Eating Fossil Fuels Three valleys, two centuries apart What goes in The energy costs of bread, chicken, and tomatoes Diesel oil behind seafood Fuel and food The modern food system, often perceived as a marvel of efficiency, is paradoxically a prodigious consumer of energy, much of it derived from fossil fuels. From the dawn of … Read more
The section paints a grand panorama of the evolution of life on Earth and humanity’s journey towards technological and environmental mastery. The narrative unfolds through the metaphorical lens of “probes” observing the Earth over billions of years, documenting key shifts and transformations. Then the author discusses energy and its modern uses. Fundamental Shifts Modern Energy … Read more
The allure of misleading advice, while perplexing on the surface, can be understood through a meticulous exploration of psychological phenomena. Drawing from an array of psychological theories and empirical research, we can dissect the underlying reasons why individuals might find themselves attracted to misleading advice. 1. Cognitive Biases and Heuristics (Add to TEOW) Example: During … Read more
n “A Random Walk Down Wall Street,” Burton Malkiel fundamentally challenges the efficacy of active trading, positing that the financial markets are essentially random and that no amount of skill, insight, or information can consistently beat the market. This revolutionary concept has not only become the foundation for the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) but also … Read more
In an age where technological advancement has transformed almost every aspect of our lives, one immutable fact remains: the certainty of death. But what if this final frontier could be transcended? What if aging and death were no longer inevitable but problems to be solved? The quest to cheat death has tantalized humanity for centuries, … Read more
In the captivating exploration that is “Shadow Medicine,” John S. Haller invites readers to journey into the enigmatic world of the placebo effect. This phenomenon, often relegated to the periphery of medical discourse, emerges in Haller’s hands as a complex and multifaceted subject that transcends mere illusion. Drawing upon history, science, ethics, and cultural studies, … Read more
Few concepts are as captivating and complex as seduction. It’s a term often associated with romance and desire, but its applications extend far beyond the realm of personal relationships. In the modern world, the principles of seduction have found a fertile ground in the field of advertising, where they are wielded with precision and creativity … Read more
Carl Jung introduced the idea of archetypes, universal symbols, and themes that reside in the collective unconscious. The Anima and Animus, representing the feminine and masculine aspects within each individual, play a crucial role in attraction and seduction. Understanding these archetypes can provide insights into the dynamics of seductive relationships. Jung’s Archetypes and the Collective … Read more
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, laid the groundwork for understanding human desire and seduction. He posited that human behavior is driven by unconscious desires, often rooted in early childhood experiences. The Oedipus Complex, for example, explores the child’s attraction to the opposite-sex parent, a foundational concept that can be extrapolated to adult seductive behavior. … Read more
The concept of self-discipline resonates with everyone, transcending cultural and personal differences. Its importance is a given, but the ways we approach it have changed over time, molding to the ideologies of different eras. Books like “The Triumph of the Therapeutic” and “The Culture of Narcissism” have explored these concepts further. But what has driven … Read more