Shortform Books

Sun Tzu’s Philosophy: The Goals and Art of War

What is Sun Tzu’s philosophy in The Art of War? What are his main themes? The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a renowned guide for how to engage in conflict and be successful in battle. Written more than two thousand years ago, Sun Tzu, a Chinese warrior and philosopher, details the nature of competition and psychology of leadership and provides strategies for how to approach both. Although his teachings are geared toward actual military conflict, the principles can be useful in all arenas of conflict or competition, even at a personal level. We’ll cover some of the primary aspects

The Ultimate Boon: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 11 (Explained)

What is stage 11 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is “the ultimate boon”? The ultimate boon is the stage of the hero’s journey in which the hero achieves limitless bounty or indestructible life. The ultimate boon is stage 11 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the ultimate boon may entail and look at two examples of the ultimate-boon stage of the hero’s journey.

Woman as Temptress: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 8 (Explained)

What is stage 8 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the significance of the “woman as temptress”? The woman as temptress is the stage of the hero’s journey in which the hero is tempted by a “bad” mother figure, a goddess who attempts to either harm the hero, spurn his advances, hamper him in his quest, or tempt him into desire. The woman as temptress is stage 8 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the woman as temptress entails and look at an example of a hero encountering the woman

Three Kingdoms Period: Lessons on War and Loyalty

What was the Three Kingdoms Period? What can its wars teach us about the value of location, alliance, and loyalty in battle? The Three Kingdoms Period was the era in which three kingdoms ruled China: the Wei, Shu, and Wu. This period began in 220 AD and ended in 280 AD with the rise of the Jin Dynasty. We’ll cover what the Three Kingdoms Period can teach us about the importance of location, alliances, and loyalty.

Cosmogonic Cycle (Hero’s Journey): How Does It Work?

What is the cosmogonic cycle? What role does it play in Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? The cosmogonic cycle is the origin story of the universe, and the means by which it will be destroyed and rebuilt. In The Hero with a Thousdand Faces, Campbell refers to the cosmogonic cycle as a macrocosm of our wake-sleep cycle. Learn the role of the cosmogonic cycle in the hero’s journey, with examples from Jain and Hindu creation stories.

Future of Human Evolution: Gene Engineering, Cyborgs, AI?

What is the future of Homo sapiens? What might future human evolution look like? Future human evolution will probably go in one of three directions: biological engineering, cyborg engineering, or inorganic life engineering. Each comes with its own advantages and potential problems. We’ll look at each in turn and discuss the possibilities of the future evolution of man and how we are evolving.

Refusal of the Return: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 12 (Explained)

What is stage 12 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the significance of the “refusal to return”? The refusal to return is the stage of the hero’s journey in which the hero refuses their duty to return home and bestow their newfound wisdom upon the rest of humanity. The refusal of the return is stage 12 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the refusal to return entails and look at an example of the refusal-to-return stage of the hero’s journey.

Interesting Maori Myths and Legends, and the Hero’s Journey

What are some of the most popular Maori myths and legends? How do these Maori legends fit into the template of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? We’ll cover some Maori myths and legends and discuss how they align with stages of the hero’s journey, as laid out by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Why Capitalism Is Failing You and Making Society Vulnerable

Some say capitalism is failing. Is it? How can we tell? Is there anything we can do about it? Capitalists have reason to champion the system. It’s spurred economic, scientific, and imperial growth the way few other imagined realities have. But what happens in situations when it fails to work? We’ll cover two critiques of capitalism that say that capitalism has failed.

Why Is Childbirth So Painful? (Actually, It Could Be Worse)

Why is childbirth so painful? What happened in the evolution of humans to make it as arduous as it is? Childbirth is painful because of our relatively narrow hips and the relatively large brains of infants. Although we’re not sure why humans evolved such large brains, we do know that narrow hips had some evolutionary advantages. We’ll cover how humans evolved the bodies they did and why childbirth is so painful.