5 Books That Will Make You Smarter Than 98% of People

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Sep 6, 2025

Discover five transformative books that challenge conventional thinking and sharpen your intellect. Explore how cognitive biases influence decisions with insights from 'Thinking, Fast and Slow.' Dive into personal identity, using swamp water as a metaphor for clarity. Understand morality through Jonathan Haidt's perspectives on liberal and conservative views. Finally, examine the balance of cooperation and competition in history, revealing how these themes shape our modern civilization.

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insights

INSIGHT

See Your Brain's Magic Tricks

Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow reveals predictable cognitive biases that distort judgment.
Recognizing biases like anchoring, availability, and sunk cost lets you catch errors before they ruin big decisions.

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ADVICE

Go To Primary Sources

Read Daniel Gilbert's Psychology textbook or Stumbling on Happiness to get primary-source clarity on human behavior.
Use these sources to avoid secondhand 'telephone' distortions and form first-principles thinking.

insights

INSIGHT

Memories Mirror Your Present Self

Memory is reconstructive and reflects who you are today rather than an objective past.
Your brain fills gaps and can convincingly misremember events, affecting eyewitness reliability.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Discovering Your True Essence: Letting Go of External Judgments

07:42 • 4min

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Understanding Morality Through a Broader Lens

11:54 • 2min

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Insights on Civilization and Human Nature from Historical Trends

13:47 • 3min

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#565

• Mentioned in 36 episodes

The Lessons of History

Will Durant

Written by Will and Ariel Durant after completing the 10th volume of their 'The Story of Civilization' series, 'The Lessons of History' provides an overview of the themes and lessons observed from human history. The book examines history from various perspectives including geography, biology, race, character, morals, religion, economics, socialism, government, war, growth and decay, and progress. The Durants discuss the recurring themes of history, such as the balance between liberty and equality, the role of economics, and the inevitability of human nature's influence on historical events. They argue that while there are no predictable regularities in the course of civilizations, there are common factors that contribute to their growth and decline.

#61

• Mentioned in 154 episodes

Mere Christianity

C.S. Lewis

In 'Mere Christianity', C.S. Lewis argues for the existence of God and defends Christian theology. The book is divided into four parts: the first argues for the existence of God based on the 'law of human nature'; the second defends Christian theology, including the 'Liar, lunatic, or Lord' trilemma regarding Jesus Christ; the third explores Christian ethics, including the cardinal and theological virtues; and the fourth discusses the Christian conception of God, particularly the Holy Trinity. Lewis also addresses topics such as free will, morality, sexual ethics, and the institution of marriage. The book is known for its clear and logical presentation of Christian apologetics and has been praised for its straightforward and humorous writing style.

#150

• Mentioned in 95 episodes

The Righteous Mind

Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

Jonathan Haidt

In this book, Jonathan Haidt draws on twenty-five years of research on moral psychology to explain why people's moral judgments are driven by intuition rather than reason. He introduces the Moral Foundations Theory, which posits that human morality is based on six foundations: care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, sanctity/degradation, and liberty/oppression. Haidt argues that liberals tend to focus on the care/harm and fairness/cheating foundations, while conservatives draw on all six. The book also explores how morality binds and blinds people, leading to social cohesion but also to conflicts. Haidt aims to promote understanding and civility by highlighting the commonalities and differences in moral intuitions across political spectra.

#4612

• Mentioned in 7 episodes

The Untethered Soul

Beyond the Human Predicament

Michael A. Singer

The Unto the Soul delves into the transformative power of non-resistance as a spiritual path. It emphasizes the importance of allowing reality to flow through oneself without opposition, thereby achieving inner peace and freedom. The book likely provides practical guidance on how to cultivate non-resistance in daily life. By surrendering to the present moment and accepting what is, individuals can transcend their limitations and connect with their true selves. The author encourages readers to explore their inner landscape and embrace the journey of self-discovery, as this is the path to liberation and enlightenment.

#367

• Mentioned in 50 episodes

Stumbling on Happiness

Daniel Gilbert

In 'Stumbling on Happiness,' Daniel Gilbert delves into the human capacity to imagine the future and why we are often poor at predicting what will make us happy. Gilbert argues that our imagination is flawed in several ways: it adds or removes details, extrapolates from the present, and fails to account for the psychological immune system that helps us cope with undesired outcomes. The book uses scientific research from psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral economics to explain why we consistently misjudge our future satisfaction and how this affects our decisions. Gilbert also suggests that understanding these biases can help us make better choices and gain more control over our pursuit of happiness.

• Mentioned in 377 episodes

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions. System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical. Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies. He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life. The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.

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Most people think reading more books automatically makes you smarter. Wrong. With 3.5 million new non-fiction books published yearly, you need to be selective. I've read 400+ books in psychology, philosophy, and behavioral science—these 5 will actually rewire how you think. From Nobel Prize-winning insights on decision-making biases to understanding why smart people believe dumb things, these aren't your typical self-help recommendations. No fluff, no feel-good nonsense. Just books that make it impossible to see the world the same way again. Which one are you reading first?

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