The World's Best Book Summaries
How do you tell if someone is trying to emotionally manipulate you? What are the signs of emotional manipulation you should watch out for? In his book Games People Play, psychiatrist Eric Berne explains how to identify when a mind game is being played on you. He provides three steps for spotting mind games and discusses how you can break that game. Here’s how to identify emotional manipulation, according to Berne.
What is Eric Berne’s transactional analysis theory? What was Berne’s goal in developing his theory? In his book Games People Play, Eric Berne explains his approach to understanding social interaction: Transactional Analysis. Berne’s goal wasn’t just to analyze human interactions, but to discover destructive patterns so people can realize what games they’re playing (intentional or not) and improve their relationships with others. Let’s take a look at the key tenets of Berne’s theory.
How do you understand intimacy? What’s the key to building emotional intimacy? Humans have defined intimacy differently across cultures and time, and there’s no overarching definition. In their book The Art of Happiness, Cutler and the Dalai Lama propose that an intimate relationship is one in which you’re open with the other person and experience a connection. Keep reading to learn about the two keys to building emotional intimacy: compassion and a solid foundation.
Have you taken a personality test (whether it be the color model, DISC, or Myers-Briggs)? Which personalities do you match up best with? Which personality types should you avoid? Probably the three most common personality tests are Myers-Briggs, DISC, and Thomas Erikson’s color model. While matching personalities isn’t an exact science, there are certain pairs that tend to match up well—and others that tend to end in disaster. Here, we’ll go over the personality pairings from the top three personality models.
Why do unhappy people struggle to form healthy relationships? What common belief destroys marriages? People who are always unhappy in life often struggle to form meaningful or strong relationships. The two top reasons for this are that unhappy people see others as competition, and they believe that mutual sacrifice is necessary. Learn why these two negative beliefs could be holding you back from a healthy relationship.
What is false love? What are the different categories of false love? False love is when people pursue a connection for reasons such as sexual desire or a financial partnership. Although a real love relationship can include these things, they should not be the base of a relationship. Continue below to learn about the different types of false love.
Does approval from others make you happy? Do you struggle to form healthy relationships? Do you think you may be chronically unhappy? Someone who is chronically unhappy likely wants to be happy but is in the wrong mindset. Chronically unhappy people seek validation from others, set impossible goals that can’t be met, and sabotage their own relationships with toxic behavior. Learn about the top three behaviors of chronically unhappy people so you can work to improve your mindset.
What are the four requirements of genuine love? Why is maintaining individuality important for a relationship? In his book The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm outlines the requirements for genuine love. The four requirements are nourishment, responsiveness, acceptance, and understanding. Continue below for a full explanation of each requirement.
What are the 5 types of love? How is platonic love different from romantic love? In his book The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm describes five types of genuine love. Those types are parental love, platonic love, self-love, romantic love, and spiritual love. Let’s explore the characteristics of each of the five types of love, according to Erich Fromm.
Looking for The Art of Loving quotes? What lessons does Fromm teach about false love and genuine love? The Art of Loving was originally published in 1956, but many of its lessons are just as relevant today as they were in the 20th century. Erich explores what makes love genuine, what mature love is, and the importance of self-love. Continue below for quotes from Erich Fromm with explanations.