The World's Best Book Summaries
Why is asking questions important? What are some ways to ask questions without overwhelming your conversation partner? If people never asked questions, we’d likely never make breakthroughs. On a smaller scale, questions open opportunities for further discussion that’ll teach you more about other people. Read more about why asking questions is important, from learning new things to avoiding assumptions.
Do you want people to stop walking over you? Do you know how to not be a pushover? When someone is a pushover, it means they’re easy to influence or take advantage of. These kinds of people have a hard time standing up for themselves and usually want to please everyone at their own expense. Check out the problem with being a people pleaser and how to not be a pushover.
How is language used to hurt women? How can women use language to spread awareness about abuse and sexual assault? A major aspect of the mistreatment and control of women is silencing them. According to Rebecca Solnit, silencing women is effective because language has a major impact on people’s beliefs and perceptions. Let’s explore the language of violence and the negative and positive effects it can have.
Have you ever wished you could tell what someone was really thinking? How skilled are you at reading people’s emotions? What do you communicate with your body? Body language is a huge but often missed aspect of communication. We’ve put together five body language exercises that will help you explore how you communicate with your body, practice giving and reading cues, and learn to use body language to establish presence in stressful or uncertain situations. Continue reading for these practical exercises you can use on your own or in a group setting.
Why are women attacked in online communities? What levels of violence do these threats reach? Rebecca Solnit explains that language can be used destructively against women. This is well illustrated by the way sexism and misogyny manifest in online communities and on social media. Find out more about the phenomenon of online violence against women.
Why are women being silenced in society? What prominent figures have silenced their victims in the past? The authoritarian belief that men have the right to control women is what motivates misogyny and the mistreatment of women. According to Rebecca Solnit, mistreatment and control include silencing women’s voices. Continue reading to learn the many ways men have used their privilege to shut women down.
What does “bullshit” mean? Is it just another word for misinformation? Is it different from rhetoric? According to professors Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West, bullshit is defined as the use of misleading evidence to persuade an audience. They emphasize the importance of the phenomenon’s intent and how it’s put into operation. Read more to understand how to define “bullshit” according to Bergstrom and West in their book Calling Bullshit.
Does it feel like you can’t keep up with all the misinformation out there—much less refute it? Are you stuck in an echo chamber? Bullshit can exist in any era. But, Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West contend that two components of contemporary society—the internet and the mainstream media—are particularly potent vehicles for spreading bullshit. Keep reading to understand the phenomenon of bullshit media.
How much damage can improper data collection create? How can manipulators leverage it for their own advantage? In Calling Bullshit, Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West contend that bullshit often arises when data-based arguments rely on flawed data. They explain how the observation selection effect is an example of this and show how some people take advantage of it to deliberately deceive others. Continue reading to learn about the observation selection effect and how it can wreak havoc.
Do you know bullshit when you see it? What do you do about it? Should you call it out? With the proliferation of misinformation online, in the news, and even in academia, the modern world is replete with nonsense and flat-out lies. In their book Calling Bullshit, Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West contend that anyone can learn how to detect and refute bullshit in its many forms. Continue reading for an overview of this book that’s more important than ever.