Our brains have evolved to perceive strangers as a threat. So it’s not a surprise that you start to sweat when you walk into a large room of people you don’t know. Your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens, and your palms get clammy. Your nervous system wants you to run! Reframing the situation can […]
Don’t be a Scammer
We’re living through a new age of scammers. How many influencers have tried to sell you some dubious life-changing potion on Instagram? And don’t even get us started on the recent trend of crypto scams. Charles Schwab, the American investor and entrepreneur who built a huge financial services firm from scratch, had a key insight […]
Are Carbs the New Health Craze?
Many doctors and nutritionists have villainized the starches we eat, pointing out that they turn into sugar (which then turns into fat). But if you look around the world, especially at non-Western diets, people who eat rice and vegetables tend to have health and longevity. What gives? John A. McDougall and Mary McDougall say that […]
Can a Post-it Make You Smarter?
Note-taking is an underrated skill. When you have a good system, you don’t have to worry about remembering information later. Writing stuff down frees up your mind to concentrate on the important work of having your own ideas. But notes function as more than just an external hard drive. They can also help you think […]
Let’s Avoid the Robot Uprising
If we’ve learned one thing from movies and television, it’s that the robot uprising is going to be rough for us humans. Machines made of metal tend to have an advantage over old-fashioned flesh and blood. Who among us has time to meet an army of murderous computers on some apocalyptic battlefield? Don’t we already […]
What Does Your Voice Say About You?
Have you watched Love Is Blind on Netflix? The premise is that men and women date each other through a wall, sight unseen. During the first season, Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton got engaged after just five of these dates. They had never met prior to the show, but their voices alone were enough to fall in […]
How to Invest in Yourself
Your personal assets make up your “identity capital.” Think of this capital as more colorful than a resumé and more complicated than a brand. Your identity capital includes all your experiences over a period of time: your education, your job, your hobbies, and even what you post on social media. When you’re at a crossroads […]
Who Should We Blame for Cancel Culture?
They may not wear the white bonnets and buckled shoes that their ancestors donned for the Salem witch trials. But today, many of the people who identify as politically liberal are creating a similarly oppressive atmosphere, ready to raise a mob against anyone who says the wrong thing. That’s the view of David Rubin, who […]
Can the Fed Hold Off the Next Recession?
The U.S. Federal Reserve has an important job: to protect the American economy. That task has never been easy, but it’s gotten much harder over the last few years as the institution has responded to the twists and turns of the worldwide COVID crisis. With inflation and recession on everyone’s minds, the Fed’s next moves […]
The Two Faces of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince
In Saudi Arabia, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud is expected to succeed his 86-year-old father, King Salman. (In practical terms, MBS is already in charge.) The West is watching as Joe Biden’s team negotiates with the Saudis about the terms of the leaders’ first talk, which is expected in the coming months. Over […]
