The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you have an idea for a business? How can you tell if it’s a viable one? Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba say you don’t need to come up with anything spectacular. A viable business idea should build on your unique strengths, or “unfair advantages,” and offer value to people’s lives. Keep reading to learn how to evaluate business ideas.
What are some of the best quotes from Nicomachean Ethics? What captures Aristotle’s message? In Nicomachean Ethics, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle attempts to determine the best possible way a person can live their life. He’s not trying to explain the best way to deal with any given situation. Instead, Aristotle aims to provide a general overview of what an ideal life is and how people can achieve it. We’ve collected some of our favorite Nicomachean Ethics quotes, along with some context and explanation. Take a look.
What does The Prince instruct national leaders to do? Is it an accurate depiction of Renaissance political life? In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli instructs the reader on how princes may seize, maintain, and defend their power, encouraging them to embrace cruelty and deception as necessary tools in their arsenal. He does this through simple maxims and historical examples. Here’s our overview of the lessons that Machiavelli teaches in The Prince.
Why would someone buy a Tesla? Why do some people post photos of their glitzy hotel rooms on Instagram? Just as body language allows us to communicate about things we’d never put into words, Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson argue that many of our actions double as social signals or conspicuous fitness displays. This is especially noticeable when it comes to how we spend our money and other resources. Read more to understand the concept of social signaling through spending.
What’s the difference between lifestyle and hyper-growth startups? How do you know which type of startup business is right for you? Entrepreneurs Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba, in their book The Unfair Advantage, describe two types of startups: lifestyle and hyper-growth. They offer recommendations for how to determine which type of startup you should pursue. The factors to consider, they say, are your purpose, your desired lifestyle, and your unfair advantages. Read more for Ali and Kubba’s insight into different types of startups.
What’s “the good life”? How is moral virtue achieved? What’s the greatest virtue of all? These are some of the questions that ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle discusses in the Nicomachean Ethics book. He argues that the best and happiest life consists of the rational pursuit of virtue. He explains the different kinds of virtues, how to become virtuous, and the greatest virtue of all: wisdom. Keep reading to learn more about this classic work.
What is the goal of communication—really? Why did Sheila talk to you at the office Christmas party? Why did she nod her head at almost everything you said? Hidden motives are a byproduct of humanity’s social nature, so it’s no surprise that they show up in our most fundamental forms of communication. Both our speech and our body language are full of messages other than the ones we’re directly aware of. Keep reading for an enlightening discussion about the hidden goals of conversation and body language.
Is it truly better to be feared than loved? Why does Machiavelli think so? This assertion from The Prince has become an adage over the centuries. You’ve probably heard it, but you might not know what Machiavelli means and what his argument is. Continue reading to understand why Machiavelli believes that it is better to be feared than loved.
What is moral virtue? Is it simply being good, or is there more to it than that? In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle concludes that happiness comes from consistently making the right choices over the course of a lifetime (rational activity aligned with virtue). Not only must the actions be right, but the motives behind them must also be right. Keep reading to understand how, in Aristotle’s view, virtuous actions and virtuous reasons add up to moral virtue.
What’s a hyper-growth startup? What makes them grow so fast? How are they funded? In their book, The Unfair Advantage, Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba explain what hyper-growth startups are. They discuss how these businesses get started, how they’re funded, and what type of product or service they typically involve. They also provide some insight into the chances of success and what it’s like to be part of one of these businesses. Keep reading to learn the basics of hyper-growth startups.