Shortform Books

What Is Lateral Thinking? An Underrated Skill

What is lateral thinking? Can you really come up with great ideas based on old knowledge or technology? In his book Range, David Epstein discusses the importance of lateral thinking in innovation. He says that contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to think outside the box and come up with brand new ideas to be innovative—sometimes it just takes looking at an existing product and improving upon it. Keep reading for examples of lateral thinking from David Epstein.

Charlie Munger: How to Practice Contrarian Thinking

How to Practice Contrarian Thinking (Charlie Munger)

What is contrarian thinking? How do you practice divergent thinking? Contrarian thinking involves challenging the prevailing consensus on any particular issue to arrive at an independent point of view. Thinking for yourself can help generate new ideas that are more correct than the public consensus. You practice divergent thinking by inverting the prevailing view on an issue to see it from a different perspective. Read on to discover how to practice contrarian thinking.

How to Join a Group Conversation Without Intrusion

How do you join in a group conversation without being rude? Is there a polite way to interrupt an ongoing conversation? Whether you’re at a work party, a family get-together, or a business meeting, it’s important to connect with others. But that’s not always easy when they already know each other or are already engaged in a conversation. So, here are some tips on how to insert yourself into a group conversation.

The 3 Common Characteristics of a Good Business

What are the major characteristics of a good business? Why is Toyota an excellent example of a good business? A decisive competitive advantage, well-designed incentive systems for employees, and a reputable brand backed by product quality are all key characteristics of a good business. Toyota is an excellent example of a good business because its efficient manufacturing processes give it a competitive advantage in the market, its well-designed incentive systems reward employees that contribute to improvements in the company’s processes, and it has established and preserved a brand reputation for reliability and quality. Read on to understand more about the

Wealth Building and the Power of Compounding

How do you use the power of compounding to build wealth? Can a compounding investment strategy help with taxes? A passive investment approach utilizes the power of compounding to build wealth. You will earn interest on the money you originally invested plus on the interest you have accumulated. As the pool of money grows, your rate of returns will also grow exponentially. This strategy will also help with taxes because you only have to pay taxes once on the accumulated pool of money as opposed to paying each year and diluting the impact of your capital gains. Read on to

The History of the Caste System in America

How did the caste system in America come to be? What influence did slavery have on the forming of the American caste system? The American caste system started back in the 1600s when Blacks were taken as slaves due to their non-Christianity. What started as a religious hierarchy quickly turned into a racial caste system. Keep reading to learn all about the development of the American caste system.

Self-Image: The Psychology of Self-Perception

What exactly is self-image? Do you think your self-image accurately reflects who you are and what you are capable of? Your self-image is the mental image you hold about yourself. According to Maxwell Maltz, the author of Psycho-Cybernetics, your self-image is not an accurate reflection of who you are. It’s simply a construct of thoughts you chose to think about past experiences. In this article, we’ll look at the psychology of self-image: what influences it, and how it affects your ability to succeed and experience happiness.

Deductive vs. Inductive Thinking: What’s the Difference?

What is the difference between deductive vs. inductive thinking? Which cultures tend to adopt either style of thinking? Deductive thinking moves from broad, overarching principles to specific observations. In contrast, inductive thinking moves from specific data points to overarching hypotheses or theories. According to cultural communication expert Erin Meyer, Latin Americans tend to be deductive thinkers, whereas North Americans and people from Anglo-Saxon countries tend towards inductive thinking. In this article, we’ll consider the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning in a cultural context.

The Key Characteristics of Hierarchical Cultures

What is a hierarchical culture? How do hierarchical cultures approach leadership? In a hierarchical culture, the power distance is high. In other words, your rank matters. In some hierarchical cultures (notably, Asian), respect is a two-way street. It is not just the subordinate’s duty to obey. Rather, the boss is responsible for the success and well-being of his employees. He is often viewed as a paternalistic figure. Keep reading to learn about the key characteristics of hierarchical cultures and how they develop.

Inauthentic Behavior: Why Are People so Fake?

6 Ways to Recognize Fake Empathy in the Workplace

Do you consider yourself an authentic person? How does modern culture encourage inauthentic behavior? Your environment (social circle and media) is constantly trying to shape you into something that you should be. The underlying message is that you should be, do, or have more to be “good enough.” If you’re sensitive to these opinions and focus more on satisfying the expectations of others than you do on figuring out what you need to feel inner fulfillment—this external focus inhibits you from acting authentically. In this article, we’ll take a look at the two ways modern culture encourages inauthentic behavior: 1)