Shortform Books

The Advent and Future of Cloud Computing Technology

What exactly is the cloud? How has the advent of cloud computing technology changed the world? The cloud is a term for services and software that run on the internet instead of locally on your computer, for example, Netflix, Dropbox, or Microsoft Office 365. Like networking, the cloud is a major player in the acceleration of all the other parts of computing because it allows any type of technology to be constantly updated, improved, or shared. In this article, we’ll discuss how the cloud came to be and its implications for the future of computing.

7 Exercises for Becoming Indistractable

Are you trying to become indistractable? How can these exercises from Insidstactable help you to focus on what’s really important in life? In his book Insdistractable, Nir Eyal teaches readers how to focus on their goals and stop getting distracted by external triggers. Eyal says that distractions start internally, which is why you need to start driving your life instead of letting its distractions drive you. Keep reading for exercises on becoming indistractable that you can apply to your own life.

The 7 Basic Economic Principles You Should Know

How do economies work? What are the universal principles that apply to all economies of the world? In his book The Undercover Economist, Tim Harford provides a clear and down-to-earth explanation of how an economy works. He distills seven basic economic principles and illustrates how they manifest in real-world economies. Keep reading to learn about Tim Harford’s economic principles: scarcity, price targeting, externalities, missing information, the stock market, game theory, and globalization.

The Black-Ape Association Needs to Be Stopped

How present is the black-ape association in the modern-day? Is it possible to accurately measure implicit bias? How is it that so many experts are in denial about this dangerous mindset? Many people think that the black-ape association was a thing of the past, something from the Jim Crow era. However, there are still modern and dehumanizing comparisons of black people to apes or other animals today and they can have deadly consequences. Continue below for a brief history of the black-ape association and the dangers it causes.

The Other-Race Effect: What It Is and How to Mitigate It

What is the other-race effect? How does this phenomenon develop? Is there a way to prevent/fight it? In her book Biased, Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt discusses the “other-race effect.” The other-race effect occurs when an infant is raised without exposure to other races and thus has difficulty recognizing faces of other races throughout their life. This effect can be mitigated later in life through positive, interpersonal relationships with those of another race. Here is everything you need to know about the other-race effect.

Daniel Pink Sales Tips: Clarity Is Key to Selling

What does clarity mean in the context of sales? What are the seven components of clarity? Daniel Pink, sales guru and author of To Sell Is Human, puts high importance on the new ABCs of selling: attunement, buoyancy, and clarity. There are seven components to clarity and if you master them, you will be able to close more sales. Here is what Daniel Pink says about clarity in sales.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Asha the Slumlord

Who is Asha in Behind the Beautiful Forevers? What are Asha’s aspirations and dreams? Asha was a powerful figure in the Annawadi slum. She ran the slum as a slumlord at the direction of authorities and politicians. Asha in Behind the Beautiful Forevers aspired to amass wealth and power to overcome economic hardship. Read more to fully explore the character and aspirations of Asha in Behind the Beautiful Forevers.

The 3 Business Stages: Infancy, Adolescence, Maturity

What business stages must entrepreneurs understand and navigate? What are the risks of each phase? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber describes three business stages: infancy, adolescence, and maturity. He explains the characteristics—as well as the risks—of each. Business owners must learn to navigate these phases. Keep reading to learn about the three business stages of E. Gerber.

Environmental Effects of Acid Rain: The Tense Debate

What are the issues in the debate about the environmental effects of acid rain? What’s the science and what doubts exist? In Merchants of Doubt, historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway discuss how doubt-mongering has affected the debate surrounding the environmental effects of acid rain. It’s a fascinating history of science, economics, and politics. Read more to learn how merchants of doubt impacted the narrative about the environmental effects of acid rain.

A Look Into Donald Trump’s Administration

What was Donald Trump like behind the scenes and the limelight? Who did he allow into his inner circle? In A Warning, a book about the behind-the-scenes of Donald Trump’s presidency, the anonymous author discusses what it was like to work under Trump’s administration. In Donald Trump’s administration, most Steady Staters and people who were willing to stand up to Trump were gone. What was left were defenders and pleasers. Let’s take a closer look into President Trump’s administration, as described by Anonymous in his 2019 bestseller A Warning.