It may be impossible to objectively define what it means to be “good at” something. But, we often don’t give ourselves enough credit for how good we actually are. Perceptions skewed by the extremes inherent to bell curves go a long way to explaining why that’s the case. Using incredibly specific language when thinking about … Read more
Key Points: Capitalism has many features that make it like a game. Unlike any other game, however, we’re basically forced to play it. AI could lead to a genuine revolution in which we don’t have to play unless we want to, thus freeing up a ton more human potential for creativity, but will it? Estimated … Read more
Key Points: Authority usually comes with increased power, privilege, or pay, which leads to increased scrutiny around behavior. In some cases, however, those with soft power enjoy no accompanying perks, but are still held to a higher standard of conduct. Reactions to a recent refereeing incident in English soccer highlights this concept perfectly. Estimated reading … Read more
Key Points: Winning is not inherently joyful, and wins often bring a sense of relief rather than excitement. The time my college soccer team won our conference regular season championship perfectly highlights this concept. When wins bring relief rather than joy, an identity or deeply-held belief was probably under threat. Being unaware of this leads … Read more
Key Points: We originally started playing any game because we found it fun, not simply to win. In almost any competitive endeavor, participants and spectators prefer playstyles that focus on a fast, fluid, and creative offense to overly-defensive ones. The implied social contract in all games offers a compelling reason why. True joy in playing … Read more
Key Points: 1. For a multitude of reasons, those who use steroids have incentives to lie about it. 2. Particularly among young people, this dishonesty skews perceptions about what type of physique can be achieved naturally, which contributes to body dysmorphia. 3. The stigma around steroid usage resembles the one around marijuana–concern about health risks … Read more
Key Points: 1. Sometimes, selfish and dangerous behavior will cause harm to other people. Other times, it won’t. 2. Therefore, we should avoid judging ourselves or others based on a single action. 3. This concept forms an idea known as “moral luck.” Embracing it can help us become more empathetic and forgiving. Estimated reading time: … Read more
Key Points: 1. In both the US and Europe, the most popular sport directly contradicts each region’s broadly-accepted economic models. 2. The U.S.’s favorite league, the NFL, follows many principles of economic socialism. 3. In an interesting reversal, Europe’s most-watched soccer leagues are run in an unashamedly capitalist manner. Estimated reading time: 7-14 minutes Listen … Read more
Key Points: 1. Going deep on why our goals matter to us can increase the likelihood we achieve them. An exercise called “The 5 Whys” can help us do this. 2. We can control the completion of daily and weekly habits FAR more than whether or not we achieve our goals. But doing so also … Read more
Key Points: 1. I’ve long said that (1) fasting and (2) eating only meals, not snacks, are two of the best ways to show ourselves that hunger doesn’t need to control us. 2. This past year, I hadn’t really been taking my own advice. 3. In response, I underwent a challenging but illuminating 90-hour fasting … Read more