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The Effect of Reading on Empathy 👀
Mario Peshev
June 29, 2024
Welcome to The Smarter Brain, a curation of thought-provoking ideas and actionable reads to help you build better habits and become more productive.
We apologize for the pause in our newsletters, but we're back up and running 🙏
Happy reading - See you on Wednesday!
Cheers, The Smarter Brain Team
Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins
3 Ideas For Better Habits
The Nature of Thoughts
Clinical psychologist, Julie Smith, on understanding our mental landscape.
"Thoughts are not facts. They are a mix of opinions, judgements, stories, memories, theories, interpretations, and predictions about the future."
Journalist and author, Johann Hari, on the emotional benefits of reading novels.
"The more novels you read, the better you were at reading other people’s emotions. It was a huge effect. This wasn’t just a sign that you were better educated—because reading nonfiction books, by contrast, had no effect on your empathy."
Source: Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention - And How to Think Deeply Again The Struggle of Understanding Strangers
Journalist and author, Malcolm Gladwell, on the challenges of communication.
"Today we are now thrown into contact all the time with people whose assumptions, perspectives, and backgrounds are different from our own.
The modern world is not two brothers feuding for control of the Ottoman Empire. It is Cortés and Montezuma struggling to understand each other through multiple layers of translators. Talking to Strangers is about why we are so bad at that act of translation."
Productivity Tools and Resources
Maximize Your Time: Mastering Small Increments of Work
Discover how to achieve more with limited time! Learn practical tips for tackling tasks in small increments, which can dramatically improve productivity even amidst a busy schedule.
The Healing Power of Compassion 🌸
Learn how cultivating compassion can profoundly aid in healing and personal growth. Explore practical ways to foster empathy and understanding, which not only ease personal suffering but also enrich interactions with others.
What We're Reading
Eric Seto Investing is a investing newsletter for people (45-65) who are looking for a faster retirement. The goal is to make a better return investing in blue chip companies.
Brain Food
Science: The harder your brain works at your job, the less likely you may be to have memory and thinking problems later in life, according to a new study. (Source)
Have a productive week ahead, The Smarter Brain Team
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