Dege Swain

gods help us, it writes nonstop

a classic corona manual typewriter

Oh, The Joys of Technology

So, the entire site – everything that I had saved on this domain – just disappeared. The database was just gone. Luckily, my Darling Beloved found a full backup of the content on the Wayback Machine. (Thank you, Wayback Machine!) Read more…


The Complicated Funeral of a N@z!

Despite the title and timing, this post is not about who you think it’s about. The actual person in question will remain nameless as, ultimately, it’s not about him. (I am obfuscating several volatile words to protect both me and Read more…


A Discussion of Bipolar Disorder: Types and Age Variations

Defocused anonymous young anxious male with split personality standing near wall with shade in twilight while looking away

Bipolar disorder type I (BP-I) is considered by the DSM-V to be a cross between a psychotic disorder because of the tendency towards obsessive fixations and a mood disorder due to the wild and often sudden presentations of emotional affect (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Read more…


Addiction Is Not a Moral Failing – And It’s Not a Disease, Either

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There is enormous value in understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that underscore addiction and chemical dependence, but the perspective must never be lost that the true root of addiction is completely psychological (Ewald et al., 2019). Addiction is the result of an emotional Read more…


On Support of Psychological Dysfunction With and Without Pharmaceuticals

white blue and orange medication pill

One of our family mottoes is, “If you can’t make your own neurotransmitters, store-bought is fine.” However, there is a society-wide excess of assuming neurotransmitter dysfunction when mental health issues might be much more psychological or even situational. This brings Read more…


A Brief Aside about Watson, Skinner, Bandura, and Behaviorism

A close-up of a white mouse being gently held in hands, showcasing its adorable features.

This paper appeared as a discussion post in PSY620: Learning and Cognition, on April 15, 2024. Before I get into the discussion between Watson and Bandura (and by extension behaviorism versus cognitivism, respectively), I would like to revisit and clarify Read more…


Open Access to Information Is a Democratic Imperative

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This piece first appeared as a discussion post for the course JRN200 at the University of Arizona Global Campus. …a popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a Read more…


Commentary on Journalism in Democracy

A flat lay of Arabic newspapers in Fès, Morocco, showcasing diverse articles.

This article first appeared as a discussion post for the JRN200 course at University of Arizona Global Campus. I mentioned briefly before that a democratic society is not defined by what kind of government structure or economic system it uses Read more…


The Source of Language: A Discussion of Skinner versus Chomsky

This article first appeared as an assignment in Cognitive Psychology at UAGC in my undergrad studies. It was submitted July 5, 2022. Communication is an endemic feature of all life, and it manifests across a dizzying range of methods from Read more…