The World's Best Book Summaries
What is genre painting? How does it depict the social classes? According to art critic John Berger, genre painting in the European oil painting tradition served a purpose beyond simple aestheticism. He believes that it sent certain messages about socio-economic status—messages that elevated one class and belittled another. Read more to learn about genre painting.
Why should you learn how to hold someone accountable? What is an accountability conversation? According to the book Crucial Accountability, learning how to hold someone accountable strengthens relationships and organizations. These can be intimidating conversations to have, but in the end, they’re worth it. Read more on how to hold someone accountable.
Do you avoid making risky decisions in life? Are you afraid of living with regret? As it turns out, people often assume that they’ll regret making risky decisions when, in reality, they have more regret when they don’t make those decisions. What you think is the “safe option” is probably the choice that’s going to make you the least happy. Here’s why you should take risks in your life if you want to be happy.
What is the function of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)? What happens when the vmPFC brain region is damaged? The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is an area of the brain which has been extensively studied with regard to value computation. Observing patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage has yielded some intriguing insights into the way the brain makes decisions. Learn about vmPFC’s role in decision-making, and what happens when it’s damaged.
What are the major disadvantages of a free-market economy? In what way is the price system unjust? In his book What Money Can’t Buy, philosopher Michael J. Sandel argues that market values have become society’s dominant moral framework, the lens through which we determine what is important or unimportant as well as right and wrong. He argues that the free market is unjust and restrictive because they create injustices and eliminate choice. Keep reading to learn about the disadvantages of the free-market economy, according to Sandel.
Do you want to make a company vision statement? How do you envision the ideal future of your company? When putting together a vision statement for your company, you need to consider not only what purpose your company serves, but also what winning would look like for your business. You need to think about more than what your company does, but why you do it. Here’s how to chart the future of your company.
Is trusting your gut ever a good idea? Under what circumstances does trusting your instincts make sense? There is indeed some truth to the “trust your gut” adage: intuitive, snap decisions are advantageous in some circumstances. But they can also lead to disaster in others. Here’s why following your instincts is a double-edged sword.
What is John Berger’s Ways of Seeing about? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? Ways of Seeing is a collection of seven essays published in 1972. Art critic John Berger argues that the way we see art has been manipulated by a privileged few to maintain their dominance, socially and economically. He believes this has happened throughout history and asserts that it’s time for things to change. Here’s a selection of John Berger’s Ways of Seeing quotes with explanations.
Do you want to have an effective conversation? What issues often arise when you’re looking to have an effective conversation? When having an accountability conversation with someone, new issues can emerge mid-conversation. To have an effective conversation, it’s important to know when to pivot the conversation to address the emerging issues. The most common issues you will encounter are the person making excuses and getting overly emotional. Keep reading to find out how to address these issues to have an effective conversation.
Do you feel stressed out when you have too many options to choose from? Why does limited freedom actually make you happier? People tend to think that the more choices they have, the happier they’ll be. However, an abundance of choices will actually make you unhappy because you’ll always doubt the decision you’ve made. Here’s why having too many options creates a paradox.