Fantasy novelist Karen Nilsen reflects on how good parenting—and the emotional honesty of stories like Hans Christian Andersen’s—shielded her from her grandmother’s pathological narcissism.
But are children today getting the same preparation? Or are our mermaids too watered down?
More and more of us are thinking of trying self-employment. Freelancer Morgan Grace Milburn debunks the simplistic narratives about this path to help you figure out if you really should make the leap.
We’re proud to team up with an organization that shares our values of free expression, critical thinking, civic engagement, and humility.
There’s an easy answer and a much harder one.
We’ll give you the quick and easy explanation of Dabrowski’s idea of positive maladjustment. Then we’ll talk about all that goes into truly learning to answer this question.
Fantasy novelist Karen Nilsen reflects on how good parenting—and the emotional honesty of stories like Hans Christian Andersen’s—shielded her from her grandmother’s pathological narcissism.
But are children today getting the same preparation? Or are our mermaids too watered down?
There’s an easy answer and a much harder one.
We’ll give you the quick and easy explanation of Dabrowski’s idea of positive maladjustment. Then we’ll talk about all that goes into truly learning to answer this question.
More and more of us are thinking of trying self-employment. Freelancer Morgan Grace Milburn debunks the simplistic narratives about this path to help you figure out if you really should make the leap.
We’re proud to team up with an organization that shares our values of free expression, critical thinking, civic engagement, and humility.
What does it mean to be "positively maladjusted?" We toss that question out to launch our brand new podcast. We'll spend the rest of this first season trying to answer that question, which comes from Kazimierz Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration.
But today, in our first episode, we introduce our co-hosts—Vincent, Laura, and Jessie—and explore what brought the three of us, from different continents, generations, and experiences, to be here talking to each other about positive disintegration.
Please note that we may discuss sensitive topics. If any cause you distress, please consult a trained mental health practitioner.
Learn more about our team by following us on Twitter:
Vincent @VincentPsychSA
Laura @ratfunk
Jessie @jlmannisto
When a quirky kid goes online to ask whether she might be trans, the algorithms aren’t going to give her any alternatives to consider. That’s a problem that this magazine’s mission demands that we address.
It’s never been easy to be an independent thinker, but discussing contentious issues that affect you personally on social media has to be the hardest way to do it. We sit down with Mars, a politically homeless transgender man, to talk about where he found his confidence and why he keeps talking despite the abuse he takes from Left and Right alike.
A new, moderate organization offers a new take on gender, zooming in on neurodivergence, the need for role models, and the good that outliers do in the world.
Katherine knew she was uncommon. When she turned to the Internet to find people like her, they told her that was because a personality like hers did not belong in a female body.
Then she happened upon an alternative perspective—one that her fellow uncommon women should have been making clearer to her all along.
Stuckness, says Dr. Mike Brooks, is at the root of both his clients’ anxiety and depression and our political polarization.
So how do we get unstuck? In this interview, we chat about cognitive flexibility, the importance of relationships, and how it all unfolds on social media.
When Adam Carrington, a practicing Christian, finds his well of patience for a fellow member of his church running dry, a core tenet of his faith takes on a more profound meaning.
Whether unusual people find the companions they need often comes down to luck—from being born into the right socioeconomic class to landing in the right career field.
In this interview, P. Susan Jackson talks to us about what her gifted clients tend to do when they don’t find people who click with them, what they can do instead, and how luck can shift for better and for worse over the course of life.
Why is Thoreau’s “little world” the image of restorative solitude, and Van Gogh’s “blazing hearth” that of genius misunderstood? In diving into these two men’s stories, David Wakeham demonstrates the pressing need for mentorship and community in those with great potential—and the consequences if this is nowhere to be found.
Want to connect with other Third Factor readers over some in-depth content? Join our book discussion group!
What drives us to create? Reflecting on her carefree creative expression as a child, struggles with self-consciousness, and industry pressures, Laura Stavinoha confronts the role her desire for validation had on her music and comes to understand why, ultimately, she creates.
You asked. We answered. What is this thing we named our magazine after, and what are the first and second factors? And why is this concept from Kazimierz Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration so much more important than his more well-known construct of overexcitability?
We’re trying to cultivate a high-quality space for Third Factor’s intellectually engaged readers to develop meaningful connections and have robust discussions. So why is this so hard on Facebook? Our editor in chief ponders why our new forum, at least so far, seems to suit us better than Facebook.
What stops a bright, intense, gifted person from blossoming? The Daimon Institute’s Sue Jackson sits down with us to talk about the hurdles her clients often face—and how they can begin to put out the roots they need to bloom.
Karen Nilsen
Morgan Grace Milburn
Jessie Mannisto
Katherine Burnham
Adam Carrington
Maxwell Olin Massa
David Wakeham
Laura Stavinoha