The World's Best Book Summaries
What are desirable difficulties? Are all difficulties desirable? Desirable difficulties are so-called disadvantages that can actually be strong advantages. They build resilience and make you seek surprising strengths despite having the difficulties. We’ll cover three desirable difficulties — disability, tragedy, and having nothing — and look at why these difficulties may make you stronger than you would have been without them.
Can money buy happiness? Some might say it depends on who you ask, but social scientists might say it depends on how much you have. Learn how money affects your levels of happiness, why more isn’t necessarily better, and why more might actually be worse.
What is the principle of legitimacy? And why should you pay special attention to it if you’re a police officer, government worker, manager, or employer? The principle of legitimacy states that a government’s ability to govern is based on its perceived legitimacy. If the public perceives the government as illegitimate, it will rebel. Learn why the principle of legitimacy is so important and how it can dramatically lower crime rates.
Jordan Peterson has gotten a lot of criticism for his views on gender equality. He asserts that males and females have differences, and that we’d be foolish not to recognize them. Is Jordan Peterson a biased bigot? Or does he have some wisdom in his words? Let’s look into Jordan Peterson’s gender equality views.
Who was André Trocmé? And what can we learn from him about finding the advantages of disadvantages? André Trocmé was a French pastor who preached pacifism and saved thousands of Jews during the Nazi occupation. We’ll cover why André Trocmé and the townspeople of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon had the courage to stand up to the government, and what you can learn from his life story.
Overview of Law #27: Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following People desperately want to believe in something. Offer them a cause to follow. Promise the world but keep it vague; whip up enthusiasm. Mimic a religious structure with a hierarchy, rituals, and requests for sacrifice (donations). Create a cultlike following. You’ll have untold power over your followers, who will worship you.
Does negotiating work in extreme situations? Is negotiating with terrorists effective? Many Western governments refuse to negotiate with terrorists, or at least say they do. This may be a mistake. Learn why negotiating with terrorists is usually the best option a government has, even when it’s a bad option.
In 12 Rules for Life, Rule #1 is “Stand Up Straight With Your Shoulders Back.” What does this mean? Do you stand up straight physically? Or is this more of a metaphor for being confident? It turns out Jordan Peterson’s Rule 1 means both. We’ll discuss what he meant by stand up straight, and how your physical posture affects your mental state.
In 12 Rules for Life, Rule #11 is “Do Not Bother Children When They Are Skateboarding.” What does this mean? Why should you leave skateboarding kids alone? Like many of Jordan Peterson’s rules, this goes deeper than literally leaving skateboarding kids alone. Learn the true meaning of Jordan Peterson’s Rule 11.
Gender roles in society are finally being seen as outdated, but many of us still feel the need to play into certain gender roles. Why do we continue to be trapped in gender roles that no longer seem relevant to our modern lives? The existence of gender roles in society and implicit gender bias may be the results of our unconscious associations. Learn how our unconscious biases affect our conscious decisions and take action to change your implicit gender biases.