The World's Best Book Summaries
Is cancer a random event? What is the problem with the idea that cancer is a random occurrence? According to Dr. Jason Fung, cancer can’t possibly be the result of a random mutation. If cancers could be assigned to random specific mutations, treatments targeting those mutations would be effective, but that’s rarely the case. Here’s why cancer is not a random event, according to Dr. Fung.
What is the World Happiness Report? How accurately do the WHR rankings reflect national standards of living? The World Happiness Report aims to rank national happiness based on respondents’ answers about their quality of life. According to Vaclav Smil, the author of Numbers Don’t Life, we shouldn’t take the survey’s results at face value. Here’s why the World Happiness Report isn’t fully accurate.
What is “systems thinking”? In what way is systems thinking superior to the conventional cause-and-effect pattern of thinking? Systems thinking is a non-linear pattern of thinking that relies on feedback loops. Systems thinking enables you to see the big picture of any situation or event and predict how it will unfold in the future with better accuracy. Here’s why you should think in loops instead of lines.
Does success make you arrogant? How do you prevent success from eroding your personal integrity? Achieving a significant level of success makes many people stuck up or full of themselves. In his book Unlimited Power, Tony Robbins explains how to not fall into this trap: Use your success and power to help others. Keep reading for Tony Robbins’s advice on how to avoid this trap.
What is the tend-and-befriend response? What is the evolutionary benefit of the tend-and-befriend response to danger? The tend-and-befriend response is an instinctual stress response triggered by a perception of threat to one’s loved ones. Evolutionary psychology suggests that the tend-and-friend response is a typical female response, mediated by the release of hormones that promote vigilance and attachment. Here’s how the tend-and-friend response works on the hormonal level.
What do you think is the most important factor for a successful long-term relationship? How do you ensure that your partnership stays strong through the rough patches? If you believe a long-term relationship’s success hinges on whom you date rather than how, you are in for disillusionment. Even the most compatible couples go through rough patches. Successful long-term dating is all about how you navigate them. With this in mind, here are two tips for making a relationship work in the long term.
What is the Atavistic Theory of cancer? How does the Atavistic Theory explain cancer prevalence? According to the Atavistic Theory, cancer results from the re-emergence of traits from the earliest single-celled organisms, caused by evolutionary pressure from carcinogens. Atavism explains why cancer can be found in nearly every animal species on Earth: It’s because the traits of cancer come from our oldest common ancestors. Keep reading to learn about the Atavistic Theory of cancer.
What exactly is “systems thinking” in Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline? How does systems thinking relate to the other four disciplines? Systems thinking is the fifth discipline in Peter Senge’s framework for creating a learning organization. Systems thinking ties the other four disciplines together to create a cohesive management system where all the different parts work well together to produce the best possible results. Here’s how you can implement the systems thinking discipline at your organization.
What is a “relationship agreement”? What are some things you should agree on with your partner before deciding to be in a relationship? A relationship agreement is a contract that lays out the rules and expectations that partners have with regard to their relationship. It may seem oddly formal to sign a contract that binds your romantic relationship. But if you don’t set an agreement, it will exist anyway—in an implicit, presumptuous form. Here’s why you should write a relationship agreement, according to dating coach Logan Ury.
What is the fight-or-flight response? How can the fight-or-flight response work against you? The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction to a perception of threat. It mobilizes your physiological resources to prepare you to face danger. However, this response has negative effects, too: when you perceive danger where there isn’t any, you experience unwarranted fear and anxiety. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of the fight-or-flight response and how it aids survival.