Author Archives: Laura Akers, Ph.D.

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About Laura Akers, Ph.D.

I'm a research psychologist at Oregon Research Institute, and I'm writing a book about meta-narratives, the powerful collective stories we share about who we are and where we're headed. My interests include beliefs and worldviews, ethics, motivation, and relationships, both among humans and between humans and the natural world.

My day with Brian Eno

Posted on 26 January 2025 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Many years ago, when my first husband and I were getting to know each other, he made me four long “mix tapes,” cassettes of the music he wanted me to know about. My very favorite of all the works he … Continue reading →

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Trump as Trickster

Posted on 6 January 2025 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Today I read Carl Jung’s essay “On the psychology of the Trickster-figure,” which was published in his book, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. My goal was to see what good it might do us to have Donald Trump as … Continue reading →

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Another “we” versus “me” election

Posted on 9 November 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

To say this has been a stressful week for many Americans is an understatement. Here’s my attempt to explain what happened, and since this is a place where I talk about our “meta-narratives,” that’s how we’re going to look at … Continue reading →

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The “f” word

Posted on 6 November 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

On October 23, Anderson Cooper asked Vice President Harris whether she considered Trump a fascist, and she said, “Yes, I do.” She later alluded to Trump as someone who “admires dictators and is a fascist.” Today, the New York Times … Continue reading →

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Inside or outside the box?

Posted on 31 October 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Getting dressed for Halloween is a challenge, when one hasn’t planned in advance. I’d been thinking of revisiting my identity as Cecil Featherstone, Professor of Morbid Poetry, who spends the day reciting the various death-themed poems I memorized as a … Continue reading →

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Doomed to keep learning the same lessons?

Posted on 19 October 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

So there’s this novel. I haven’t read it myself, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to identify it – but it was written by an Oregon-born author, published in 2020, became a best-seller, and won awards. Many people love … Continue reading →

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Momentary treasures

Posted on 24 August 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

The first time I tried going on a walk this evening, I discovered it was starting to rain, so I went back inside for a bit. I’m glad I did, because the next time I tried, I found this: Wow! … Continue reading →

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The problem with STAR Voting

Posted on 23 May 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

I’ll admit it – when the woman stopped me outside the library a few months ago to get my signature to add “STAR Voting” to our local ballot, I was enthusiastic. STAR Voting is a system where, instead of casting … Continue reading →

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To create “small pockets of flourishing”

Posted on 19 May 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

This month, the Oregon Bach Festival book club’s reading project combines two of my special interests: music and nature writing. We’ve been listening to Sarah Kirkland Snider’s “Mass for the Endangered,” which the Oregon Bach Festival is going to perform … Continue reading →

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Immersed? or transported?

Posted on 14 April 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

My favorite memory from high school chess club was the time I played against a guy I’ll call Fred, the top player at a small-town high school about 20 miles west of us. I was normally our #2 player, but … Continue reading →

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