7 Public Health
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7.1 Hans Rosling
📖 We should focus more on facts and data to understand the world, rather than opinions and emotions.
“The world is not as bad as it seems.”
— Hans Rosling, Factfulness
The global population is growing slowly, life expectancy is increasing, and poverty is declining. These are just a few of the many facts that Rosling uses to challenge the common perception that the world is in a state of decline.
“We should be less afraid of the future.”
— Hans Rosling, Don’t Panic
Rosling argues that we are too often paralyzed by fear of the future. He believes that we should instead focus on the facts and data, and that this will give us a more optimistic outlook on the future.
“We need to be more critical of our sources of information.”
— Hans Rosling, Factfulness
Rosling warns that we are too often misled by false information. He encourages us to be more critical of our sources of information and to always check the facts.
7.2 Steven Pinker
📖 Violence has declined significantly over the course of human history, and we should be optimistic about the future.
“Violence has declined significantly over the course of human history.”
— Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined
Pinker argues that violence has declined significantly over the course of human history, and that we should be optimistic about the future. He provides evidence from a variety of sources, including historical records, crime statistics, and archaeological data. Pinker argues that the decline in violence is due to a number of factors, including the rise of civilization, the spread of education, and the development of more humane values.
“The vast majority of people are not violent.”
— Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined
Pinker argues that the vast majority of people are not violent. He cites evidence from a variety of sources, including psychological studies and crime statistics. Pinker argues that the vast majority of people are more likely to help others than to harm them. He also argues that the vast majority of people are capable of great compassion and empathy.
“We can learn from the past to prevent future violence.”
— Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined
Pinker argues that we can learn from the past to prevent future violence. He provides a number of examples of how past societies have successfully reduced violence. Pinker also argues that we can learn from the mistakes of the past to avoid repeating them. He believes that we can create a more peaceful world by understanding the causes of violence and by working together to find solutions.
7.3 Yuval Noah Harari
📖 Humans are not the rational, self-interested beings that we like to think we are. We are often irrational and emotional, and we are easily manipulated by our fears and desires.
“Humans are not rational, self-interested beings.”
— Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
We are often irrational and emotional, and we are easily manipulated by our fears and desires.
“Humans are a social species, and we rely on cooperation to survive.”
— Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
We are able to achieve great things when we work together, but we can also be very destructive when we turn against each other.
“Humans are capable of great violence and cruelty, but we are also capable of great love and compassion.”
— Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
We have the potential to be both the best and the worst of all creatures.
7.4 Daniel Kahneman
📖 We make decisions based on our emotions, and we are often unaware of the biases that influence our thinking.
“We are more likely to make risky decisions when we are feeling positive.”
— Daniel Kahneman, Science
Our emotions can have a significant impact on our decision-making. When we are feeling positive, we are more likely to take risks. This is because our positive emotions can lead us to be more optimistic and less likely to consider the potential negative consequences of our actions.
“We are more likely to be persuaded by arguments that confirm our existing beliefs.”
— Daniel Kahneman, Psychological Science
We are all susceptible to confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs. This can lead us to be less open-minded and more likely to dismiss evidence that contradicts our beliefs.
“We are more likely to make decisions that are in line with our social norms.”
— Daniel Kahneman, Nature
Our social norms can have a significant impact on our decision-making. We are more likely to make decisions that are in line with what we believe is expected of us by our social group.
7.5 Gerd Gigerenzer
📖 We should not always trust experts. Sometimes, the best decisions are made by people who have less information, but who are better able to process it.
“Experts are often wrong, and we should not always trust them.”
— Gerd Gigerenzer, TODO
Gigerenzer’s research has shown that experts are often wrong, and that we should not always trust them. He has found that people who have less information, but who are better able to process it, often make better decisions than experts.
“We should not be afraid to make decisions, even if we do not have all the information.”
— Gerd Gigerenzer, TODO
Gigerenzer’s research has shown that we should not be afraid to make decisions, even if we do not have all the information. He has found that people who are able to process information quickly and efficiently often make better decisions than those who have more information, but who are not able to process it as well.
“We should be skeptical of claims made by experts, and we should always try to get a second opinion.”
— Gerd Gigerenzer, TODO
Gigerenzer’s research has shown that we should be skeptical of claims made by experts. He has found that experts are often wrong, and that we should always try to get a second opinion before making a decision.
