basements are underground, dark and damp. They may be useful at times, but nobody wants to live…

Trying to Understand the Ritual Human Sacrifice at Pathways Ministries in Albion, Jamaica (Part 3) — I’ve spent the last several weeks watching documentaries and reading about violent cults. While I’ve learned a lot, it’s become clear to me that I need to go back to the beginning and consider: What exactly is a cult? The impetus for the series I’m writing is the ritual human…

No matter what label they take (covert, malignant, vulnerable, etc.), all narcissists are pathologically self-focused, venal, and controlling. An effective mask for this is often manufactured “devotion” to a target or some cause greater than the narcissist (e.g., religion, social justice, family). They present themselves as self-sacrificing and demand praise…

If you’ve come to realize that you’re in the crosshairs of a narcissist, it’s a good idea to audit their communications operation, as quietly as you can. All narcissists have a machinery of deceit, and the internet and social media mean the scale can be larger than you might think…

Narcissism exists on a spectrum. There is such a thing as healthy narcissism. I was surprised to learn that. Healthy narcissism is rooted in possessing genuine self-esteem that is realistic and is connected to an emotional life we can share. Healthy narcissism expresses itself when we take joy in the…

Trying to Understand the Ritual Human Sacrifice at Pathways Ministries in Albion, Jamaica (Part 2) — I’m writing a series of essays on cults in an effort to try to understand the ritual human sacrifice of Tanika Gardener, a congregant of Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries (Pathways), at the church’s compound in Albion, Jamaica, just outside Montego Bay. As reported by The Daily Beast, Pathways’ leader…

The 94th Academy Awards were overshadowed by the slap heard around the world. For reasons I don’t think even Will Smith fully understands, after comedian Chris Rock, who was presenting, made a G.I. Jane joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, Smith bounded onto the stage and slapped Rock for…