Shortform Books

How to Access Your Subconscious Mind: Relax & Drift

Is it possible to access the contents of your subconscious mind? How does your conscious mind interfere with your ability to access the subconscious? Your subconscious mind is more accessible when you’re relaxed or asleep because your conscious mind is not interfering. When you’re awake and alert, you can’t help but think about and judge everything around you, blocking your access to the subconscious. In this article, you’ll learn how to access your subconscious mind through relaxation.

Caste in Indian Society vs. the United States

What are the similarities between the Indian and the American caste systems? What is the origin of the caste system in India? In her book Caste, Isabel Wilkerson compares the caste in Indian society to the American caste system. Both countries created laws to maintain social order, both were conquered by British colonialists, and both had their indigenous people out. Here’s how the caste system in India is similar to the American caste system.

What Does “Virtue Signaling” Mean?

What does “virtue signaling” mean? Do you think it’s immoral to publicize your virtue? The term “virtue signaling” has slowly been creeping its way into everyday vernacular and media dialogue. Virtue signaling is the act of publicly behaving in a way that makes you look as noble as possible. Here is why true virtue is done in secret.

Why Soft Sciences Are Flawed and Available Solutions

Why Soft Sciences Are Flawed and Good Solutions

What are soft sciences? What is the problem with social sciences? Soft sciences are academic disciplines that seek to interpret human and societal behavior using qualitative analysis for which strictly measurable criteria may be impossible to establish. The problem with soft sciences is that the desire to achieve the level of precision in hard science has led to excessive complexity and the overuse of statistical models that ignore real elements of human behavior such as biases and vices. Read on to learn more about the problems with soft sciences and how they can be fixed.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Creativity Is Magic

Is creativity an inborn quality? How do creatives develop novel ideas? According to Elizabeth Gilbert, creativity can come to anyone who gets in touch with what she calls “Big Magic.” This force is bigger than us and cannot be explained scientifically or proven empirically. It is an eternal cosmic entity that creatives must have faith in. In this article, we’ll explore Gilbert’s conception of creativity and two key ways Big Magic might come to you: via ideas and your genius.

Understanding the 3 Stages of a Hero’s Journey

What are the 3 stages of a hero’s journey? How does the legend of Moses illustrate the hero’s rite of passage? The 3 stages of a hero’s journey include separation, initiation, and return. The cycle involves the hero separating from the world he has always known, gaining spiritual power in seclusion, and coming back to share the power with humanity. This is well illustrated in the legend of Moses, where he secluded himself to Mount Sinai, received the tablets of law from God, and returned to share the word of God with the people of Israel. Read on to learn

History Is Biased: There Wasn’t Always War

Are history books an accurate reflection of the past? Is the human past really as bloody as history books portray it to be? According to Nassim Taleb, the author of Skin in the Game, academic accounts of human history give a warped perspective on our past. Historical accounts of the events emphasize conflict, creating an impression that human history is largely a record of warfare. However, history books tend to leave out unremarkable periods of peace, making the past seem more violent than it really was. Here is why history is biased in its representation of the human past.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect: Know Your Abilities

The 25 Cognitive Biases: The Kruger Effect

What is the Dunning-Kruger effect? How dangerous is the Dunning-Kruger bias? The Dunning-Kruger effect is the tendency of poor performers with excessive self-regard to greatly overestimate their abilities and project themselves as more capable than they really are. This cognitive bias leads people to overstep their circle of competence and get bogged down by ventures or responsibilities they are not ready for. Read on to learn more about the Dunning-Kruger effect.

The Slight Edge Quotes by Jeff Olson

Are you looking for The Slight Edge quotes by Jeff Olson? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In his book The Slight Edge, motivational speaker Jeff Olson argues that success and failure are both a result of the “slight edge.” The slight edge is the idea that success is built over time with small disciplines executed on a consistent basis. Here is a selection of The Slight Edge quotes with explanations.

Invest in Your Employees to Make More Money, Faster

Do you own a business? How do you use your earnings? How can you use that income to generate even more income? If you run a business, you may be tempted to save your income for a rainy day (or to put in your pockets). However, the authors of Who Not How say that you’ll actually make more money, and faster, if you use that money to invest in hiring more employees. Here is why you should invest in employees rather than saving your money.