James Nestor’s Breath is about something we all think we have mastered, but actually don’t know what we are doing at all. Only a minority of people know how to breathe properly. And the fact that we have lost the art of breathing is one of the main reasons for health problems. Close Your Mouth … Read more
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is about our relationship with our own minds, time, and fate. The foreword to the book starts the book by telling us about three myths. Myth 1: Humanity has reached the pinnacle of its development. Tolle cites Michael Murphy, who argues that humans have the potential to reach … Read more
On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt is a short book, that discusses the concept of bullshit, from a philosophical perspective. Frankfurt’s writing is academic and formal, but at times, funny. The seriousness and somberness of the tone, mixed with the nature of the subject matter, hits at the essential nature of comedy. You can expect to, … Read more
“The Machine Stops” is a science fiction short story by E.M. Forster, which presents a dystopian vision of a future in which humanity is entirely reliant on a global machine for their needs. First published in 1909, the story eerily prophesies many elements of modern technology, including aspects reminiscent of the internet and virtual communication. … Read more
People like Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra and Sadhguru speak in a way that is alien to the scientific-minded person. It is almost as if there are two separate languages used for describing the world. The owner of skeptic.com, Michael Shermer, once had a debate with Deepak Chopra, where they tried to discuss the nature of … Read more
Calling Bullshit by Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin West is about learning how to recognize different forms of bullshit. Clicks The internet news economy is driven by clicks, not for building a relationship. Quality of information is no longer important as it once was in the pre-internet age. How to win attention? Sensationalism. Another way … Read more
The modern world, with the help of technology, needs us to use our physical strength less than we needed to, but physical strength is no less important to our lives. Exercise returns the body to the conditions for which they were designed. Why Barbells? A machine was designed for each limb or body part, and … Read more
Most people associate psychotherapy with reclining on a couch, recalling painful memories from the past. This idea is reinforced in popular culture (Analyze This, Good Will Hunting, The Sopranos). Many Hollywood movies feature the “sudden cure” moment when a particular event from childhood, usually physical or sexual abuse, relieves them of their problems. While these … Read more
In To Be a Machine, Mark O’Connell details his journey in learning about transhumanism. Anders was one of the characters featured in Technocalyps, the documentary. He was a transhumanist, a religious devotee to technology. Mark sat down with him. He learned that Anders was known for his theorizing of the idea of mind uploading or … Read more
The Oxygen Advantage – Patrick McKeown – Summary Breath – James Nestor – Summary