The reading collection
Psychology, geopolitics, philosophy—and everything in between.
152 readings · 37–48
The concept of the “small world” was famously investigated by Harvard psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1950s. Milgram wanted to determine how many links it would take to connect any two people in the United States.
The tragic fate of the Moriori people in the Chatham Islands serves as a poignant illustration of how environmental factors and cultural evolution can shape societies. By the 19th century, the Moriori—a small,…
“You see, Dad, Professor McLuhan says the environment that man creates becomes his medium for defining his role in it. The invention of type created linear, or sequential thought, separating thought from action.
Jean Baudrillard’s book, “The Ecstasy of Communication,” explores the profound ways modern technology and media have reshaped human experience and society.
1. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas AdamsA comedic science fiction novel that takes you on a wild journey through the universe, filled with absurdity, satire, and clever humor.📖 Read more on…
In World Order, Henry Kissinger chronicles three monumental events that forever altered Europe’s landscape: the Peace of Westphalia, the French Revolution, and the Treaty of Versailles. Each event remade Europe’s…
But Voltaire – baptized into the Catholic Church and educated by the Jesuits, whom he publicly lambasted as power-hungry pedophiles, but privately saluted for their learning – did not take up the cause out of any…
The perception of mental illness has changed across time. According to Foucault in Madness and Civilization,* this change has more to do with social and economic needs, than any humanitarian feelings towards the…
A stunning image begins our exploration of Dinny McMahon’s “China’s Great Wall of Debt”: towering skyscrapers, extravagant shopping malls, high-speed railway networks, and entire cities seemingly emerge out of…
“The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self” is a thought-provoking exploration of the evolution of the modern concept of self and identity in Western society. Author Carl R.
One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society* by Marcuse is a classic text that has been widely read and discussed by many people.
“Crumb” was a documentary that was recommended by Jordan Peterson in many of his lectures. I made note of it and finally came around to watching it a couple of days ago.