Good morning. Don’t get caught up in picking the fly sh*t out of the pepper.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Brainteaser
What can be swallowed, but can also swallow you?
We'll share the answer in Friday's newsletter!
Random Thought
Is gerontocracy a problem? Is it causing a lack of strategic vision?
Critical Thinking Quote
RODIN'S CORNER
Always Put Yourself First
When the airplane is going down, there is a very valid reason why they tell passengers to put the oxygen mask on themselves first, BEFORE assisting others. If you can’t look after yourself, you will be in no position to look after your loved ones.
It’s not being selfish. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Look after yourself first so that you are in a position to look after others.
“Listen to your mind and your body. When it’s time to take a break, they will send you signs. You either pay attention to the signs and take an extended preemptive break, or you ignore them and your mind or body, or both, will take a prolonged break for you, and chances are it won’t be at a convenient time for you.”
This a sneak peek of this weeks Deep Dives article. Become a Deep Dives member to get access to the full article when it publishes this Friday.
It’s the magic of 1%. Every athlete dreams of standing atop the podium, the weight of a gold medal around their neck, basking in the glory of unparalleled success. But what if the path to that podium was paved with small, seemingly insignificant tweaks? This week, we unravel the story of Sir David Brailsford and the British Cycling team. Brailsford’s method of focusing on the tiniest aspects of cycling, right down to the optimal temperature of an athlete’s muscles, has revolutionized the game. Ready to discover how meticulous attention to 1% increments led to the pinnacle of cycling glory, and how this can be applied to your life just as easily?
This a sneak peek of this weeks Deep Dives book summary. Become a Deep Dives member to get access to the full book summary when it publishes this Friday.
“Numbers are ideal vehicles for promulgating bullshit. They feel objective, but are easily manipulated to tell whatever story one desires. Words are clearly constructs of human minds, but numbers? Numbers seem to come directly from Nature herself. We know words are subjective. We know they are used to bend and blur the truth. Words suggest intuition, feeling, and expressivity. But not numbers. Numbers suggest precision and imply a scientific approach. Numbers appear to have an existence separate from the humans reporting them.”
— CARL T. BERGSTROM
This week’s book summary is “Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World” by Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West. The book delves into the pervasive misinformation in today’s data-driven society. In an age awash with data, the authors contend that many use this information to obfuscate, mislead, and confuse the public, often for personal gain or to push a particular agenda. The book provides tools to spot “bullshit”—incorrect or misleading information presented as fact—and to call it out.
Using a combination of case studies, examples, and a sharp wit, Bergstrom and West illustrate how numbers, graphs, and infographics can be manipulated to misrepresent the truth. They discuss a variety of topics from misleading graphs in the media, to the misuse of big data and algorithms, showing readers how to discern trustworthy information from deceitful data.
Ultimately, “Calling Bullshit” is a guide to critical thinking in the modern world. It encourages readers to question the information they encounter daily, to discern fact from fiction, and to demand clarity and honesty in the dissemination of data. By empowering readers with the skills to see through misinformation, the book aims to foster a more informed and discerning society.