Sharing what I have learned from what I have read: A blog by Joe Abittan
Autonomy, free will, and self-control combine to create a useful myth. The myth is that we control our own destinies, that we are autonomous actors with rights, freedoms, and the opportunity to improve our lives through our own effort. The reality is that the world is incredibly complex, that we don't get to chose our … Continue reading A Useful Myth
"We now know that the effects of priming can reach into every corner of our lives." Daniel Kahneman writes this in his book Thinking Fast and Slow while demonstrating the power of priming factors. An example he uses in the book to demonstrate the power of priming has to do with voting and school support. … Continue reading Autonomous Actors
"Another major advance in our understanding of memory was the discovery that priming is not restricted to concepts and words," writes Daniel Kahneman in his book Thinking Fast and Slow, "You cannot know this from conscious experience, of course, but you must accept the alien idea that your actions and your emotions can be primed … Continue reading Conscious and Unconscious Priming Effects
There are some factors within individual control that influence success. Hard work is clearly important, good decision-making is important, and an ability to cooperate and work well with others is also important for success. But none of these factors on their own are sufficient for success, at least many prominent thinkers and researchers seem to … Continue reading Luck & Stories of Success
"Rivalry results in strife," writes Seneca in Letters From a Stoic. A quick Google search of strife gives us the definition: angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict. Rivalry heightens our disagreements, it clouds our judgments, and creates enemies who will oppose us. When we give in to rivalrous forms of thinking, we compare … Continue reading Rivalry Results in Strife
In his book Dreamland Sam Quinones includes a quote by Dr. John Loeser, Professor Emeritus of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle. Quinones spoke with him to better understand chronic pain and how chronic pain can be approached without the use of opioids. Loeser has an approach to treating chronic pain that … Continue reading A Different Take on Chronic Pain
It is easy to look at other people and compare ourselves to them and feel either vastly superior or completely inadequate. But whether we feel better than someone else or worse than another person, we should recognize that these comparisons are generally meaningless. There are some people who do incredible things in the world, and … Continue reading Credit for Being Who You Are
Morality and our behavior is one of the spaces that I think demonstrates how little our actions and behaviors seem to actually align with the way we think about ourselves and the level of control we have in our lives. We believe that we are the masters of our own sails and that we are … Continue reading The Time for Being Moral
Have you ever tried to laugh at something that wasn't funny because social conventions called for laughter? You probably found it a little awkward and your laugh probably didn't sound the most generous or real. Humans are really good at laughter, but we are not very good at consciously understanding and being aware of our … Continue reading Laughter
"Much harm is done by a single case of indulgence or greed," Seneca wrote in a letter saved in the book Letters From a Stoic, "the familiar friend, if he be luxurious, weakens and softens us imperceptibly; the neighbor, if he be rich, rouses our covetousness; the companion, if he be slanderous, rubs off some … Continue reading You Are Not Just Yourself