From 600+ conversations with the world’s leading thinkers.
We characterise our ideal 'Substacker' in affectionate terms – we call them outsider nerds – they're outsiders insofar as they don't fit comfortably in the dominant media structure for whatever reason – perhaps they feel they can do better work outside of it They're nerds insofar as they're especially knowledgeable or passionate about a particular subject area.
Throughout my career, my vision for the company has not changed – creating an institution. I find this the most challenging task, not just getting in the sales and growing year on year but creating an institution that is considered part of the family by those within it.
If you want a caricature, life satisfaction is your self‑smugness rating—how smug you feel about your life. Western smugness has definitely slid over the past ten years.
I think the silver lining of this pandemic in the last couple of years is we have realised that culture is not relegated to an office, it's agnostic of a physical office. It is how we work with each other. We have gotten a little lazy by thinking it is all these fun and games.
Success and fame, especially fame, can instigate fundamental shifts within us at a cellular level. The very nature of fame is peculiar; it's akin to an insatiable flame that ceaselessly yearns for more, compelling you to endlessly seek something, despite its ultimate emptiness.
Meanwhile, she eschewed Bollywood beauty standards and was frequently castigated in the press for her unique fashion sense and fluctuating weight.
So many of the things our culture pushes us to pursue for happiness don't actually work the way we think they will. Material possessions, more money—if you're on social media, you get this strong sense that you should go after more of everything and then you'll feel better.
For me, etiquette transcends mere formalities; it's fundamentally about ensuring others feel at ease in your presence, regardless of their background or demeanour. It's this universal language of respect and inclusion that truly enriches our interactions, making every social exchange an opportunity to bridge differences and foster a sense of belonging.
I find it fascinating that human beings seem like their default recreation is sedation. People are terrified, they don't like fear. They're literally bubble wrapping themselves. If you never face real fear, then you're going to weaken yourself.
We can be sexually aroused by a mere text message, tapping into a primal sensory system in a bizarre way. We can feel empathy for someone on the other side of the globe. We can perpetrate violence, like dropping a bomb from 30,000 feet, without ever seeing the victim's face.
Hip-hop gives a ground-level view of what it might mean to live under what are nearly warlike conditions in communities that face a myriad of daunting circumstances.
The general body of research suggests a moderate positive correlation between religiosity and happiness. Religion provides a sense of community and cohesion within an in-group. It draws clear lines between in-group members, with whom I can engage in cooperative behaviour and reciprocal exchanges, and out-group members. Religion also offers purpose and meaning through a supernatural narrative.