Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

Environmental Colonialism: The Human Cost of Climate Activism

Are we harming people in our efforts to save the planet? What’s environmental colonialism? What’s its impact on both humans and the environment? Award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger says that climate alarmists create an atmosphere of existential dread that leads to all sorts of overreactions. Some of these measures—which basically amount to environmental colonialism—do more harm than good. Keep reading for Shellenberger’s attempt to bring some level-headedness into the midst of panic.

How to Organize Tasks: The Important vs. the Irrelevant

Do you feel like you’re always juggling tasks? Do you focus only on what’s in your hand at the moment and leave important tasks up in the air? To reach your full potential and accomplish extraordinary things, Matthew Dicks says you must learn how to make the most of your time. The first step is to stop wasting time on unnecessary tasks. Read on for Dicks’s advice on how to organize tasks in a way that allows you to accomplish greater things.

The Daily Laws: Robert Greene’s 366 Meditations (Overview)

As an adult, how do you approach learning? How well can you read people? Do you know how to lower someone’s guard? In The Daily Laws, Robert Greene contends that we are steeped in false beliefs and that they direct our lives. His book provides a lesson for each day of the year on how to be more in tune with reality and, thus, find more fulfillment. Continue reading for an overview of The Daily Laws by Robert Greene, a bestselling author and an expert on power.

Linking Industrialization and Climate Change: Cause or Cure?

Should we slow the global efforts of industrialization or accelerate them? Which is better for the planet, including humans? Climate alarmists would have us believe that industrialization is to blame for the planet’s impending doom. Michael Shellenberger urges us to look at the connection between industrialization and climate change from a curative perspective rather than a causal one. Keep reading to see why Shellenberger believes that the solution to our climate problems relies on the industrialization of developing countries.

Quick Tips for Delegating: Unloading the Necessary But Trivial

Do you have too much to do? What’s the best way to go about getting help with tasks? You’re busy doing big, important stuff. A certain category of tasks keeps getting in your way: necessary but unimportant. The lawn needs mowing, but you’re too busy making a living. This is where task delegation might be the right solution for you. Keep reading for a few tips for delegating that will help you focus on what matters most to you.

Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson (Overview)

Have you ever had a sudden burst of inspiration that led you to a new solution to a problem? Do you ever marvel at seemingly impossible modern inventions like the internet? If so, you might wonder how individuals come up with such incredible innovations and how they develop them over time. In Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson explains that good ideas and novel innovations are largely the result of social collaboration. Continue reading for an overview of this fascinating book.

How to Interact With People: Making Use of Power Dynamics

How would your personal interactions change if you understood human nature better? How might you adjust your behavior based on power dynamics? According to Robert Greene, everyone seeks power to some degree. Greene advises you to accept that the “game” of power can’t be avoided and learn how to play it to your advantage. If you refuse to accept this reality, you risk being manipulated or sidelined. Read more to learn how to interact with people in a way that minimizes this risk.

The Adjacent Possible: Steven Johnson Explains Reachable Ideas

Why did it take so long for the invention of the computer to take hold? How can different people, working independently, come up with the same innovation? Good ideas don’t materialize miraculously from nothing. Instead, they build on existing knowledge and ideas. Emergence from the adjacent possible, Steven Johnson argues, is a hallmark of the most successful ideas. Keep reading to learn what the adjacent possible is and how we can mine it for good ideas.

How to Get Things Done Faster: 3 Ways to Streamline Routines

What tasks do you do routinely? What if you could get them done more efficiently and free up time for more substantive work? In Someday Is Today, Matthew Dicks argues that achieving your dreams and overcoming mediocrity is possible, but only if you start acting now. He shares advice on how to maximize your time, efficiency, and productivity when it comes to everything you have to do, including your routine tasks. Continue reading to learn how to get things done faster in three practical ways.

How Can We Save the Planet? By Saving the Humans First

How can we save the planet? What’s wrong with most of the current solutions? Though it’s become widely accepted that climate change is real, the questions still remain of what steps we should take to fix the damage and whether they’ll be enough. In Apocalypse Never, Michael Shellenberger explains why he thinks most initiatives are misguided and provides his own proposals. Read more to learn Shellenberger’s analysis of the climate problem and to discover the fix he thinks we need.