The reading collection
Psychology, geopolitics, philosophy—and everything in between.
2,048 readings · 577–588
The Death-Ground Strategy The ancient commanders of armies, who well knew the powerful influence of necessity, and how it inspired the soldiers with the most desperate courage, neglected nothing to subject their men…
C.A Meier, the author of Personality – The Individuation Process*, was a Jungian psychiatrist – in this book, he writes about Jung’s work into personality types and the process of individuation, including thorough…
“Autofac” is a short story written by Philip K. Dick and was first published in 1955. This story revolves around post-apocalyptic survivors trying to resist an automated factory system, termed “autofac.
“A surrogate activity is an activity that is directed toward an artificial goal that the individual pursues for the sake of the “fulfillment” that he gets from pursuing the goal, not because he needs to attain the…
In Aristotle in 90 Minutes*, Paul Strathern challenges the conventional wisdom of the philosopher, who is often seen as remote, inaccessible, and aloof. Instead, Strathern argues that Aristotle is a very human…
A constant drumbeat of pessimism usually drowns out any triumphalist song of the kind I have vented in this book so far. If you say the world has been getting better you may get away with being called naive and…
In the realm of cyber warfare, the boundary between science fiction and reality is rapidly dissolving. Nitro Zeus, a code name for a massive cyberattack plan by the United States against Iran, is a stark reminder of…
Seneca failed to live up to the principles outlined in Letters from a Stoic*. But he was still an outstanding figure in history. He is credited with inventing the essay format, and the content of his letters have…
In the second chapter of “Divided”, Marshall recounts how after the day after Donald Trump was elected President, conservative commentator Ann Coulter jokingly made a plan for his first 100 days in office, mainly…
In “The 800th Lifetime,” Alvin Toffler presents a profound analysis of the transformative era we inhabit, a period he terms as the “800th Lifetime.” This concept is central to his broader thesis in “[Future…
In this post, I will give a summary of the first chapter of Ellenberger’s The Discovery of the Unconscious*. The first chapter is a review of the history of dynamic psychology. Ellenberger begins with Freud and moves…
Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness The Eiffel Tower* Don’t do anything halfheartedly. Being doubtful and hesitant will inevitably sabotage your project. Be audacious, everyone admires the bold, and no one cares for…