The World's Best Book Summaries
Why hasn’t evolution prevented sickness and disease? How can Darwinian medicine explain why we get sick? The reason we still get sickness and disease despite evolution is that the body must make careful compromises. Sometimes, the thing that causes a disease is or was helpful to us at some point in time. Continue reading to learn why we get sick despite evolutionary advances.
What bank accounts does The Barefoot Investor recommend? What is the purpose of these accounts? In The Barefoot Investor, Scott Pape recommends opening five bank accounts: two checking accounts, two savings accounts, and a backstop account. Besides helping you organize your income and spending, opening these accounts will save you money on banking fees. Here are some recommendations for opening The Barefoot Investor bank accounts.
What are target demographics? What is the difference between traditional and new demographics? Target demographics are basically segments of the population that you aim to target with the products/services you sell. There are two kinds of target demographics: traditional demographics (age, sex, income, race, and location) and new demographics (beliefs, skills, interests, and values). Keep reading to learn about the two types of target demographics and some tips on how to create products based on your target market.
What is English as lingua franca? What are the characteristics of the language that made it easier for people all over the globe to adopt and spread it? English as a lingua franca refers to the use of English by non-native speakers as a language of choice. While English does have some competitive advantages over many other languages in terms of ease of adoption, they are not the main reason English has become the global language. In this article, we will explore the phenomenon of English as a lingua franca.
Why do humans share one input for both breathing and eating? Why do we still have an appendix? And why are our retinas inside out? The answer to all these questions is simple: bad evolutionary designs. Over time, evolution makes slow changes to our bodies, but it does not erase the old designs, leaving us with bad or useless traits. Keep reading to learn more about human evolutionary legacies.
What is institutional racism? How does institutional racism relate to white supremacy? Institutional or systemic racism is a form of racism that operates on the level of underlying societal structures and systems (e.g. criminal justice system, health care, education, etc.). According to Ijeoma Oluo, the author of So You Want to Talk About Race, institutional racism is a product of the White Supremacist system. Keep reading to understand what institutional racism is and why it can be considered a product of the White Supremacist system.
How can the desire for immediate gratification lead to procrastination? Is it possible to overcome your aroused-state desires to pursue long-term goals? Procrastination stems from your aroused-state desires for immediate gratification. This can lead to the abandonment of long-term goals, such as pushing off your diet to have a slice of cake. However, these tendencies can be overcome. Keep reading to learn how to overcome your desire for immediate gratification.
Why are seasons so important in literature? What do the different seasons represent? Seasons can symbolically enhance a reader’s sense of themes and characters. Over time, seasons have been used so frequently as symbols that each season now has ingrained meanings. Keep reading to find out what each season means symbolically in literature.
What’s the mental game in sports? Why is it important to be in control of your mental game? The mental game in sports is your state of mind that allows you to be self-aware and stay competitive. It’s important to train your mental self not to be judgmental. Read more about the mental game in sports and how it can help you as an athlete and as a person.
Why did Michelle Obama give up her high-paying job as a corporate lawyer? How did Michelle’s relationship with Barack influence this decision? At 26, Michelle Obama was on track to become an equity partner at her corporate law firm. She was career-driven and disinterested in relationships. However, when she met the new summer associate, Barack Obama, everything changed. They started dating and Michelle started to question her career path. Keep reading to learn about Michelle Obama’s major career changes.