I would nominate some book on abstract mathematics. The superpower is knowing that advanced math is not completely impossible to follow. After a while, the superpower becomes actually knowing some advanced math. I won't say it's easy, but nothing fun really is. In short: math is not scary! It also really changes how you think and view the world. Lately I've been having some fun with universal algebra, but I think any…
What use/benefit will a person have from knowing advanced mathematics? I.e. how is it a superpower?
Too bad most such catch-the-carrot self help books don't address "I have no idea what I want" situations, let alone "I don't really want anything" or worse.
> "I don't really want anything" Congratulations. You won.
Hehe. It's very true though. I think one of the primary reasons I feel happier now than when I was younger, is that I want much less. Or maybe my ambitions have become more realistic. Either way, I like it.
> The secret is: "I am willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want." Like step over people? Screw the ones who love me? Be unethical? Ignore other parts of my life? Plus, who said that (a) I know what I want, (b) what I want is good for me (c) what I want is good for society in general, anyway? Not to mention that the whole premise is BS. As if by knowing this "secret" will help anybody. A regression to miracl…
> Like step over people? Screw the ones who love me? Be unethical? Ignore other parts of my life? If that's what it takes. It's a matter of how far you're willing to go for success. For some people, being an honest, loving, and caring person is important. But if you want to succeed like Steve Jobs, you'd better be prepared to do the good and the bad.
Out of the myriad people who are going to take this advice to heart and selfishly wreak havoc in the lives of other people in the name of success, how many do you actually think will actually become as influential and successful as Steve Jobs? How many do you think will just have gone through life destroying personal and professional relationships with not much too show for except maybe a little extra cash in the bank?
You can't ethically defend advice like that. You can be driven and assertive and still maintain boundaries on the morality of your behavior.
The Ultimate Secret to Getting Absolutely Everything You Want by Mike Hernacki There are many inputs that affect success: intelligence, hard work, work ethic, emotional balance, determination, and even luck. I believe that the single most important of these over which we have the most control is determination. This book is provides a pretty good recipe to cultivate your own determination. I'm even going to tell you t…
Too bad most such catch-the-carrot self help books don't address "I have no idea what I want" situations, let alone "I don't really want anything" or worse.
That seems like the biggest hurdle for most people to get over. Few people know what they want.
The 4-Hour Chef is probably not a surprising choice since it's a recent release and Amazon has been pushing it heavily (Amazon are also the publisher). I'm just over 60% through the book so I don't want to give it a ringing endorsement just yet but it fits the category of "developing a new superpower" quite nicely and it's definitely worth a particular mention on HN for two reasons. 1. Ferriss, the author, is very mu…
When you actually know anything about the subject Ferris is writing about, his books come off as superficial, sloppy, and stunningly self absorbed.
I'd be interested in knowing what your definition of "evil" is, to better understand why you consider it BS. To me it seems like your argue that the label "evil" has been applied inconsistently, which is a different matter (though a valid point, I believe).
> I'd be interested in knowing what your definition of "evil" is, to better understand why you consider it BS. Evil doesn't mean anything. It's just a label which amounts to "enjoys to doing bad things", which is a non-explanation. If anything, it's just a quick condemnation, without wanting to _understand_ or hear more on the issue. As such, it acts as stop sign: it stops examination of what actually went on (which,…
"evil" isn't an explanation, it's a label given in disgust to someone that is beyond redemption. To focus on something smaller and simpler, I would say that most serial killers, as in separate premeditated incidents over an extended period, are "evil". The reason why is probably some warped mentality likely tied into mental illness, but mental illness is not an excuse either. And it's possible you could cure them, make then a fundamentally different person, and they would no longer be evil. But in the end the word evil is a label, not a reason to stop analysing.
Interesting. Why do you think it falls apart? Is there something a book author can do to make it "stick"? Is there something the book _reader_ might do (e.g. before / during reading the book) to be more receptive? What other medium would work better in your opinion for the kind of life change that self help usually tries to create?
My experience with self help books is quite similar to my experience with people who read "Learn how to program" books. Some people go into the book with a head full of steam, but they give up as soon as things get hard. Other people start with the same enthusiasm, but they push through the difficult parts and (eventually) become great programmers. The best educational materials I've ever read always start from the p…
You write that people have a number of different learning styles. What do you mean by learning styles? What kinds are there?