Gurwinder Bhogal, a programmer and insightful Twitter writer, dives deep into the complexities of human psychology. He discusses how comfort can lead to complacency and the need for artificial struggles to feel alive. Bhogal highlights the fading affect bias, revealing why bad memories fade faster than good ones, and critiques how social media shapes uninformed opinions. He also touches on the paradox of happiness and the psychological fallout of deferring joy, all while offering strategies for personal growth and emotional resilience.
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insights INSIGHT
Bespoke Bullshit
People feel pressured to have opinions on everything, leading to makeshift viewpoints.
These opinions, formed from whim and hearsay, become hills to die on due to ego and public record.
insights INSIGHT
Intelligence and Ideology
Intelligent people affiliated with ideologies use intellect to fortify, not challenge, beliefs.
This clever stupidity makes them more dangerous than unintelligent ideologues.
insights INSIGHT
Fading Affect Bias
Bad memories fade faster than good ones due to our psychological immune system.
Rationalization, downplaying, distancing, and distraction act as emotional antibodies.
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In The Power of Regret, Daniel H. Pink delves into the psychology of regret, drawing on extensive research in social psychology, neuroscience, economics, and biology. He debunks the myth of the 'no regrets' philosophy and argues that regret is a fundamental and valuable emotion. Pink identifies four core categories of regret: foundation regrets, boldness regrets, moral regrets, and connection regrets. These categories serve as a 'photographic negative' of the good life, revealing what people value most. The book provides a three-step process for transforming regrets into positive forces for personal growth and better decision-making. Pink's work is based on his World Regret Survey, which collected regrets from over 16,000 people in 105 countries, offering practical guidance on how to thrive beyond mistakes and turn regrets into learning opportunities.
Emotional first aid
Practical Strategies for Treating Failure, Rejection, Guilt, and Other Everyday Psychological Injuries
Guy Winch
In this book, Dr. Guy Winch provides a comprehensive guide to treating emotional injuries that are often overlooked but can significantly impact our quality of life. He explains the long-term fallout from these injuries and offers concrete, easy-to-use exercises to aid in recovery. The book is divided into chapters that address rejection, loneliness, loss and trauma, guilt, rumination, failure, and low self-esteem, using relatable anecdotes and humor to make the content more accessible and engaging.
Industrial Society and Its Future
Theodore John Kaczynski
Theodore Kaczynski's "Industrial Society and Its Future," also known as the Unabomber Manifesto, is a critique of industrial society's negative impacts on human life and the environment. It argues that technological advancements have led to alienation, environmental destruction, and a loss of individual autonomy. Kaczynski advocates for a return to a simpler, more natural way of life, rejecting the complexities and control of modern society. The manifesto's radical ideas sparked intense debate and controversy, making it a significant text in discussions about technology, society, and the environment. Its influence extends beyond its controversial origins, prompting ongoing discussions about the ethical implications of technological progress and the potential for societal collapse.
Gurwinder Bhogal is a programmer and a writer.
Gurwinder is one of my favourite Twitter follows. He’s written yet another megathread exploring human nature, cognitive biases, mental models, status games, crowd behaviour and social media. It's one of the best things I've read this year, so I just had to bring him on.
Expect to learn how bad things can sometimes feel better than good things, why people die on the hill of opinions they've only just begun believing, why intelligence plus ideology is a nightmare, how comedy can be a troll's last line of defence, the biggest lesson I learned from Joe Rogan, why regret minimisation should be a priority, why authoritarians lose sight of rationality and much more...
Modern Wisdom 
