In 'Stolen Focus', Johann Hari delves into the reasons behind the collapse of our ability to pay attention. He discusses various factors contributing to this issue and provides strategies on how to think deeply again and reclaim our focus in a world filled with distractions.
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.
The book explores how the ideas 'what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker,' 'always trust your feelings,' and 'life is a battle between good people and evil people' have become embedded in American culture. These 'Great Untruths' contradict basic psychological principles and ancient wisdom, leading to a culture of safetyism that interferes with young people’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. The authors investigate various social trends, including fearful parenting, the decline of unsupervised play, and the impact of social media, as well as changes on college campuses and the broader context of political polarization in America.
In 'Our Book of Awesome', Neil Pasricha compiles hundreds of heartfelt, funny, and everyday pleasures that make life awesome. The book includes overlooked and underappreciated moments woven with positive anecdotes from people around the world. It underscores the need for connection and empathy, encouraging readers to see the beauty in the tiniest of moments and celebrate the simplest pleasures that make life great.
In this book, Mark Manson argues against the typical self-help advice of constant positivity, instead suggesting that life's struggles give it meaning. He emphasizes the need to focus on what truly matters and to accept and confront painful truths. The book is divided into nine chapters and uses blunt honesty and profanity to illustrate its ideas, encouraging readers to find meaning through values they can control and to replace uncontrollable values with more meaningful ones.
In 'Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper', Diablo Cody recounts her unexpected journey into the world of stripping. The book offers a candid and humorous look at her experiences in various strip clubs and adult entertainment venues, providing insights into the industry and her personal growth. Cody's narrative is both entertaining and reflective, capturing the complexities of her time as a stripper.
Both Flesh and Not is a collection of essays by David Foster Wallace, published posthumously in 2012. The book spans nearly two decades of his writing career and includes essays on diverse topics such as Roger Federer, Jorge Luis Borges, and the impact of AIDS on society. It offers a glimpse into Wallace's eclectic interests and his distinctive approach to non-fiction writing.
Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder is a joyful and inclusive picture book that celebrates the diversity of human bodies. With bright illustrations, it showcases various body types, skin tones, hair textures, and abilities, promoting body acceptance and confidence in children. The book encourages readers to appreciate all bodies as unique and wonderful.
Two Minute Mornings is a guided journal created by Neil Pasricha that helps individuals start their day with a positive mindset. It features simple prompts focusing on gratitude, letting go of stress, and setting daily intentions, all based on positive psychology research. The journal aims to increase happiness and set users up for success by forming a habit of morning gratitude journaling.
Shane's guest on this episode of the show is
New York Times bestselling author Neil Pasricha, who returns for his second appearance on The Knowledge Project. We discuss the importance of gratitude and how simple acts can change the way you feel, where confidence comes from, the specific routines and habits you can use to counter anxiety, the recipe for building resilience, and so much more.
Pasricha is the author of seven books which collectively have sold over 2 million copies and spent over 200 weeks on bestseller lists, including
The Happiness Equation and
Two-Minute Mornings. His first TED talk, “The 3 A’s of Awesome,” is ranked as one of the 10 Most Inspiring of all time, and he also hosts a podcast called
3 Books, where he uncovers the 1,000 most formative books in the world. Neil previously appeared on Episode 72 of the The Knowledge Project, one of the show’s most downloaded conversations to date. His new book,
Our Book of Awesome, will be released Dec. 6.
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The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish 
