Shortform Books

How to Start Meditating: Tips for Beginners

Do you want to start meditating but aren’t sure how to do it properly? How long should you meditate? What position do you assume? According to Henepola Gunaratana, the author of Mindfulness in Plain English, beginner meditators shouldn’t worry about attaining any particular goal within a particular time period. It’s best to start meditating with an open mind, inviting and accepting whatever the experience brings. Here are some pointers for those who want to start meditating plus some tips for handling distractions and mind-wandering.

2009 Auto Bailout: Saving the U.S. Auto Industry

What was the 2009 auto bailout? Who benefited from it and why did it happen? The 2008 financial crisis his the auto industry particularly hard. Chrysler and General Motors were struggling and needed assistance, which became known as the 2009 auto bailout. Read more about the 2009 auto bailout and what the government did.

The Law of the Lid: The First Law of Leadership

What is the Law of the Lid? What role does this law play in organizational effectiveness? In his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, Maxwell uses the Law of the Lid to convey the idea that organizational effectiveness is capped by its leader’s ability lead. This law is the first of Maxwell’s list of key leadership attributes and principles. Keep reading to learn about the Law of the Lid by John C. Maxwell plus some examples of its successful and unsuccessful application.

Nutritionism and the Rise of Fake Food

What is nutritionism? How has the ideology of nutritionism changed the way we determine the health value of food products? Popularized by Michael Pollan in his book In Defense of Food, nutritionism refers to a paradigm which states that the value of food is determined solely by its constituent nutrients. Pollan argues that the ideology of nutritionism has distorted our understanding of healthy eating, such that even processed foods are believed to be healthy because they contain certain nutrients. Keep reading to learn about the rise of nutritionism.

Barack Obama: Chicago Launches Political Career

What was Barack Obama’s job in Chicago? How did community organizing propel him toward law school? After graduating from Columbia, Barack Obama moved to Chicago. He helped local residents and eventually worked on a mayoral campaign. For Barack Obama, Chicago was a huge turning point in his career goals. Keep reading to find out more about Barack Obama’s transformative experiences in Chicago.

Frozen Food Inventor J.R. Simplot Freezes Fries

Who was the frozen food inventor? How did the invention of frozen food change agriculture and the fast food industry? J.R. Simplot wasn’t exactly the frozen food inventor, but he did make one of the most groundbreaking products of the frozen food revolution. With his frozen french fry, Simplot made it easier for fast food companies to get the products they needed at a cheap price. Read more about the “frozen food inventor” and the frozen potato.

Meat Packing Workers Face Injury and Death on the Job

What dangers do meat packing workers face? Why is this job so dangerous? After over a hundred years since the publication of The Jungle, meat packing workers still struggle with poor working conditions. Meat packing workers are unsafe, underpaid, and exploited. Read more about meat packing workers and the struggles they face—including death on the job.

Behind the Scenes of the Jonah Lehrer’s Scandal

What was the scandal around Jonah Lehrer? What was the public response to Lehrer’s fiasco? Jonah Lehrer is an American author and blogger who has written for several big media outlets including The Wall Street Journal and The New Yorker. In July 2012, Jonah Lehrer was found out to have falsified Bob Dylan’s quotes in his book Imagine: How Creativity Works. In response, Lehrer was publicly shamed. Here is how Jonah Lehrer’s scandal unfolded and what happened in the aftermath.

Scott Young’s Ultralearning Method: Study Smarter

What are the benefits of learning Scott Young’s Ultralearning techniques? How could ultralearning help improve your work and personal life? Ultralearning is a study strategy created by Scott Young. There are many benefits to practicing ultralearning techniques, and this article will cover the top four. Continue on to learn about the benefits of Scott Young’s ultralearning method.

What to Do in Your Free Time: Rethinking Leisure

Do you feel like you waste your leisure time on unproductive activities that add neither value nor enjoyment? Wondering what to do in your free time that will be both refreshing and rewarding? Many people spend their free time on low-quality leisure activities which don’t contribute much value to their life. If you want to enjoy high-quality leisure, you need to be intentional about it and plan what to do in your free time well in advance. Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan what to do in your free time.