David Yamada

Workplace Bullying Newsletter, No. 1 (July 2025) (July 2025) — Dear readers, I’m starting a monthly feature that I’m simply titling the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. It will contain news and research summaries, short commentari…

Issue no. 1 of my new Workplace Bullying Newsletter. This month: French execs convicted of psychological and sexual harassment; looking for subtle signs of bullying; study on workplace bullying and suicidal ideation; and bullying of nursing school faculty. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/07/25/w...

No Kings Day: Celebration, resistance, and tragedy During the mid-to-late 1700s, Massachusetts would become a hotbed of activism and resistance toward the British Crown. It is, among other things, the site of the Boston Tea Party, when in 1773, col…

My reflections on No Kings Day here in Boston and elsewhere, along with the horrible political assassinations of Democratic legislators in Minnesota. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/n...

On studying the “Great Books” at the University of Chicago: A deeply satisfying finish and a glorious failure During June, I made a quick trip to Chicago to attend my graduation ceremony from the University of Chicago’s storied Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. The Basic Program is an op…

A year ago, I completed the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults, a 4-yr, open enrollment "Great Books" program offered by the U of Chicago's Graham School. No tests, no papers, just deeply engaging discussion. I shared my impressions here: muchmorethanasong.home.blog/2024/07/05/o...

Gentle reminder that RFK Jr. fired all 17 vaccine experts from our government.

Yup....the headline says it all.

Insiders, outsiders, and change agents It’s an ongoing, never settled debate: To create positive social change, is it better to work from within the established system, or to challenge the status quo from the outside? I think abou…

To be a change agent, it is better to work from within the established system, or to challenge the status quo from the outside? Some thoughts shared here. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/i...

Trolls at work: Bullying, button-pushing, and provoking Have you ever dealt with someone at work who behaves like some of the most annoying, high-conflict people you’ve encountered in social media settings? I had a clarifying moment the other day.…

Trolls don't limit themselves to the online comments sections. They also annoy us at work -- and sometimes with greater consequences. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2023/07/18/t...

My 2019 piece in the Int'l Journal of Law & Psychiatry, drawing deeply on Trump 1.0, examines how public policy directives and implementation can instill anger, shock, fear, and trauma -- a framework for Trump 2.0 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Steve Kerr wore a Harvard basketball shirt after the Warriors’ win tonight: “Yes, this is me supporting Harvard. Way to go. Way to stand up to the bully.”

State tells employees to report on one another for ‘anti-Christian bias’ “It’s very ‘Handmaid’s Tale’-esque,” one official said.

The Trump Administration should be reported for anti-Christian bias for mocking the life and teachings of Jesus and for rejecting compassion, generosity, kindness, healing, and justice. Instead, they have built a giant cult of cruelty, rage, and hatred.

www.politico.com/news/2025/04...

The Biology of Being Broke Trauma, Metabolism, and the Prescriptions We Can't Afford

I had to make some time to get to this -- it's more long-form commentary than a typical Substack or blog piece -- but this essay by Melanie Lynn Brown about trauma and living in poverty is worth the effort. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Trump has launched America’s Second Civil War In roughly 10 weeks, the Trump Administration has done incalculable harm to America’s civic infrastructure and standing in the world. Virtually every aspect of public life is under siege. Peo…

New blog post: Trump has launched America's Second World War, using words, memos, and policy directives, typically weaponized with lies, distortion, threats, and psychological manipulation. psychologizinglpp.blog/2025/03/31/t...

I'm happy to share that my latest law review article, "Designing Trauma-Informed Legislation: Designing the Workplace Bullying Accountability Act," has been published in the UIC Law Review. Freely downloadable pdf here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

The Hegseth Standard: If this misogynistic, nationalist tat-wearing, and now proven incompetent clown keeps his job, then we've just established national precedent for eliminating employee performance evaluations of any kind.

