The World's Best Book Summaries
What problems are developing countries facing? What are the causes of these problems? Hunger, population control, and famine are among the most concerning issues in less developed countries. Amartya Sen in Development as Freedom says that the underlying causes might not be what you think they are. Let’s look at these particular problems in developing countries and why Sen believes they became problems in the first place.
What does “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mean? Why is Stephanie Land so critical of it? Stephanie Land, the author of the memoir Maid, criticizes the “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality in America. The saying insinuates that people in poverty are lazy and make bad choices. Read more about why this mentality is outdated and offensive to people living in poverty.
What are identity cues? How does the Stanford Prison Experiment show how identity cues can change your morals? Psychologist Philip Zimbardo says it’s normal to adapt our identity to our environment. However, he says that certain identity cues can influence us to do things that aren’t rational or morally good. Read more about identity cues, as explained in The Lucifer Effect.
What’s the difference between noise vs. bias? Which one is a worse issue when it comes to making decisions? Noise and bias are the two main errors that occur when humans make a judgment. They are often confused, but the authors of the book Noise make a clear distinction between the two ideas. Here’s how to understand the difference between noise and bias.
How many people can the Earth accommodate? Is our planet in danger of overpopulation? According to biologist David Sinclair, there’s no evidence that there is a limit to how much population the Earth can support. In his book Lifespan, he discusses the implications of increased longevity for the planet, coming to the conclusion that planet overpopulation is not something we should be worried about. Here’s why human overpopulation concerns are overblown, according to David Sinclair.
What happens to the economy when women have fewer rights than men? What’s the best way to fix the gender bias against women? Amartya Sen in Development as Freedom states that misogyny is preventing developing countries from flourishing. Depriving women of basic rights has proven to increase crime rates and reduce female life expectancy, which means that fewer people can contribute to the economy. Learn more about the economic impact of gender inequality and how to put a stop to it.
Why do women need to have a well-rounded education? How does a woman’s education affect child mortality and fertility rates? Giving women the right to education has many benefits. They can get a better job and make more money, thus increasing their income. They’ll also be more aware of family planning techniques, which allows them to take better care of children or not have children at all. Check out Amartya Sen’s view on the importance of female education, explained in his book Development as Freedom.
What is social pressure? What are the two types of social pressure? Social pressure is the influence exerted on an individual or group by another individual or group. In The Lucifer Effect, psychologist Philip Zimbardo defines the two types of social pressure that influence someone to be evil: group pressure and authoritative pressure. Keep reading to learn about the two types of social pressures.
What are the economic reasons behind empowering women? What benefits do women gain through basic human rights and education? In Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen claims that a bias against women is holding developing countries back from growing socially and economically. By giving women the freedom to pursue an education and have a job, they have the power to change communities or nations. Let’s look at the importance of women’s economic empowerment in any part of the world.
What are Americans like as a nation? How does the USA culture impact self-esteem? Americans have a complicated relationship with self-esteem. Specifically, USA culture includes values that support self-esteem and others that are harmful to self-esteem. According to psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden, the latter predominates today. Here’s how the American culture erodes the self-esteem of the nation.