The World's Best Book Summaries
What is principled bargaining? If a used car salesman can convince a customer to buy a lemon, why isn’t that considered a win? Principled bargaining is when both the customer and the salesperson gain something from the sale. If only one side gains something, then it’s a fail. Here is how to practice principled bargaining.
What are David Brooks’s 15 guiding principles for living a moral life? How can you work to become a better person in a world that celebrates narcissism? In his book The Road to Character, author David Brooks shares his 15-point humility code. His code covers topics such as becoming more selfless, admitting your flaws, seeking help from others, and more. Continue reading for Brooks’s 15 guidelines for living a moral life, organized by theme.
What is the law of gratitude? Why is gratitude so important to attracting wealth? The law of gratitude follows Newton’s third law—for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means, if you reach out strongly and gratefully to God and other well-meaning individuals, they will respond strongly in kind. The more grateful you are, the faster you will attract opportunities that will make you wealthy. Read on to learn more about the application of the law of gratitude.
In what ways have morals in society shifted? What is the difference between moral realism and moral romanticism? In his book The Road to Character, author David Brooks talks about the societal shift from moral realism to moral romanticism. Moral realism is the idea that virtue is made, not born. and moral romanticism is the idea that humans are pure at the core. Learn the pros and cons of each type of thinking and why societal morality has shifted over the years.
What are your values in life? Are there any values you’d like to change? Why is it important to define and live by one’s personal values? In his book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Mark Manson talks about finding your values. Your personal values are the basis for everything you do. That’s why it’s important to discover what you value, what values may be harming you, and how to fix your negative values. Continue below for everything you need to know about finding, understanding, and changing your personal values.
What is implicit racism? How could you be racist implicitly, that is, without realizing it? Implicit racism refers to unconscious beliefs, ideas, and attitudes that lead to negative preconceptions of the person on the basis of their race. Unlike explicit racism, implicit racial bias is unintentional—it is a by-product of growing up in a White Supremacist society. Here is how we can challenge it by bringing our biases to light.
What is ethical fading? What are the main factors that cause employees to behave unethically? Ethical fading is when people engage in increasingly unethical behavior while convincing themselves that they are acting fairly and properly. According to Simon Sinek, ethical fading happens for three reasons: 1) poorly designed incentives, 2) rationalization and 3) reliance on rigid and impersonal structures in place of enlightened leadership. We explore each of these below.
What are the benefits of religion in society? How does religion help make us better as individuals and communities? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that we must understand religion primarily as a social driver that brings people into a community around a belief. Ultimately, this helps us find our moral foundation. Read more to understand the benefits of religion, according to Jonathan Haidt.
What is Jonathan Haidt’s Moral Foundations Theory? What does he believe are the six foundations of morality? Jonathan Haidt’s Moral Foundations Theory puts forth six foundations of morality that we all have, but in different proportions. They are based on how people in various cultures deal with life’s challenges and what they regard as virtues. Read more to learn about Haidt’s Moral Foundations Theory.
What roles do intuition and reason play when it comes to our moral choices? How and why do we seek to justify these choices? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that we use intuition rather than reason to make most of our moral choices. Then we use moral reasoning to justify our decisions to others. Basically, we are more concerned that others think we’re doing the right thing than we are concerned about actually doing the right thing. Read more to learn about how we make moral choices and then justify them.