What We Like, What We Hide
Why can it be so difficult to know what we like? This reflection explores liking through an existential lens, including pleasure, values, shame, social judgment, avoidance, and our tendency to turn what we love into projects. What might change when we allow ourselves to like something without needing to justify, possess, or make it useful?
In the Presence of Mountains - Feeling Small, Yet Held
When Willpower Meets Its Limits — Reflections from Huanglong
Receiving, Not Controlling: What Jiuzhaigou Taught Me
The Existential Space of Airports - Between Departure and Arrival
Interrupted by Snow, Invited to Be
The Godot You Are Waiting For - Living Until Further Notice
A World Without Seasons–On Repetition, Stability, and Meaning
When Memory Arrives Uninvited: The Proustian Effect and Human Experience
The California Dreaming — Longing, Meaning, and Self-Connection
Don’t Like Being Called “Babe”—Even by People You Care About?
It’s fairly common to hear—or experience firsthand—phrases like: “Hey babe,” “Sweetheart, can you…?” These terms might come from a partner, a close friend, or even a customer service representative on the phone. How does that make you feel?
For some people, endearments feel warm and friendly, even soothing. For others, they bring up discomfort—embarrassment, irritation, a subtle urge to withdraw. If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this bother me so much?” you’re not alone.
From an Existential-analysis (EA) perspective, the reaction is about more than “we’re not that close yet.” It often touches something deeper: identity, recognition, and self-worth.