“Why would adding shame and blame help me improve my behavior?”

“Psychedelics crosscut so many interesting domains. They've been used for time immemorial by indigenous cultures. In our own Western cultural history, they really exploded on the scene in the 1960s, and were associated with radical changes to society.”

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

These expert-recommended books reveal how big ideas can shape — and sometimes redefine — human progress.

From science to philosophy, three perspectives explore why humans can’t stop asking “why.” Our search for purpose, they suggest, is less about finding answers and more about learning how to move forward.

When a word comes to mean everything, it means nothing.

"Our ultimate goal, after all, is not a good death but a good life to the very end."

Is your humor affiliative or adversarial?

“When you start to accept that you have profound influence on the world, but very limited control, you start to see the world differently.”

A preview of the latest novel by the National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson.

Introverts have social batteries that will drain over time, but they can be recharged with good energy hygiene. Here’s how.

In this excerpt from "Playful," Cas Holman surveys the research that brought the neuroscience of play into the mainstream.

When making any tough decision, the key is not to be overly exploratory or exploitative.

In “Warhead,” neuroscientist and national security adviser Nicholas Wright explains how the brain navigates warfare and why it is our ultimate weapon (and instrument for peace).

Daily habits can help you thrive or quietly turn into addictions. The difference is how your brain handles cues, routines, and rewards. Three experts explain how to work with your wiring instead of against it.

“The way my mind works is just out of anxiety and catastrophization.”

What happens when your boss decides to weaponize positivity in the workplace?

Life's "in-between" stages pack unique cognitive benefits — if you know how to tap into them.

Chip Conley suggests that viewing emotions as equations can help you identify adjustable variables and constants beyond your control, making overwhelming feelings more manageable through a mathematical perspective.

High-conflict personalities, characterized by predictable behaviors, create drama in relationships, but by recognizing these patterns in ourselves and others, as suggested by lawyer and therapist Bill Eddy, we can effectively navigate these challenging situations.

Behavioral economists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky won the Nobel Prize for mapping the human mind's irrational decision-making biases, and now, with insights from Julia Galef of the Center for Applied Rationality, we can learn to avoid these pitfalls.

Complexity is the primary challenge organizations face today, and training in equanimity, flexibility, and clear thinking, as emphasized by Harvard psychologist Susan David, is essential to unlocking the true potential of individuals and teams.

This class, featuring insights from experts like Steven Pinker and Gary Marcus, equips learners with critical thinking tools to navigate biases, understand scientific research, and make informed decisions in a media-saturated world, emphasizing the importance of questioning assumptions and grounding perceptions in data.

This class explores human decision-making, emphasizing humility and data-driven analysis while addressing cognitive biases like availability bias and confirmation bias, ultimately equipping participants with strategies to improve judgment and navigate complex choices through a blend of psychological insights and practical applications.

In this excerpt from "When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...," Steven Pinker examines how crying may have evolved as part of a suite of emotional expressions aimed at strengthening social bonds.

“We can have that fight for a 1,000 years, but we could have a shot at figuring out what we both need and noticing when there's opportunities to make that happen.”

A physician, a psychologist, and a mindfulness teacher explain what stress does to your body and mind, and how to use it to get smarter and stronger.

Aristotle taught that “knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” — all leaders and teams should take note.

Modern culture has made us feel like there’s no time to be patient. Sarah Schnitker’s lab at Baylor University is researching how this often-forgotten virtue could improve our overall well-being.

Strengthen your focus like a muscle.