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.

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 →

Posted in salience markers, US politics | Tagged | 4 Comments

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 →

Posted in salience markers | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

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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Awe versus Wonder

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

The great fun of reading and watching a wide variety of things is the discovery of unexpected connections. Today we have: Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, the (apparently) final book in Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga, a widely loved … Continue reading →

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Complicating the Story of Humanity

Posted on 1 January 2024 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

How did we get to be “civilized”? Here’s the big-picture story most of us have learned. For hundreds of thousands of years, humans lived in small bands that wandered the land, hunting for meat and fish, and foraging for nuts, … Continue reading →

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