At Our Core

Care At The Core presents essays which explore the intersections and overlap of identity, education and power. Drawing on observations from a vibrant life of learning through reading, writing, listening and dialoging, Sherri Spelic asks us to rethink the world we are building for ourselves and our children in schools, in our communities, in our societies.

A transformative, fascinating theory—based on robust and groundbreaking experimental research—reveals how our unconscious fear of death powers almost everything we do, shining a light on the hidden motives that drive human behavior More than one hundred years ago, the American philosopher William James dubbed the knowledge that we must die “the worm at the core” of the human condition. In 1974, cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker won the Pulitzer Prize for his book The Denial of Death, arguing that the terror of death has a pervasive effect on human affairs. Now authors Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski clarify with wide-ranging evidence the many ways the worm at the core guides our thoughts and actions, from the great art we create to the devastating wars we wage. The Worm at the Core is the product of twenty-five years of in-depth research. Drawing from innovative experiments conducted around the globe, Solomon, Greenberg, and Pyszczynski show conclusively that the fear of death and the desire to transcend it inspire us to buy expensive cars, crave fame, put our health at risk, and disguise our animal nature. The fear of death can also prompt judges to dole out harsher punishments, make children react negatively to people different from themselves, and inflame intolerance and violence. But the worm at the core need not consume us. Emerging from their research is a unique and compelling approach to these deeply existential issues: terror management theory. TMT proposes that human culture infuses our lives with order, stability, significance, and purpose, and these anchors enable us to function moment to moment without becoming overwhelmed by the knowledge of our ultimate fate. The authors immerse us in a new way of understanding human evolution, child development, history, religion, art, science, mental health, war, and politics in the twenty-first century. In so doing, they also reveal how we can better come to terms with death and learn to lead lives of courage, creativity, and compassion. Written in an accessible, jargon-free style, The Worm at the Core offers a compelling new paradigm for understanding the choices we make in life—and a pathway toward divesting ourselves of the cultural and personal illusions that keep us from accepting the end that awaits us all. Praise for The Worm at the Core “The idea that nearly all human individual and cultural activity is a response to death sounds far-fetched. But the evidence the authors present is compelling and does a great deal to address many otherwise intractable mysteries of human behaviour. This is an important, superbly readable and potentially life-changing book.”—The Guardian (U.K.) “A neat fusion of ideas borrowed from sociology, anthropology, existential philosophy and psychoanalysis.”—The Herald (U.K.) “Deep, important, and beautifully written, The Worm at the Core describes a brilliant and utterly original program of scientific research on a force so powerful that it drives our lives.”—Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of Stumbling on Happiness “As psychology becomes increasingly trivial, devolving into the promotion of positive-thinking platitudes, The Worm at the Core bucks the trend. The authors present—and provide robust evidence for—a psychological thesis with disturbing personal as well as political implications.”—John Horgan, author of The End of War and director of the Center for Science Writings, Stevens Institute of Technology

There is no more important area of the body for an athlete than the core, the region of our body from our chest to our knees. The core is our engine, our hub of activity. Strength there makes life easier for shoulders and knees. It produces speed and explosiveness. Endurance and grit. The core is so important. So why has it remained such a medical mystery? This book will explain that. Introducing the Core: Demystifying the Body of an Athlete traces the arc of the journey from injury to restoration of power to the return to normal life. Dr. William Meyers is the nation’s foremost authority on core health. Along with over 40 world-renowned expert contributors, Dr. Meyers explains how the core functions through stories from his work in locker rooms, the operating room, and the playing fields of elite athletes, giving readers a thorough understanding of the core’s widespread influence on athleticism and the human anatomy. The book: Dissects the events that led Dr. Meyers and his team of experts to their new appreciation of this anatomy Brings multiple world-renowned arthroscopists into the overall core picture, providing their perspectives on how the core works, with the pubic bone as “the sun” of the body’s universe Offers insight into the many causes of pelvic pain, demonstrating why the term “sports hernia,” should be banished forever Emphasizes the fact that a wide spectrum of professionals treat the core -- from traditional surgeons to alternative therapists Brings it all together and proposes a new future, and perhaps a new medical specialty, that is the core “Strength, power, and endurance all flow from the core. This book, and the work Bill Meyers has done in the field, will bring good core health to the forefront and help everyone—elite athletes and others.” —Michael William Krzyzewski “Even in baseball, injury patterns in the shoulder and elbow are related to core imbalance. This book has been needed for a long time... Bill has helped the idea of core strength become more popular, and this book could be what is needed to get it more attention.” —James Rheuben Andrews, MD “To understand the core, you must put on new eyes.” —Marshawn Lynch

Grow the Core stands conventional wisdom about business growth on its head and provides a proven formula for growing your business in recessionary times. These days, it′s a common belief among business leaders across industry sectors that the best way to grow their businesses is to expand into new markets. In reality, virtually all top–performing companies achieve superior results through a leading position in their core business. Unfortunately, there′s very little in the way of practical advice on how to do this. Grow the Core shows you how tofocus on your core business for brand success, with a program of eight workouts road-tested by the author's consultancy, the brandgym. The book provides inspiration, practical advice and proven tools for building and strengthening your core business. It is packed with case studies from brandgym clients, including Mars, Friesland Campina, SAB Miller and Danone. The book features exclusive brandgym research, in addition to front–line experience on over one hundred brand coaching projects.

Are we truly different from our ancestors, or are we more alike than we think? To Our Core explores this question by drawing intriguing parallels between ancient writings and modern behaviour. In this book, we travel through timeless themes of love, humour, scandal, and philosophy of ancient Rome to uncover what lies beneath our surface. We will discover whether we have truly changed or remained the same at our core.

An inspirational story of love, loss, and healing.

Civic Core Class prepares students to think critically about current issues and perform in civic activities so that they feel personally responsible for making a difference in their communities. Citizenship skills are, in fact, communication skills. They include reading, writing, listening and speaking. Civic learning is active learning that engages students in discussions and activities so that they develop an appreciation of differences, the desire for community involvement, a sense of personal efficacy, the rejection of violence, and civic virtue. Civic values form the core of character education and civility. The power of storytelling is an essential tool in carrying out our civic duty as citizens of a democratic society. Through storytelling, our students demonstrate civic leadership and responsibility by sharing experiences, building empathy, and making changes.

The Core – a nightclub where anything goes – is alive with music, dancing, and sexy people making the most intimate connections. Alice, The Core’s top matchmaker, is gunning for a promotion. A promotion she’ll easily get if nothing gets in her way. Then in walks Evan: tall, blond, strong, and with the most piercing green eyes Alice has ever seen. Desperate to hide her deepest flaws, Alice pushes him away. But in a dark booth with Evan’s enticing words and muscled body, she’s faced with the most difficult choice: let his irresistible mouth, body, and words into her life, or keep her walls up to guard her heart. Anything goes, in The Core... for everyone except Alice, who must do whatever it takes to protect her secret past.