Favorite Book Of The Month: 21 Lessons for the 21st century
Yuval Noah Harari did it again – and his 21 lessons are more important than ever. While Sapiens took us through the history of mankind, and Homo Deus (my least favorite of the trio) brought us to our modern day history, 21 lessons looks at where we are now as a species and where we are going. With the turmoil hitting us from all sides with the Coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, this book could not be more relevant. A collection of essays, Harari talks about everything from the rise of data and social media’s power to how politics and religion will continue to evolve and potentially become entirely different entities. I would call this a must read.
Think differently : range
Depending on our education and upbringing, we are taught to either be really great at one thing or we are pushed to explore and be open to different things. Epstein believes that a range and diversity of learning, thought and experiences are essential to being successful. According to Epstein, having diverse knowledge sets helps you to think differently and solve problems through different lenses. The examples that he cites throughout this book are inspiring and will make you want to commit some time to things outside of your normal purview. Maybe you’ll even be inspired to find or uncover a hobby or explore a piece of history that you love. You never know, it may potentially help you solve your next big problem.
for the love of learning: gang leader for a day
Sudhir Venkatesh as a first year graduate student at the University of Chicago decided to spend 9 years in the Robert Taylor Homes, one of the worst housing projects in Chicago during the 90’s. Up until that point, sociologists had written papers and dissertations on being black and poor in America using basic surveys and minimal effort. Sudhir challenged the status quo, and immersed himself in the culture and lives of the people within the Robert Taylor Homes. He was able to better understand the economics in a gangland but humanize the families, gangs, and leaders within the Robert Taylor Homes community. Super interesting read, and very close to home for all UofC students.
a hell of a story – and of course it’s now on tv: good omens
Good Omens is a religious comedic satire. You’ll follow the stories of an angel and demon as they try to avoid the apocalypse from happening – the ultimate war between good and evil, heaven and hell. It’s full of religious stories and antidotes, plenty of laughs and it’s simply absurd – for a lack of better words. Catch it on Prime Now if you want to watch the show.
MBA: The Blog 