The Distorting Power of Incentives
“The rabbit runs faster than the fox, because the rabbit is running for his life while the fox is only running for his dinner.” — R. Dawkins *** Simply put, incentives matter a lot. …
Explore Farnam Street Articles
What History Teaches us about The Concentration of Wealth
History is economics in action, at least according to Karl Marx. Whether in a group or as an individual, we vie for food, fuel, raw materials and our place in the hierarchy. Even art is often rooted …
Unlock the Power of Effective Writing: Insights from Steven Pinker
When we know a lot about a topic, it can be difficult to write about it in a way that makes sense to the layperson. To improve writing, Cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker suggests several …
3 Famous Writers on the Relationship Between Reading and Writing
During the Q&A for How to Read a Book, someone asked whether reading a lot makes us better writers. The short answer is yes. Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin. As Anne …
There Are No Called Strikes and Other Lessons You Learn in Business School
Matthew Frederick teams up with Michael Preis to offer some important learnings from the world of business — which isn’t really a discipline in and of itself but rather, as they write in the …
The False Allure of a “Natural State” of Man
The heated debate about Sapiens’ “natural way of life” is missing the point. Ever since the Cognitive Revolution, there hasn’t been a natural way of life for Sapiens. — Yuval …
How to Provide Great Feedback When You’re Not In Charge
How often do we give deep thought to how we provide feedback to others? While it seems like something we’d all like to do well, most of the time we stink at it. When was the last time you really felt …
When Breath Becomes Air: What Makes Life Worth Living in the Face of Death?
“When you come to one of the many moments in life where you must give an account of yourself, provide a ledger of what you have been, and done, and meant to the world, do not, I pray, discount …
James Cash Penney and the Golden Rule
Many are unaware that the department store J.C. Penney was originally the work of a man named, appropriately, James Cash Penney. Penney was raised in Missouri by a father who doubled as a preacher and …
The Boundaries Between Science and Religion: Alan Lightman on Different Kinds of Knowledge
“The physical universe is subject to rational analysis and the methods of science. The spiritual universe is not. All of us have had experiences that are not subject to rational analysis. …
Creating Effective Incentive Systems: Ken Iverson on the Principles that Unleash Human Potential
The issue of setting compensation seems to be struggled with in every organization. Most are pretty lazy about it — hiring someone else to take care of it and failing to think through the incentives …
Isaac Asimov: Integrity over Honesty
This thought from Isaac Asimov sums up much of Farnam Street’s ethos in how to operate ethically in the world. From the book he co-authored with his wife How to Enjoy Writing: A Book of Aid and …
Carol Dweck: When a Fixed Mindset is Better than a Growth Mindset
“Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work.” — Chuck Close *** “So far, the best idea I’ve heard about building grit in kids is something called …
Shane Parrish on Mental Models, Decision Making, Charlie Munger, Farnam Street, And More
An interview I gave that I think you’ll enjoy as I talk about reading, mental models, investing, learning and more. *** Shane Parrish is the curator for the popular Farnam Street Blog, an …
The Three Buckets of Knowledge
The three most fundamental sources of knowledge are physics, math, and human history. They offer us endless learning and mental models. Here’s how mastering the three buckets of knowledge can give you …
Too Busy to Pay Attention
Alan Lightman, the physicist who brought us The Accidental Universe, has also written several works of fiction, including Einstein’s Dreams, presented as dreams Einstein might have had while working …