Shortform Books

The Importance of Technology in Society: Advice for Policymakers

What if everyone in the world had internet access? What if the world had more researchers and scientists? Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella daydreams like this. He envisions a world in which technology advances freely and benefits everyone. To that end, he offers some advice to policymakers in his book Hit Refresh as he discusses the importance of technology in society. Read more to learn what could be done—and what the world could be like in the future.

4 Customer Interaction Examples to Improve Your Business

Looking for some customer interaction examples? How does creating positive interactions improve your business? Jay Conrad Levinson is a marketing expert who aims to show business owners inexpensive ways to boost their brand image. In his book, Guerrilla Marketing, Levinson illustrates examples of customer interactions that help to win over your target market. Keep reading to find out Levinson’s four customer interaction examples, based on his book, Guerrilla Marketing.

Is Unaffordable Housing the Next Post-Pandemic Crisis?

What’s causing unaffordable housing? Why could this issue be reaching a crisis point? The post-pandemic economy is splitting into two tracks. There’s one filled with those who’ve built up savings through the pandemic and are fueling a superheated housing market, and another with those who are increasingly priced out of affordable housing. Read on to learn why housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable, according to economists.

How to Question Your Beliefs and Why You Should

Why do people cling to their beliefs? How can you make an effort to challenge your own beliefs and assumptions? Questioning your beliefs means approaching them with curiosity rather than certainty. You investigate what you don’t know instead of clinging tightly to old ways of thinking and becoming defensive. Here’s how to question your beliefs and why you should.

Live in the Real World: Sage Advice From the Stoics

Do you embrace life with all of its flaws, or do you pretend they aren’t there? Are you practical, or are you fanciful? Philosophers might be accused of living in abstraction, pontificating on life while detached from its realities. The Stoics, though, believed that life isn’t something you just talk about; it’s meant to be lived in stark reality. Read more to learn how the Stoics urge us to live in the real world.

Stop-and-Frisk Policy: A White Man’s Perspective

Is the stop-and-frisk policy racist? How thoroughly have you thought about it? James O’Brien believes that, as a white man, he was relatively uninformed about race and racism for much of his life. The more he learned, the more his eyes were opened, and he came to regard his beliefs about things such as stop-and-frisk as wrong. Keep reading to learn about O’Brien’s journey of prejudice and awareness.

Generational Trauma Patterns That Sabotage You

How do generational trauma patterns affect you? Why are these patterns harmful? Holistic psychologist Nicole LePera argues that you can take control of patterns that don’t serve you and live a healthier, happier life. According to her, self-sabotaging patterns stem from unresolved childhood traumatic experiences. Keep reading to learn how generational trauma patterns lead to self-sabotage, according to LePera.

The Benefits of Trying New Things That Challenge You

What are the benefits of trying new things? Why should you break the rules every once in a while? In Rebel Talent, Francesca Gino explains that you should step outside your comfort zone if you want to be a true rebel. This will help you test your limits and learn about yourself so you can grow as a person. Here’s why trying new things can make you a better person.

Shoshana Zuboff on Surveillance Capitalism: Rewiring Free Will

What does Shoshana Zuboff say about the goals of surveillance capitalism? What is persuasive technology? In her book, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff builds on the dangers of surveillance capitalism to society, arguing that the goal is to modify your free will. Zuboff’s book explains how big tech companies are already controlling people’s behavior. Keep reading for an overview of Shoshana Zuboff on surveillance capitalism’s dangerous goals.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Early Life as a Budding Artist

What was Leonardo da Vinci’s early life like? What made Leonardo stand out from his peers? According to Walter Isaacson in the biography of the polymath, Leonardo da Vinci was well-liked by his peers. This doesn’t mean he was like them, as he had many different qualities that allowed him to become a genius. Let’s look at the early life of Leonardo da Vinci to get a better sense of him.