The World's Best Book Summaries
What are the two kinds of violence in literature? What does it mean when an author includes violence in a story? In literature, acts of violence are almost always a symbol of some greater kind of suffering. There are two common forms of violence: when a character harms himself or others, and when narrative harm happens to a character. Continue reading to learn about the two kinds of literary violence.
What makes it so hard to resolve matters concerning immigration? What immigration debates are currently on the global agenda? Immigration is difficult to resolve because it is nuanced—both sides have legitimate arguments. Difficult as it may be, each nation’s ability to reach an agreement on the pertinent immigration debates will be a major indicator of its potential to come together to address the looming challenges of the 21st century. Read about the key immigration debates of the 21st century.
What is post-truth? And when exactly did we transition to the post-truth era? The phenomenon of post-truth has a long history, but there isn’t really an accepted definition of the term. So, what exactly is post-truth? Essentially, it refers to a political phenomenon where political issues are framed in such a way so as to appeal to people’s emotions. According to Yuval Harari, people have always lived in the era of post-truth. Keep reading for the answer to the question “what is post-truth?”
What does it mean to be a Stoic? What makes a Stoic different from an average person? Stoicism is an ancient Greek personal ethics philosophy that teaches the development of emotional self-control and mental toughness as a means of overcoming life’s trials and tribulations. But what does it mean to be a Stoic person? What personal qualities do Stoics embody? Keep reading for the answer to the question: what does it mean to be a Stoic.
What is secularism? What do people in a secular society think of morality? Secularism is the principle of separation of civic and political affairs from religious institutions. In a secular society, human affairs are conducted based on naturalistic considerations, but that doesn’t mean that there is no morality. In secularism, morality is considered to be a common human trait, regardless of faith or religious background. Keep reading to learn about morality in a secular society.
What is a bodhisattva in Buddhism? How can you work to rid yourself of feelings of otherness? Why is it so important to expand your group? In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is someone who could enter Nirvana, but chooses to stay on Earth and help others reach it instead. While it would be difficult for most of us to start making sacrifices for others, we can still work to be more compassionate and to eliminate the lines between “us” and “them.” Continue on to learn more about bodhisattvas and selflessness.
What is the connection between religion and morality? Is the belief in God necessary for morality and social order? Holy books such as the Bible and Quran try to draw the connection between morality and religion by conflating the cosmic God and the lawgiver God. But humans don’t need divine law or the threat of hell in order to act morally. Morality is baked into the DNA of humans and all social animals. Keep reading for more about morality and religion.
How does technology affect inequality? What can future technology give to the wealthy and take away from the poor? With the rise of technology, the inequality gap is becoming wider. There’s even speculation that advances in tech will eventually create a useless class, just like mass industrialization created the working class. Making matters worse, developments in biotech could enable wealthy elites to become biologically superior and turn into a separate species. Keep reading to learn how advances in technology contribute to inequality going forward.
What are the biggest problems of the 21st century? Why can’t these problems be solved with nationalist politics? According to Yuval Noah Harari, an Israeli public intellectual and author of 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, the biggest problems of the 21st century are all global in nature, and therefore, they require an international response. They are three of them: 1) the nuclear threat, 2) the climate change, and 3) the dual rise of bio- and info-tech. Keep reading to learn about the three major 21st-century problems, according to Yuval Noah Harari.
What is culturism? How does it relate to racism? Culturism is a form of discrimination on the grounds of cultural norms. Since science has debunked all the myths about the biological superiority of one race over another, culturism has become more common than racism. Keep reading to learn about the shift from racism to culturism.