The World's Best Book Summaries
What is the availability bias? How do you curb the availability heuristic bias? The availability bias is the tendency to over-inflate the value of information that is recently available and ignore other important data that would have helped in making a better decision. You can curb this tendency by always using a methodical decision-making process. Read on to learn more about the availability bias.
What is physical immortality? How does the quest for immortality end for the hero? Physical immortality is everlasting life, a state that allows a person to cheat death and maintain conscious thought. For a hero, the quest for immortality always ends in failure because it goes against the purpose of the hero’s existence, which is the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. This is why mythical heroes like King Midas faced misfortune when he chose worldly possessions over spiritual insight. Read on to discover more about the foolishness in any hero’s quest for physical immortality.
Do you believe everyone has a creative genius inside? Or do you think creativity is the prerogative of the lucky few? In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert advises that you view your creative genius as an entity that exists outside of you which occasionally graces you with visits. This perspective, she says, helps you to hang on to your creative freedom over the long term by reducing personal responsibility for brilliance. In this article, we’ll explore Gilbert’s concept of creative genius.
What is the optimism bias? How do you curb unrealistic optimism? The optimism bias is the tendency to believe that you are less likely to have a negative experience and be overconfident in your chances of experiencing positive events. It is this cognitive bias that fuels gambling. You can control the tendency by habitually using probability maths in your decision-making process. Read on to learn more about the optimism bias.
What is the preferred communication method of each of the four tendencies? How do you determine which of the four tendencies a person belongs to? In her book The Four Tendencies, Rubin provides some tips on how to effectively communicate with each of the four tendencies (upholder, obliger, questioner, and rebel). She gives advice on things to say that will satisfy all four tendencies and shares questions you can ask someone to determine what tendency they belong to. Keep reading to learn about Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies framework and how to communicate with each tendency.
What is the difference between the conscious and the subconscious mind? How much of the brain activity takes place in your subconscious? How do the conscious and the subconscious minds interact? Your mind is made up of two parts: the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. Over 90% of your brain’s activity takes place in your subconscious mind—it’s a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, and memories that lies beneath your conscious awareness. Your conscious mind contains all of the thoughts and feelings that you’re aware of at any given moment. In this article, we’ll explore each part individually and how they
What is apotheosis in the hero’s journey? How do cultures typically depict this stage of enlightenment? The apotheosis stage of the hero’s journey is when the hero conquers his fears and the bounds of consciousness to reach a divine state. Ancient cultures often depict this figure of ultimate enlightenment in both male and female forms. For example, ancient Chinese lore embodies both masculine Yang and feminine Yin. Read on to learn more about the Apotheosis stage of the hero’s journey.
How does Elizabeth Gilbert define “Big Magic”? Is creativity a prerogative of the lucky few or can anyone learn to be creative? In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert argues that creativity is not just a domain of a few brilliant professional artists, but rather an enriching way of life anyone can adopt at any time. If you embrace, creativity, she says, you’ll experience “Big Magic”: a mystical or spiritual force of creativity that brings joy and purpose. In this article, we’ll explore four keys to a good relationship with your creativity and “Big Magic” or Creative Sorcery.
Why has there been an increase in the number of suicides and drug-related deaths amongst middle-aged, white Americans? Could the castes in America be part of the reason? When the caste system that mistreats people of color in America was established hundreds of years ago, we couldn’t have predicted the repercussions it would have on the future of white Americans. In her book Caste, Isabel Wilkerson explores how the modern focus on diversity and equality is pushing white Southerners to the edge. Continue reading to learn about the unintended consequences of the castes in America.
What is the Lake Wobegon effect? How do you check this tendency? The Lake Wobegon effect is the tendency to like yourself so much that you overestimate your capabilities and become excessively self-confident. You can check this tendency by focusing on being more objective when thinking about yourself, your decisions, and anything you are attached to. Read on to learn more about the Lake Wobegon effect.