self
I’ve noticed along the way that some people are much better at seeing people than others are. In any collection of humans, there are diminishers and there are illuminators. Diminishers are so into themselves, they make others feel insignificant. They stereotype and label. If they learn one thing about you, they proceed to make a series of assumptio
... See moreDavid Brooks • The Essential Skills for Being Human
Being an Illuminator, seeing other people in all their fullness, doesn’t just happen. It’s a craft, a set of skills, a way of life. Other cultures have words for this way of being. The Koreans call it nunchi, the ability to be sensitive to other people’s moods and thoughts. The Germans (of course) have a word for it: herzensbildung, training one’s
... See moreDavid Brooks • How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
there is a common cortical basis for spatial cognition and social cognition. That friend who is ‘close’ to you, even if they live on the other side of the world, is being mapped by the same part of the brain that has determined you are ‘close’ to the screen you are using to read this essay.
David Borkenhagen • The Geometry of Other People
Though Gilbert shows that choices that provide you with fewer liberties make you happier, most people won’t take those liberty-reducing options. Instead, they’ll make choices that give them the flexibility to choose something better later.
Yet soon, those who’ve chosen the flexible option will need to make more choices: to stick with their first cho
Shortform • Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
There are many aspects of life that pull us in opposing directions. We need to be pessimistic enough to prepare for bad outcomes but optimistic enough to undertake new projects. We need to see people both as enmeshed in systems that push them around and as free agents shaping their own lives. It’s vital to be skeptical and ask questions, but also t
... See moreJoshua Rothman • Why Are We Tormented by the Future? | The New Yorker
Epistemic humility:
Why is this interesting? • The Epistemology Edition
Epistemic humility is the recognition and acknowledgment of the limits of one’s knowledge. It’s the intellectual virtue of being aware that:
You can be wrong.
You don’t know everything.
Your beliefs and assumptions could be based on incomplete or biased information.
In practice, epistemic humility means being open to new evidence, willing to revise your views, and listening carefully to others—especially when they bring different perspectives or expertise. It’s crucial in science, philosophy, public discourse, and personal decision-making because it helps reduce dogmatism and promotes more respectful, reasoned dialogue.
Concepts like egalitarianism and karma can mean a great deal to Advocates.
16Personalities • Introduction
This is a common problem in persuasion: what doesn’t sway us can make our beliefs stronger.
Adam Grant • Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
la Grecia clásica, Aristóteles separaba las amistades en tres categorías: los amigos por utilidad , que son buenos en el sentido de que hay un interés mutuo y que no tienen ninguna connotación negativa, por ejemplo, «jugamos al tenis y nos tomamos algo después»; los amigos de placer, que son hasta el 80%, con los que uno se lo pasa bien, pero con l
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