Shortform Books

Ibram X. Kendi Quotes (Stamped From the Beginning)

Are you looking for Stamped From the Beginning quotes by Ibram X. Kendi? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In Stamped From the Beginning, Ibram X. Kendi argues that racist ideas don’t give rise to racist policies. Policies come first, and racist ideas are invented and perpetuated to justify them. Kendi, an African American Studies scholar, develops this claim by analyzing the history of racist ideas in the United States and offering readers a better understanding of how to combat contemporary racism. Below is a selection of Ibram X. Kendi’s quotes with explanations.

How Rewriting Your Story Can Make You Happier

How can rewriting your story benefit you? What is deep self-examination? How can you begin? Older eras have sought happiness through lives of virtue and intellectual pursuits, while the modern age places value on achievement, fame, and fortune. In Happy, Derren Brown suggests that by rewriting your story based on a philosophy of your own, you can lead a more thoughtful and generally happier life. Read on to learn Brown’s advice for rewriting your story through philosophical, deep self-examination.

How to Become Your Ideal Self in 2 Ways

What is the key to becoming your ideal self? How do you know what you want out of life? In The Mountain Is You, Brianna Wiest explains that becoming your ideal self will help you stop self-sabotaging behaviors. In her book, she provides two major steps to achieve this. Let’s look at these two steps so you can learn how to become your ideal self.

What to Consider When You Meet New Friends Online

Do you want to make friends? Can you meet new friends online? In Jack Schafer and Marvin Karlins’s book The Like Switch, they highlight the advantages and disadvantages of meeting new friends online. On one hand, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people, but you could also be easily catfished. Let’s look at what you need to keep in mind when you form relationships online.

Why Do Projects Fail? Examples & How to Avoid Failure

Why do projects fail in business management? What is the most common reason? How can you avoid failure? In The Mythical Man-Month, Frederick P. Brooks offers a guide to completing complicated projects on schedule. The book covers strategies for streamlining your process so that you can keep your staff working together smoothly and finish your most daunting projects on time. Read on for some of Brooks’s examples of why projects fail and his solutions for avoiding failure.

Autonomy in the Workplace: Trust Unleashes Potential

How much control from above do workers need? Which is more effective for performance—regulations or trust? Frédéric Laloux surveyed successful companies that embody the mindset he believes will epitomize the next stage of human evolution. He identified a common thread of practices and philosophies. These include new assumptions about how people work—and how they’re motivated to work. Read more to learn Laloux’s findings on autonomy in the workplace.

What Is Allostasis? The Brain’s Most Important Function

What is allostasis? How does allostasis impact your sensory experience? Allostasis is the process where your body responds to stressors. In Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain, Lisa Feldmann Barrett argues that the brain’s most important job isn’t thinking, it’s allostasis. Below we’ll look at how allostasis impacts the sensory system in the brain.

The 4 Steps to Creating a Productive Business

What makes a productive business? How do you create a hard-working team? According to Patrick Lencioni in his book The Advantage, a productive business is one where the goals of the company are clear and communicated to everyone on the team. In addition, everyone within the company is dedicated to achieving these goals. To learn how to create a productive business that’s efficient, continue reading.

The Myth of Postracialism: How It Evolved & Why It’s Wrong

Was the Civil Rights Act a victory over racism? How did postracialism undermine antiracist positions? As the post-Civil Rights era settled in, the myth of postracialism overtook American consciousness. According to Ibram X. Kendi, the author of Stamped From the Beginning, the idea of postracialism is an inherently racist concept because it obscures racist policies and their effects. Here’s how the idea of postracialism evolved—and why it’s wrong.

Non-Hierarchical Organizations: 3 Different Approaches

Are middle managers necessary? What are some ways to get around a top-down structure? In Reinventing Organizations, Frédéric Laloux describes “teal organizations.” The most radical departure of these visionary organizations from modern structures is the elimination of the top-down pyramid. They aren’t “flat” but fluid, with complex interrelationships determining how power and resources are shared. Read more to learn about three different structural approaches that non-hierarchical organizations use based on their size and the nature of their work.