A daily look at Bowdoin and the world
A psychologist probes how altruism, Darwinism and neurobiology mean that we can succeed by not being cutthroat.
Contrary to the assumption that survival of the fittest remains the major component explaining human survival, analysis of multiple studies suggests the opposite. Altruism is actually the key component of human behavior that leads to the most fruitful advances in human development. Read more here.
Business Insider discusses recent studies that argue true happiness is not found in immediate pleasures. Researchers have divided people in to three groups depending on their pursuit of happiness: the Pleasant Life, the Engaged Life, the Meaningful Life. Those who pursued the Pleasant Life were less happy than those who pursued the Engaged and the Meaningful Life.
When immersing themselves in passions, or contributing to a greater good, people were happiest. Business Insider suggest eleven habits that inspire happiness in and outside of the workplace. Read them here.
Farnam Street asked readers to suggest what books to read to increase one’s general knowledge of the world. The blog received more than 55,000 submissions and compiled them into a more succinct record.
Books range from didactic texts such as The Einstein Factor: A Proven New Method for Increasing Your Intelligence by Win Wenger, PhD, to classic novels including The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck), Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), and Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe). Plato and Aristotle also make the cut, along with 2011 best seller Thinking, Fast and Slow. The complete list here.
Research has shown that harsh parents are more likely to raise children who will become bullies or will be bullied. Yet, recent studies have also revealed that negligent or permissive parents are similarly likely to raise children who bully or are bullied.
There are comparable correlations between parenting style and online bullying. The best parents seem to fall in the middle of the spectrum, setting rules yet ensuring a warm and responsive relationship. Read more in Scientific American.
Bowdoin Obituaries
Rudalevige in Washington Post: What Did Founding Fathers Think of the Press?