Shortform Books

A Closer Look at the Carbon Footprint of Transportation

What percentage of carbon emissions come from transportation? Is it possible to eliminate CO2 emissions in the transportation industry? Statistics show that one of the most significant contributors to carbon emissions is transportation/shipping. According to Vaclav Smil, the author of Numbers Don’t Lie, it would take a radical change to go carbon-neutral in these industries. Let’s look at the numbers behind the carbon footprint of the transportation and shipping industries.

The Mountain Is You: Book Quotes to Transform Yourself

What are some The Mountain Is You book quotes? How can these quotes help you transform yourself? When you self-sabotage, you create a barrier between who you are and who you want to be. In The Mountain Is You, Wiest explains that you can overcome this barrier by identifying, understanding, and eliminating the self-sabotaging behaviors that hold you back. Find out how to break down this barrier with quotes from The Mountain Is You.

Shortform Reads: How Speculative Fiction Opens Your Eyes

What author’s predictions for humanity are shockingly accurate? What’s wrong with John Green’s romance novels? Why should everyone read the controversial book, Lolita? Blair could tell you. She’s a book guide writer at Shortform, and we interviewed her recently to learn what she reads and what she loves (or doesn’t love) about these books.

Ibram X. Kendi: Racism in the Age of Enlightenment

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How did the Enlightenment movement challenge racism? What were the major antiracist developments of the Enlightenment period? According to Ibram X. Kendi, the author of Stamped from the Beginning, the Enlightenment period contains the first examples of antislavery sentiment and attempts to challenge racism. Enlightenment thinkers promoted political ideals of democracy and universal equality, which opposed the institution of racism. Keep reading to learn about racism in the age of Enlightenment.

The Best Books About Trauma: Reclaim Your Life

Do you want to learn about psychological trauma? How do traumatic experiences change us as people? Dealing with psychological trauma is a uniquely personal experience, which can make you feel alone and helpless. But the paths towards healing have been trodden by others who’ve experienced similar misfortunes. Reading books about trauma can help you see how others have navigated similar experiences so you can see them in a new light. In this article, we’ve compiled a roundup of the best books about trauma from our library.

Self-Sabotage: Definition and Why We Do It

What is the definition of self-sabotage? How can you overcome this toxic behavior? To sabotage yourself means destroying yourself physically, emotionally, or mentally, and preventing yourself from achieving success. In The Mountain Is You, Brianna Wiest goes into more detail about the definition of self-sabotage and why we do it. Read more for the detailed self-sabotage definition.

3 Elements of Organizational Culture That Set Companies Apart

Do organizations have callings just as individuals do? Does your company allow you to be yourself? In Reinventing Organizations, Frédéric Laloux discusses three common elements of organizational culture within visionary companies: purpose, authenticity, and trust. Only this kind of organizational culture can foster the practices that set these exceptional companies apart from the rest. Keep reading to learn about three elements of organizational culture that are present in visionary companies.

What Were Jim Crow Laws and How Were They Applied?

What were Jim Crow laws and how were they applied? When did Jim Crow segregation start and end? Between 1890 and 1910, Southern states passed laws called Jim Crow laws that allowed segregation and severely limited Black civil liberties. These laws stayed in effect until 1965. Keep reading to learn about Jim Crow laws and their lingering effects to this day.

How to Stop Sabotaging Yourself: Follow These 2 Steps

Do you want to know how to stop sabotaging yourself? What skills do you need to overcome self-sabotage? In The Mountain Is You, Brianna Wiest provides two steps that will help overcome self-sabotage. These two steps include identifying your self-sabotaging behaviors and learning how to defeat them. Take a look at these two steps to achieve happiness and stability in life.

The Hedonic Treadmill: An Endless Pursuit of Happiness

What is the “hedonic treadmill”? Why are so many of us stuck in this emotional cycle? How can you get out of it? Much of life is a tug-of-war between various aspects of existence—we’re caught in the struggle between what we desire and life’s obstacles. Author Derren Brown argues that this struggle in modern society has trapped many of us in a destructive emotional cycle called the hedonic treadmill. Read on to learn how Brown explains the dangers of the hedonic treadmill and how to end the cycle.