Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

Why Do Poor People Have So Many Children?

Why do poor people have so many children? How do poor parents plan their family size? Poor mothers often suffer disadvantages if they have children too early in life or if they have more children than they can afford. If they have children before they finish school, mothers tend to get less education during their lifetimes, and if they have more children than they can afford, mothers sacrifice their own health needs to ensure those children are cared for. Given these facts, Duflo and Banerjee point out two factors that affect the poor’s reproductive decisions. Here’s why the poor have

Loonshots: Book Overview and Key Takeaways

What is Safi Bahcall’s Loonshots about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In his book Loonshots, Safi Bahcall argues that innovations as wide-ranging and world-changing as radar, insulin, and computer animation all share a similar trajectory: They began as flawed, incredibly fragile ideas. They were repeatedly shot down or ignored, and if not for a lot of luck and persistence, they would never have made it. Bahcall’s big idea is that it’s possible to deliberately and systematically nurture loonshots. Below is a brief overview of Loonshots by Safi Bahcall.

Why Is the Trading Failure Rate So High?

Why is the trading failure rate so high? In principle, is it possible to predict the market with absolute certainty if you have all the necessary tools? The financial market gives us ample opportunity to generate money. Yet, most people struggle to make the gains they want. The crux of the problem is that they don’t fully understand how the market operates. Most traders rely on either technical or fundamental analysis (or both) to try and predict the market, but they’re insufficient preparation for consistently successful trades. Here’s why conventional market analysis strategies fall short.

The Amygdala’s Function: Psychology 101

What is the function of the amygdala? What behavior does the amygdala govern? The amygdala is a little almond-shaped structure located in the brain’s medial temporal lobe. Its main function is to respond to threats, whether real or perceived. The amygdala activates very fast, often overriding logic and rationality. Here’s a look at the amygdala’s function and the psychology behind its workings.

What Is the Main Cause of Weight Gain?

Why are so many people overweight in developed countries? What is the main cause of weight gain? There are many factors that cause weight gain: genetics, disease, overeating, and a sedentary lifestyle. However, the main cause of weight gain in modern times is the habit of constant eating. Most people eat three meals a day with several snacks in between. Constant feeding causes constantly elevated insulin levels, and insulin is a fat-storage hormone. Here’s how modern eating habits contribute to weight gain.

Fast. Feast. Repeat. by Gin Stephens: Book Overview

What is Gin Stephens’s Fast. Feast. Repeat. about? How does adopting intermittent fasting (IF) as a lifestyle help you improve your health? Fast. Feast. Repeat. is a practical self-help guide that explains intermittent fasting (IF) as a lifestyle and approach to overall well-being. Among other benefits, Gin Stephens argues that IF can help you lose weight, feel better, fight disease, and live longer. Below is a brief overview of Fast. Feast. Repeat. by Gin Stephens.

Employee Ownership: Reimagining Labor Markets

Why should companies be owned by their employees? Will employee ownership work for any business? In her book Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth champions more collective forms of corporate governance, such as cooperatives and employee-owned enterprises. She argues that to deny workers an equity stake in the company to which they provide their valuable labor is to deprive them of what is rightfully theirs. Here’s why employee ownership is the way to go.

Understanding Technical Analysis: Trading 101

What is technical analysis in trading? How does technical analysis predict the price of financial assets? Which approach is superior: technical or fundamental analysis? Technical analysis looks at patterns in the price of an investment to predict how that investment’s price is likely to shift in the future. In contrast to fundamental analysis, technical analysis takes into account traders’ activity by attempting to uncover behavioral patterns. Keep reading to learn how technical analysis trading works, its pros and cons, and why it’s superior to fundamental analysis.

Behave by Robert Sapolsky: Book Overview

What is Robert Sapolsky’s Behave about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Understanding people is crucial to disciplines and careers ranging from psychology to sales. While there are countless books about how to relate to people—and sometimes how to manipulate them—few try to get to the core of human behavior in the same way that Sapolsky’s Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst does. Below is a brief overview of the key themes.

How to Start Fasting: The 4-Week Transition Period

Are you considering adopting intermittent fasting (IF) as a lifestyle? What are some things you should keep in mind when beginning your transition to the IF feeding schedule? Transitioning to intermittent fasting (IF) is a big step, especially if you’re used to following the standard three-meal feeding approach. According to Gin Stephens, the author of Fast. Feast. Repeat., the key to successfully transitioning to the IF lifestyle is to adapt your body to the IF feeding over a four-week period. Keep reading to learn how to start fasting by committing to a four-week adaptation period.