Isaac Asimov on the Thrill of Lifelong Learning, Science vs. Religion, and the Role of Science Fiction in Advancing Society

“It’s insulting to imply that only a system of rewards and punishments can keep you a decent human being.” Brain Pickings takes 450+ hours a month to curate and edit across the different platforms, and remains banner-free. If it brings you any joy and inspiration, please consider a modest donation – it lets me knowContinue reading “Isaac Asimov on the Thrill of Lifelong Learning, Science vs. Religion, and the Role of Science Fiction in Advancing Society”

Tom Gauld’s Brilliant Literary Cartoons Blur the Artificial Line Between “High” and “Pop” Culture

From Hemingway’s hangovers to the messiness of creative collaborations, wryly witty visual satire of intellectualism. Brain Pickings takes 450+ hours a month to curate and edit across the different platforms, and remains banner-free. If it brings you any joy and inspiration, please consider a modest donation – it lets me know I’m doing something right.Continue reading “Tom Gauld’s Brilliant Literary Cartoons Blur the Artificial Line Between “High” and “Pop” Culture”

Happy Birthday, Donald Barthelme: The Beloved Writer on the Art of Not-Knowing and the Not-Knowing of Art

“Our devouring commercial culture… results in a double impoverishment: theft of complexity from the reader, theft of the reader from the writer.” Brain Pickings takes 450+ hours a month to curate and edit across the different platforms, and remains banner-free. If it brings you any joy and inspiration, please consider a modest donation – itContinue reading “Happy Birthday, Donald Barthelme: The Beloved Writer on the Art of Not-Knowing and the Not-Knowing of Art”

9 Things to Stop Doing During Hard Times

The most beautiful smiles are often the ones that once struggled though the tears. One thing I can say for sure: September 2008 through December 2009 was an extremely hard time for us.  In that seemingly short 15-month timespan, Angel lost her breadwinning job (which drastically affected our livelihood), we lost a mutual close friendContinue reading “9 Things to Stop Doing During Hard Times”

“Every Time You Break the Law You Pay, and Every Time You Obey the Law You Pay.”

Every time you break the law you pay, and every time you obey the law you pay. — John Gardner, interview, The Paris Review I’m haunted by this line; I think about it all the time. It’s even the epigraph to my new book on habit-formation, Before and After– along with a quotation by WilliamContinue reading ““Every Time You Break the Law You Pay, and Every Time You Obey the Law You Pay.””

Confront These 10 Inconvenient Truths Today for a Better Life

Improving your body and life isn’t a quick, easy, or magical process. There is no pill, strategy, or tactic that can replace hard work. If you want success, you need to confront these ten inconvenient truths today. The post Confront These 10 Inconvenient Truths Today for a Better Life appeared first on Lifehack. from LifehackContinue reading “Confront These 10 Inconvenient Truths Today for a Better Life”