Living in the 'Here and Now': The Secret of Contentment and Calm
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There is one clear way in which the philosophies of the East and West differ. In the West we believe that we should be constantly struggling to improve our lot. In the East, the prime existential aim is to stop the endless striving for material gain so that one is free to enjoy the perpetual 'here and now'. This approach is well portrayed in the famous Buddhist parable of a man who, in fleeing from a tiger, finds himself dangling on a vine suspended over a steep precipice. He looks down and sees another tiger waiting to devour him should he fall. Then two mice start gnawing at the vine.
The human mind still remains a mystery and it drives psychologists to conduct even more experiments. If you are a college student or simply someone who are interested in the field, you can expand your knowledge through reading psychology books. Numerous ways on how to direct people's behavior are discussed in those books. Readers are given explanations on how they can use psychological approaches to make people behave in a certain way. Below are two books that might interest you:
The two authors give ample proof that cheating takes place in almost all human endeavors, regardless of the structure of rewards and penalties. The authors show how teachers inflate student test scores in order to keep their jobs. Readers also learn about white collar cheating at the office. Watch your lunchroom bagel supply! Freakonomics shows how information (especially secret information) is a powerful form of currency that, in adversarial hands, can lead to the downfall of the high and mighty. Insider information confers economic advantages to those who hold it. That's why, increasingly, the Internet is leveling the playing field between the information haves and have-nots. Levitt and Dubner document, in fact, that some of the most costly criminal acts of the past decade have been based on manipulating and falsifying information. It comes as no surprise that ignorance and fear go hand-in-hand, and those who can leverage both can easily rise to prominence.
Repeatedly, Freakonomics tells readers how it is possible to falsify information (especially statistics) to promote social, political, and economic agendas for special-interests. One chapter reveals the economic structure of street gangs: The top bosses make six figure incomes, while the minions make less than minimum wage and stand a 1 in 4 chance of being killed. Readers also learn how a typical prostitute can earn more than a typical architect (in case anyone wants to know this). The authors describe how people tend to overestimate risks to safety, making choices based on fear rather logic. You might be surprised that backyard swimming pools pose a greater danger to children's lives than guns in the home.
Would you like to know how bad schools harm children's futures? Every parent should read Chapter 5 to find out. That same chapter gives the eight socio-economic factors most highly correlated with high standardized test scores. Chapter 6 proves, via correlational analyses, that a child's first name can help to determine his or her future socio-economic status.
We only achieve our peak performance, and overcome needless anxiety, if we adopt the habit of 'nownessness'. This was proved by a study of holocaust survivors which showed that the victims who made the best adjustment to everyday life on their release were the ones who managed to push their past sufferings to the back of their minds and get on with their current, day-to-day activities.
Through this book, you can find answers to everyday questions such as "What factors make a marriage last?" or "What are the advantages of getting older?" Besides the 800 psychology questions, this book also features an overview of psychology of morality, everyday living, sex, and money. It is targeted for people who are interested in psychology and can also serve as a supplementary textbook.
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