Shortform Books

The Psychology of Commitment and Relationships

Does committing to one relationship make you happier—or more anxious? Why do relationships require so much time commitment? In the book The Paradox of Choice, author Barry Schwartz explores the connection between commitment and relationships. He argues that, just like in other areas of your life, you will be happier with limited choices rather than seeking the freedom to be with whomever you want, whenever you want. Here’s an overview of Schwartz’s ideas about relationships.

Why Do We Remember Certain Things But Not Others?

Why do we remember certain things but forget others? What makes an experience memorable? According to Chip and Dan Heath, the authors of The Power of Moments, there are two psychological factors that make an experience memorable: 1) the peak-end rule and 2) novelty and unexpectedness. Once you understand the psychology behind memorable moments, you can engineer small, everyday moments to stand out in your memory just as much as special moments. In this article, we’ll explore what makes a moment memorable, and how you can engineer memorable moments on demand.

Why We Have Different Levels of Sexual Sensitivity

What determines a person’s sexual responsiveness? Why are some people more sensitive to sexual stimuli than others? We all have different levels of sexual sensitivity: some people are more responsive to sexual stimuli than others. How sensitive a person is to stimuli in the environment determines their sexual needs. According to sex researcher Emily Nagoski, this boils down to the sensitivity of the Sexual Excitation System (SES) vs. the Sexual Inhibition System (SIS). Keep reading to learn about the two systems’ role in sexual sensitivity.

The Future of Democracy in the United States

What does the future hold in store for the representative government in the United States? Do you think democracy will recover or will the country inevitably slide into authoritarianism? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, there are three possible scenarios for the future of democracy in the United States: 1) recovery, 2) authoritarian takeover, and 3) worsening party polarization. In this article, we’ll explore what they believe might lie ahead for American democracy.

Ethical Wealth: Is It Good to Strive for Riches?

Is there such a thing as ethical wealth? In other words, do you think it’s moral to strive to be wealthy? Some people argue that wanting wealth and taking part in our capitalist system is immoral. According to financial educator Robert Kiyosaki, wealth is just a means to an end, the end being the freedom to do what you want with your time. While the means by which wealth is acquired can be immoral, wanting wealth in itself is not—no one can be blamed for wanting freedom. Here is why it’s good to want wealth, according to Kiyosaki.

Focused Thinking vs. Diffuse Thinking (+Examples)

How does your brain work? What’s the difference between focused thinking and diffuse thinking? A key theme of the book A Mind for Numbers is that alternating between modes of thinking (focused thinking and diffuse thinking) can help you learn new things and problem-solve effectively. To understand how to do this and why it works, you first need to understand a few things about how your brain works. Keep reading to learn about the two modes of thinking.

The Peak-End Rule: What Makes a Memory

What is the peak-end rule? How does the peak-end rule determine what you remember about an experience? The peak-end rule states that when people reflect on an experience, they tend to ignore the duration of the experience. Instead, they focus on two key parts: 1) the emotional peaks—the moments of strongest positive or negative emotion, and 2) the end of the experience. Here is why the peaks always stand out in memory, blurring the rest as background.

2 Theories of Sexuality: Four-Phase and Triphasic

What does science have to say about human sexuality? What are the most notable theories of sexuality? Sex educator Emily Nagoski identifies two models that made an impact on our conceptualization of human sexual response: the four-phase model and the triphasic model. We’ll explore both of these models below.

How Democracies Die: Review and Critical Reception

Is Levitsky and Ziblatt’s book How Democracies Die worth reading? Did the success of Trump—an inexperienced outsider with possibly authoritarian instincts—suggest that democracy in the U.S. is backsliding? In How Democracies Die, authors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt set out to analyze democracy’s long-term prospects for survival in the United States. To this end, they examine the historical processes by which democratic norms and institutions came to extinction in other countries in the 20th and 21st centuries and offer a blueprint for how to save the U.S. This How Democracies Die review covers the book’s context, background, and critical reception

The Problem With Working for Money—It’s a Trap

Why Socioeconomic Status and Depression Are Linked

Why is working for money no longer secure? What are the dangers of relying on employment to generate income? According to Robert Kiyosaki, working for money is no longer a safe bet for financial security, much less financial freedom. He says that people who generate income from the work they do (employees, self-employed, and small business owners) are at a much higher risk today than they were in the past because of the economic changes that took place over the past half-century. Here is what’s wrong with working for money, according to Kiyosaki.