Shortform Books

Gender Inequality in Healthcare: What Is the Cause?

How does the gender data gap affect medicine? Why is there gender inequality in healthcare? In Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez contends that many people have a male-as-default mindset. This mindset creates a gender data gap in the drug creation process—meaning we don’t know how medicines affect women because we don’t test them on women. Keep reading to learn how the gender data gap affects women’s healthcare, especially with drugs and vaccines.

The Dating Timeline: The 3 Phases of Relationships

What does a typical dating timeline look like? How do you feel about your partner during these different phases? In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt give a basic timeline of dating that is similar to a novel’s structure. These stages include the honeymoon phase, an unwelcome transition, and the beginning of the conflict. Keep reading for an in-depth look at Hendrix and Hunt’s three-phase dating timeline.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing: Overview and Takeaways

What is Endurance by Alfred Lansing about? What should you take away from the book? Endurance tells the story of British explorer Ernest Shackleton and his 27 men who in 1914 set out to cross Antarctica on foot. But their ship became trapped between massive ice floes, forcing them to begin an 11-month journey through ice and open ocean. Keep reading for a brief overview of Alfred Lansing’s Endurance.

Find Your Why: Examples From the Book (Simon Sinek)

What are the best examples from Find Your Why? How does Simon Sinek explain discovering your purpose? In this article, we’ll break down Sinek’s book Find Your Why by taking a closer look at the book’s best examples for understanding and living your purpose. These Find Your Why examples explain the practical process Sinek advocates for finding your purpose. Read on for an overview of the best Find Your Why examples Simon Sinek gives for discovering and living your purpose.

What Is Love, According to Plato’s Symposium?

What is love, according to Plato’s Symposium? How does each of the Symposium speakers define love? Plato’s Symposium is a fourth-hand account of a philosophical dialogue that takes place between characters from fourth century BCE Athens at a party. Each character gives a speech, attempting to answer the question “What is love?” Let’s examine the main arguments of each speech regarding the nature of love.

What Is a Good Woman? An Uncommon Answer

What is a good woman in today’s society? Should women follow society’s expectations? Untamed author Glennon Doyle deconstructed her beliefs and practices about marriage, motherhood, and family in her pursuit to answer the question: what is a good woman? Doyle’s answer suggests you should be constantly evolving into a more authentic and fully-formed version of yourself. Read on to find out what a good woman is, according to Glennon Doyle’s method of deconstructing old beliefs.

What Is Social Learning? The Reason Humans Survived

What is social learning? How does the ability to learn through imitation help Homo sapiens endure? Social learning is learning through imitation. According to Rutger Bregman, the author of Humankind, humans’ capacity for social learning was instrumental in the survival of our species. He argues that social learning is the key factor that made Homo sapiens survive and Neanderthals (who were bigger and stronger) die out. Keep reading to learn about the role of social learning in human survival.

Seeking Validation From Others: Why It’s a Problem

Do you tend to get upset when people don’t acknowledge or validate you? Do you often try to make other people happy at the expense of your own happiness? When your sense of self-worth depends solely on the positive feedback you receive from others, you become dependent on external validation. Inevitably, you often fail to receive the feedback you want. And, each time you fail, you assume that it’s because you’re inadequate in some way—if other people don’t feel you deserve their positive feedback, then you won’t believe you deserve it. Here’s how seeking validation from others impacts your self-esteem.

What Is Anti-Science? Carl Sagan Debunks 4 Criticisms

What is anti-science? Is it different from scientific skepticism? What are some of the most common criticisms of science? Science isn’t perfect. It should be challenged, questioned, and even criticized. Some of these criticisms, though, don’t hold water and amount to what could be called anti-science. This is the view of Carl Sagan, who discusses anti-science and addresses four of the most common criticisms that scientists face: science is evil, science is too narrow, science changes too fast, and we might be better off not knowing. Let’s take a look at how Sagan explains anti-science and unpacks these four criticisms.

Effective Listening: A Vital Skill for Life

Are you a good listener? Why is listening more important than talking? People want to be heard. We want to feel like someone cares about what we have to say. Therefore, effective listening is a skill that’s vital for both business and life. Not only does it help us understand the other person better, but it helps them understand us better as well. Here’s how to listen well, according to communication expert Jay Sullivan.