The World's Best Book Summaries
What does “virtue signaling” mean? Do you think it’s immoral to publicize your virtue? The term “virtue signaling” has slowly been creeping its way into everyday vernacular and media dialogue. Virtue signaling is the act of publicly behaving in a way that makes you look as noble as possible. Here is why true virtue is done in secret.
Is creativity an inborn quality? How do creatives develop novel ideas? According to Elizabeth Gilbert, creativity can come to anyone who gets in touch with what she calls “Big Magic.” This force is bigger than us and cannot be explained scientifically or proven empirically. It is an eternal cosmic entity that creatives must have faith in. In this article, we’ll explore Gilbert’s conception of creativity and two key ways Big Magic might come to you: via ideas and your genius.
Are history books an accurate reflection of the past? Is the human past really as bloody as history books portray it to be? According to Nassim Taleb, the author of Skin in the Game, academic accounts of human history give a warped perspective on our past. Historical accounts of the events emphasize conflict, creating an impression that human history is largely a record of warfare. However, history books tend to leave out unremarkable periods of peace, making the past seem more violent than it really was. Here is why history is biased in its representation of the human past.
Are you looking for The Slight Edge quotes by Jeff Olson? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In his book The Slight Edge, motivational speaker Jeff Olson argues that success and failure are both a result of the “slight edge.” The slight edge is the idea that success is built over time with small disciplines executed on a consistent basis. Here is a selection of The Slight Edge quotes with explanations.
What is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team about? What are the five most common dysfunctions of a team, according to its author Patrick Lencioni? The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable explores how teams fail to work cohesively together through a dynamic, five-part model of dysfunction. The five dysfunctions are 1) absence of trust, 2) fear of conflict, 3) lack of commitment, 4) avoidance of accountability, and 5) inattention to results. Below is a brief overview of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni.
Are you looking for The Power of Your Subconscious Mind quotes by Joseph Murphy? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy explains how to train your subconscious mind to attract what you want in life. Since your subconscious mind is passive (it internalizes everything you think and embeds it into your psyche), you can influence it with conscious thought. Below is a selection of quotes with explanations.
What does good science look like? What are the implications of scientific research being done in institutions that aren’t even involved in its implementation? In his book Skin in the Game, Nassim Taleb argues that modern academics fail to practice good science because they lack what he calls “skin in the game”—they are isolated from the real world in which their ideas are implemented. Taleb argues that areas of science and academia that lack skin in the game yield faulty, harmful ideas and theories that would cause major damage if implemented at a large scale. In this article, we’ll take
What kills creativity? Do you often put off your creative work because of the pressure to produce something groundbreaking? Many creatives, no matter the field, get stuck in their creative process because they believe their work should look a certain way or live up to some kind of standard they made up. Such prescriptive thoughts prevent you from fully exercising your creativity and ultimately only stymie you. Below are three common prescriptive thoughts that get in the way of your creativity and which you should dispel.
Why does mass employment promote inefficiency? Do you think it’s possible to completely eliminate labor market inefficiency? According to Nassim Taleb, inefficiency at work is an unavoidable weakness of mass employment. Employees limit their freedom in order to maintain productive organizations for their employers, and what they get in return—the paycheck. However, it’s impossible to get employees totally invested in the company’s game. In this article, we’ll discuss why inefficiency is an inherent by-product of mass employment.
What do successful people do when they feel like giving up? How can we re-inspire ourselves when pushing forward just feels like too much or worse—pointless? To achieve success, we must resist the urge to give up and our inclination towards losing faith. One way to keep pushing forward when you feel like giving up on your dreams is to amp up your levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Here is what to do when you feel like giving up.