The World's Best Book Summaries
What is Richard Dawkins’ definition of memes? How does culture rely on successful memes? Nowadays, memes are humorous ideas or images spread via the internet. But Richard Dawkins originally defined memes as ideas people shared, which created and changed cultures. Learn more about the connection between Dawkins’ memes and culture from David Deutsch’s book The Beginning of Infinity.
Why do people say that recycling is a lie? How does recycling harm the environment? What is the “plastic recycling lie”? Unfortunately, the answers to our changing environment aren’t as easy as increasing recycling programs or swapping out fossil fuels for renewables. Experts caution that each of these solutions brings with it its own set of problems, which, if not properly anticipated, threaten to continue—not halt—environmental destruction. Keep reading to learn more about why recycling is a lie, according to experts.
How do we define social proofs? What are social proof examples in the real world? How dangerous are negative social proofs? In Influence, Robert Cialdini describes “The Social Proof Principle,” which states that when people are unsure of how to behave, they base their behavior on the behaviors of others in the group. Social proofs can be defined as a way to cope with insecurity and pursue social acceptance. Read on for a social proof example in the real world, taken from Glennon Doyle’s book Untamed.
What are the qualities of a good mom? How much does society decide what makes a good mother? Untamed author Glennon Doyle realized that she had been participating in cultural practices and belief systems that did not reflect what she believed true about herself and the world. When asked what makes a good mother, Doyle argues that understanding and being true to your values matters most. Read on to learn a new perspective on what makes a good mother according to Doyle’s realization that women are held “captive” by social conditioning.
What is rational behavior in economics? How accurate is this assumption that humans are inherently rational agents seeking to maximize their economic utility at the expense of everything else? In economics, human beings are seen as largely rational agents. The rational economic man cares only about increasing his material wealth and will always follow incentives to do so. According to Kate Raworth, this portrait of humankind is grossly inaccurate. In her book Doughnut Economics, she calls into question the power of extrinsic incentives in driving human behavior. Here’s why the assumption of rational behavior is ultimately flawed.
What is the doughnut model in economics? How has economic growth pushed us outside the doughnut? According to Kate Raworth, the author of Doughnut Economics, the goal of economic policy should be to stay within the inner ring of the metaphorical doughnut. This entails designing an economy that is productive enough to ensure that everyone on the planet has their basic material needs met, but that does not grow so fast as to deplete our natural resources and degrade the environment. Here’s what we can do to stay within the doughnut, according to Raworth.
What is Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee’s book Poor Economics about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In their book Poor Economics, MIT professors Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee analyze poverty by asking small, pointed questions about specific aspects of the lives of the poor. Their goal is to develop a detailed picture of how the poor live and how policy interventions affect their lives so that policymakers can better design interventions that help them. Below is a brief overview of Poor Economics by Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee.
Can income inequality be solved? What can be done to bridge the global divide between the rich and the poor? Income inequality is a global problem—it plagues all countries to some extent. A small minority of the world’s population has amassed vast fortunes, while billions of people remain mired in extreme poverty. But hope remains. In her book Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth proposes four income inequality solutions that can reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Let’s take a look at Raworth’s solutions for income inequality.
What makes social networking apps and job search websites valuable? What’s needed for societal change? How does churn affect a group? In the third volume in The Great Mental Models series, Rhiannon Beaubien and Rosie Leizrowice borrow models from systems science and mathematics to build a framework for understanding human behavior and viewing the world more objectively. They discuss three types of group dynamics—network effects, critical mass, and churn—that help us understand how groups create value based on their size, how social change works, and how turnover can both help and hurt a system. Keep reading to learn how certain
Does society suppress your true self? How can you learn to embrace your emotions fully? Does embracing your emotions really improve your life? Author Glennon Doyle realized that she could use painful emotions to grow and evolve—to become truly alive. Doyle defines being “alive” as constantly evolving into a more authentic and fully-formed version of yourself. Read on to find out how to embrace your emotions and why Doyle believes you must embrace your feelings fully to live a truly satisfying life.