7.6 Malcolm Gladwell
📖 Outliers are not always the result of hard work and talent. They are often the result of luck and opportunity.
“Success is not solely determined by individual effort and natural talent, but also by external circumstances and opportunities.”
— Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell argues that cultural, social, and historical factors can significantly influence an individual’s achievements. Factors such as birthdate, socioeconomic background, and access to resources can provide advantages or disadvantages that shape one’s trajectory.
“Deliberate practice and perseverance are crucial for developing expertise, but they are not sufficient on their own.”
— Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell emphasizes the role of intensive, goal-directed practice in honing skills. However, he also highlights the importance of factors such as motivation, mentorship, and cultural context in fostering exceptional performance.
“Exceptional achievements often require a combination of hard work, talent, and timing.”
— Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
Gladwell challenges the notion that outliers are solely the result of exceptional talent or effort. He argues that a confluence of factors, including historical circumstances, societal norms, and cultural opportunities, can contribute to the emergence of extraordinary success stories.
7.7 Nassim Taleb
📖 We should be prepared for black swan events, which are rare, unpredictable events that can have a major impact on our lives.
“Do not rely on experts who claim to have perfect knowledge of a complex system, as they could be wrong”
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
Experts often make predictions based on past data, but these predictions can be wrong if the system is complex and unpredictable. As a result, it is important to be skeptical of experts and to diversify your sources of information.
“Be prepared for the unexpected, as black swan events can have a major impact on our lives”
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
Black swan events are rare, unpredictable events that can have a major impact on our lives. As a result, it is important to be prepared for the unexpected and to have a plan in place for dealing with these events.
“Do not put all your eggs in one basket, as diversification can help to reduce your risk of being harmed by a black swan event”
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
Diversification is a strategy for reducing risk by investing in a variety of different assets. By doing so, you can reduce your risk of being harmed by a black swan event that affects a particular asset class.
7.8 Jean Twenge
📖 The current generation of young people is more anxious and depressed than previous generations.
“Spending time with friends in person, rather than communicating through social media, is associated with better mental health outcomes for young people.”
— Jean Twenge, Journal of Adolescent Health
Social media use has been linked to increased anxiety and depression in young people, while spending time with friends in person has been shown to have positive mental health benefits. This suggests that young people may benefit from spending less time on social media and more time engaged in face-to-face interactions.
“The use of electronic devices before bedtime can interfere with sleep and contribute to mental health problems in young people.”
— Jean Twenge, Sleep
The use of electronic devices before bedtime can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and lead to sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation has been linked to a number of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression.
“Young people who experience cyberbullying are more likely to experience mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.”
— Jean Twenge, Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that occurs through electronic devices, such as smartphones and computers. Cyberbullying can be just as harmful as traditional bullying, and it can have lasting effects on young people’s mental health.
7.9 Nicholas Christakis
📖 Our social networks have a major impact on our health and happiness.
“Loneliness can be contagious”
— Nicholas Christakis, British Medical Journal
Christakis and Fowler found that loneliness can spread through social networks. This means that if you have a lonely friend, you are more likely to become lonely yourself.
“Obesity can be contagious”
— Nicholas Christakis, The New England Journal of Medicine
Christakis and Fowler also found that obesity can spread through social networks. This means that if you have an obese friend, you are more likely to become obese yourself.
“Social networks can help us to live longer”
— Nicholas Christakis, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Christakis and Fowler found that people who have a strong social network are more likely to live longer. This is because social networks can provide us with social support, which can help us to cope with stress and difficult times.
7.10 David Dunning
📖 We are often unaware of our own incompetence.
“We are often unaware of our own incompetence.”
— David Dunning, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability. This is because they are unable to recognize their own incompetence. This can lead to people making poor decisions and taking risks that they are not qualified to take.
“The more incompetent we are at a task, the less likely we are to recognize our incompetence.”
— David Dunning, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
This is because we lack the skills and knowledge to accurately assess our own abilities. This can lead to us overestimating our abilities and taking on tasks that we are not qualified to do.
“We can improve our ability to recognize our own incompetence by seeking feedback from others.”
— David Dunning, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Feedback from others can help us to identify our strengths and weaknesses. This can help us to develop a more realistic assessment of our own abilities.