Cowardice and Capitulation Stain the Legacy of Once-Esteemed Mega Law Firm Paul, Weiss joins the list of institutions and individuals with ample resources to defend themselves, who nevertheless have refused to stand up for justice in the face of MAGA intimidation

I was greatly disappointed by the Paul Weiss law firm, which reacted to Trump's likely unlawful threats by opting for the Neville Chamberlain approach of appeasing their abuser. They will never be the same. Hopefully other BigLaw firms will not repeat their mistake. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

MAGA goal: Let’s traumatize federal workers During a speech delivered in 2024, Russell Vought, now the Trump Administration’s director of the federal Office of Management and Budget, called for mass firings of long-time federal employe…

Make no mistake about it: Traumatizing federal workers is part of the MAGA/DOGE agenda, as stated by Trump's current director of the Office of Management and Budget last year. Unfortunately, the strategy appears to be working. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/03/21/m...

Like this.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's Chief of Staff:

Who's the target of Trump's disdain? Often, it's women. | Opinion The Trump Administration is doing a lot of things. What it's not doing: Respecting women.

Dr. Lilia Cortina (U. Michigan) nails it on Trump's targeting of women. www.freep.com/story/opinio...

Trump & Vance vs. Zelensky: School Yard Bullying or Domestic Abuse? The appalling behavior of U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during last Friday’s White House Oval Office meeting constitu…

In a new post to Psychologizing Law, Policy, and Politics, I ask whether the Trump & Vance ambush of Zelensky was more like school yard bullying or domestic abuse. psychologizinglpp.blog/2025/03/06/t...

None of This is Normal. A Bizarre and Brutal Administration Makes a Mockery of Governance Disturbed and damaged individuals rise to the top, and a truly bizarre Modi-Musk "official encounter" sums things up

Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat: Authoritarianism is rife with "the parade of sociopaths, sycophants, petty and grand criminals, and zealots who flourish in lawless environments where the performance of power is everything and the leader is elevated to a semi-divinity." lucid.substack.com/p/none-of-th...

Facing the Maelstrom, Part I Applying My Historical Lens (or, Trying to do So…) As a lifelong amateur student of history and the son of parents who lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War, I have wres…

First post to my new "Psychologizing Law, Policy, and Politics" blog, "Facing the Maelstrom, Part I": psychologizinglpp.blog/2025/02/18/f...

Podcast interview about the Workplace Bullying Accountability Act I’m happy to share with you my recently recorded appearance on Healthy Work, a podcast on occupational health psychology hosted by Dr. Keaton Fletcher, a professor in Colorado State Universit…

I was interviewed about the new Workplace Bullying Accountability Act by Prof. Keaton Fletcher (Colorado St. U.) for his "Healthy Work" podcast. It's about 30 minutes. Short description and link in this blog article. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/02/20/p...

White House shares controversial deportation-centric Valentine's Day meme The White House shared a controversial Valentine’s Day meme honing in on President Donald Trump’s policies concerning illegal immigration and deportations. On Instagram, along with the simple message,...

Unfortunately, yes. www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politic...

Today's Valentine's Day sentiment from the White House. It's real, and it's really sick. What is wrong with these people?

Fox host says he 'hasn't washed hands in 10 years' Harvard and Princeton graduate Pete Hegseth says germs don't exist because he can't see them.

Verifying: www.bbc.com/news/world-u...

From 2019, I present to you, our MAGA Secretary of Defense. He's creepy in every way. Stick with fist bumps, if at all.

The ABA supports the rule of law It has been three weeks since Inauguration Day. Most Americans recognize that newly elected leaders bring change. That is expected. But most Americans also expect that changes will take place in accor...

IMPORTANT: "We urge every attorney to join us and insist that our government, a government of the people, follow the law. It is part of the oath we took when we became lawyers. Whatever your political party or your views, change must be made in the right way." www.americanbar.org/news/abanews...

"Looks like I picked the wrong year to be an American."