The World's Best Book Summaries
Why does reaching your goals only cause temporary happiness? Why can’t we always be happy? We often feel hollow and unfulfilled after achieving what we want. This is because happiness is temporary and if the happiness of achieving one thing lasted forever, then we’d never strive towards more goals. There are some things we can do to help us feel more fulfilled though. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of temporary happiness.
How does emotional arousal effect the decision-making process? Is it possible to recognize and overcome our heightened feelings? Emotional arousal occurs when we’re hungry, afraid, angry, or sexually excited. The decisions we make while in these heightened emotional states are often irrational and not in our best interests. Unfortunately, even if we are fully aware that we’re in an aroused state, it doesn’t mean we can control it. Keep reading to learn more about emotional arousal and decision-making.
How did Michelle Obama struggle with pregnancy? How did the Obama family affect Barack’s political reputation? Michelle Obama always dreamed of being a mother but when the time came, she struggled to get pregnant. After trying many different methods, she finally became pregnant thanks to IVF. But it wasn’t smooth sailing from there. The Obama’s new family impacted both of their careers. Continue on to learn about Michelle Obama’s pregnancy and the effects it had on her life.
What does the phrase “survival of the fittest” actually mean? How does natural selection happen? In the phrase “survival of the fittest,” the “fittest” actually refers to reproductive capabilities. Darwinian evolution says that evolution will favor the genes that allow the individual to produce the most viable offspring. Continue reading for more information about how natural selection works.
Why do we have allergies? Why haven’t humans evolved past them? Why are allergies becoming more common than ever before? The lack of parasites, the decrease in breastfeeding, and the increase in urban pollutants are all factors that lead to allergies. Why we have allergies is unclear but scientists have developed many theories as to why allergies exist. Keep reading to learn more about why we have allergies.
What is the endowment effect? Why do we have a hard time parting with out possessions? The endowment effect states that when you own something, you automatically value it more than other people do. This can lead to poor selling decisions and a tendency to overvalue your possessions. Keep reading for more about the endowment effect.
What does it mean when a character in literature takes flight? What are some examples of flight being used symbolically? More often than not, flight in literature symbolizes either freedom or spirituality. Additionally, the ability to fly can also be used ironically depending on the circumstance. Keep reading to learn about flight in literature.
Why didn’t the Obamas’ marriage start out smoothly? Why did Barack take a second, solo honeymoon just weeks after he married Michelle? Michelle Obama always dreamed about getting married, but Barack, who came from a family with loose ties, didn’t care much about marriage. The two came from very different upbringings and that caused them to clash over their ideals. Keep reading about Michelle Obama’s marriage to Barack
Why hasn’t natural selection, over millions of years, prevented us from getting cancer, heart disease, and depression? Why do our bodies deteriorate with age? How can Darwinian Medicine help us understand diseases better? In the book Why We Get Sick, Randolph Nesse and George Williams explain that “natural selection” means that evolution prioritizes reproductive fitness above all else and that evolution doesn’t bother eliminating diseases that affect us later in life. They also discuss reproductive health and aging as they relate to Darwinian Medicine. Keep reading to learn more about the evolutionary science behind why we get sick.
How do parasites work? Why do they damage their hosts? Wouldn’t it benefit the parasite to keep its host nourished and healthy? The authors of Why We Get Sick explore the science behind how parasites work. They argue that parasites are competitive and that they must fight each other for resources. They also claim that parasites and hosts have reached an equilibrium. Keep reading to learn why parasites don’t help us.