The Story of Hitman Hart
In one of his lectures, Jordan Peterson was asked a question about whether morality was merely a matter of who was more powerful.
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The Six Roots of Conflict
What is the root of conflict? For background, see: - Girard’s Mimetic Theory: The Origin of Conflict - Hegel’sThe First ManandThe Battle for Pure Prestige. [Sigmund Freud thought that all human goals are…
Chapter 3: The Cold War (Introduction to Middle East Politics)
The decades after World War 2 were critical in shaping the Middle East’s political structures. After the war began, demand for oil increased – the Middle East became more valuable, as a supplier of oil, and as a…
Hunting Scapegoats
The Scapegoat Instinct “The search for a scapegoat is the easiest of all hunting expeditions.” Dwight D. Eisenhower Blaming others is easy.
The Age of Technopoly
Neil Postman’s concept of “Technopoly” describes far more than just a society saturated with machinery; rather, it names a cultural mindset that grants technology ultimate authority over how we understand knowledge,…
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
In "Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man," communication theorist Marshall McLuhan explores the effects of various media on human perceptions and society. Published in 1964, the book is a pioneering study into…
Chapter 9: Democratization and the Uprisings (Introduction to Middle East Politics)
The Arab Spring was the move towards democratisation, away from authoritarianism. Since 2011, uprisings have occurred across the entire region, but the results have been mixed. While there have been some changes…
The Shrinking of America Summary (8/10)
The Shrinking of America: Myths of Psychological Change* is a very helpful resource to understand the myths of psychotherapy. Though dated, it still unpacks the many inherent problems within the psychotherapeutic…
Technopoly Summary (Part 1)
Neil Postman’s Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology begins with a striking myth about the Egyptian god Theuth, who presents his invention of writing to King Thamus.
Technopoly Summary (Part 3)
Neil Postman’s concept of “Technopoly” describes far more than just a society saturated with machinery; rather, it names a cultural mindset that grants technology ultimate authority over how we understand knowledge,…
Skin in the Game Summary (8/10)
Taleb’s Incerto concludes with Skin In The Game.* This book makes the argument that some people, who are not engaging directly with reality, are not capable of understanding risks.
Games People Play Summary (7/10)
The premise of Games People Play by Eric Berne is that human beings as children are imbued with certain rituals, needs, desires, and thoughts by their parents and by their society. As they become adults, they do not…