Reality Check

Gran Torino and the Grumbling Years: Why Walt Kowalski Sounds Like Every Cranky Neighbor You Know

A drive-by tour of brain chemistry, loneliness, and lawn maintenance that turns late-life grousing into a science lesson.

Safa Rubaye, MD

Jul 10, 2025

Chuck McGill’s “Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity” in Better Call Saul: Fiction vs. Science

Unpacking Chuck McGill’s supposed “allergy to electricity” in Better Call Saul – a friendly deep-dive into the science of electromagnetic hypersensitivity and the psychological truth behind his condition.

Safa Rubaye, MD

Jun 26, 2025

Snowpiercer and the Psychology of Control

Survival, Scarcity, and Learned Helplessness.How fighting for survival can keep us trapped psychologically

Safa Rubaye, MD

Apr 10, 2025

Adolescence: No Easy Answers to Why Jamie Did It

The 2025 limited series Adolescence discusses the complexity behind a teenager’s actions, revealing how behavior emerges from genetics, environment, culture, trauma, and social dynamics. It challenges our urge to find a straightforward explanation, instead painting a nuanced picture of adolescent psychology and the futility of searching for a single “why.”

Safa Rubaye, MD

Mar 13, 2025

The Psychological Cost of Activism Through Gorillas in the Mist

When Passion Consumes: Activism Burnout and the Mental Toll of Fighting for a Cause

Safa Rubaye, MD

Mar 6, 2025

Trauma, Grief, and Moral Boundaries in Gorillas in the Mist

How the Film Explores the Psychological Toll of Witnessing Violence and the Dangers of Compartmentalized Empathy

Safa Rubaye, MD

Jan 30, 2025

Nasubi’s Choice: Why He Stayed, and Why He Did It Again

When does perseverance become surrender? Nasubi’s decision to stay—and even repeat—his 15-month ordeal offers a unique look at how the mind clings to purpose in the face of suffering.