Amanda Penn, Author at Shortform Books

Master of Two Worlds: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 16 (Explained)

What is stage 16 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the significance of being a “master of two worlds”? Master of two worlds is the stage of the hero’s journey in which the hero can move seamlessly between the two worlds, without destroying or compromising either. Master of two worlds is stage 16 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what being a master of two worlds entails and look at examples of the master-of-two-worlds stage of the hero’s journey.

How to “Let Your Plans Be Dark and Impenetrable as Night”

In The Art of War, Sun Tzu suggests you “let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night.” What does Tzu mean by this? How can you hide your plans? We’ll cover the art of deception and how to appear so formless in your attack that your enemy can’t discover your master plan. Learn how to let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night.

Empire’s History: Where It Failed, How It United Us

What are the key aspects of empire history? What are the critiques of imperialism? What were the benefits? In this succinct imperialism history, we’ll cover what it takes for a nation to become an empire and how imperialism shortened the distance between people of disparate cultures.

5 Examples of Cultural Evolution in Humans

What are some examples of cultural evolution in humans? How do these examples shed light on our values and assumptions today? We’ll cover five examples of cultural evolution in humans and look at how our cultural assumptions are formed rather than innate.

Gilgamesh’s Quest for Immortality: Why He Had to Fail

What happens in the ancient epic when King Gilgamesh seeks immortality? How does Gilgamesh’s immortality-search align with Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? And why isn’t Gilgamesh successful? We’ll cover the elements of King Gilgamesh’s search for immortality and discuss why he had to fail in this endeavor, according to the standards of the hero’s journey popularized in The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Wheat’s History: How It Became the Most Successful Species

What is wheat’s history? Why is it one of the most important crops in the history of agriculture? The history of wheat is so important because it may have been the species that transformed humans from nomadic foragers to farmers. It has become one of the most successful species on the planet. We’ll cover wheat’s history and how it became such a dominant food source.

History of Money: From Cattle and Salt to Coins and Credit

How did the idea of money develop? What does the history of money tell us about our world today? The history of money is one that starts with bartering and ends in the modern financial world. Money has been one of the primary factors in the creation of a global society. We’ll cover the origin of money and how the concept evolved over centuries.

3 Problems With Capitalism: Inequality, Exploitation, Greed

What are the problems with capitalism? Are there ways around these problems? The problems with capitalism include inequality, exploitation, and aggressive greed. These problems don’t make capitalism inherently evil, but they are hard to rectify. We’ll look at the three biggest problems with capitalism.

Peugeot’s Origin: Why It Exists Only in Our Imaginations

What is Peugeot’s origin story? What does its story say about how we treat imaginary entities? We’ll cover the origin of Peugeot and what it means to be a limited liability company.

Non-Theistic Religion: Deep Beliefs Without Gods

What are non-theistic religions? Is nontheism different than atheism? What is nontheism’s definition? Non-theistic religions are religions that do not require or espouse the belief in a God or gods. Non-theistic religions often don’t say God doesn’t exist, as atheism does; gods just aren’t part of their belief systems. We’ll cover some of the most common non-theistic religions, go deeper into the nontheism definition, and look at how they influence the world today.