The World's Best Book Summaries
Why do people donate to charity? Do they truly care about the cause—or just how they look to others? In The Elephant in the Brain, Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson argue that charity isn’t just about helping others—it’s also about showing off how compassionate and benevolent you are. This is part of their general argument that human behavior is driven by selfish motives. Continue reading to learn more about this theory.
What is the attention crisis? How does it affect our ability to read and think? Stolen Focus by journalist Johann Hari makes the case that we have an attention crisis, which means we’re all losing the ability to concentrate. He argues that it’s the result of outside forces and not people being lazy. Let’s look at how the attention crisis is affecting our minds.
How can you practice mindfulness every day? What are the benefits of everyday mindfulness? Practicing mindfulness in your daily life has many benefits, including reducing anxiety. In Unwinding Anxiety, Dr. Judson Brewer offers two mindful techniques that you should incorporate into your daily routine. Read more to learn the two mindfulness techniques that can help you cope with anxiety.
Do you take into account probability when making decisions? Why do we make decisions that contradict probabilistic logic? Understanding probability can be especially relevant to our daily lives because we make decisions based on our perception of probability all the time. However, our perception of likely outcomes is often mathematically irrational. This is because thinking in probabilities isn’t intuitive: Most people think in terms of binary categories of “yes,” “no,” and “maybe.” Here’s why we make decisions that contradict probabilistic logic.
How does the human brain work? What are the most noteworthy features of the human brain? The brain is a complicated organ. In spite of all the progress we’ve made toward understanding the brain, we still know very little about its inner workings. At the most basic level, there are two key attributes of the human brain you should understand: interconnectedness and neuroplasticity. With this in mind, here’s a look at how the human brain works.
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.
Why is it so hard to focus? What external factors are making it hard to concentrate? In Stolen Focus, Johann Hari cites seven reasons why it’s so hard to focus. These factors are outside of your control and contribute to the attention crisis we’re living in. Discover the seven factors below to see if any of them are affecting you.
How hard is it to get over anxiety? What will get in your way if you seek treatment? Even if you fully buy into the goal of eliminating your anxiety, you might run into additional roadblocks. Dr. Judson Brewer’s book Unwinding Anxiety says that the two main roadblocks are overthinking and beating yourself up. Keep reading to learn why getting over anxiety isn’t as easy as many people think.
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.