Lacking in Substance

I'll never forget the feedback I received on a paper from one of my college professors: "Beautifully written as always, John, but lacking in substance."

Anticipation

Some advice for next time you host a dinner party: Make sure that some aromatics – garlic, ginger, thyme, etc. – have landed in a pan of hot olive oil before your guests walk in.

Moral Absolutism

The world is messy, and our attempts to paint it in black and white often fail to capture its complexity.

Default to Progress

Countries that make becoming an organ donor opt-out by default, rather than opt-in, have higher percentages of organ donors.

Change Your Mind

The world is changing quickly, and many of us would be better off changing our minds more often to reflect new information.

Humility in the Face of Progress

Reflecting on technological progress reminds us that things that look impossible today might be commonplace just decades from now.

Fast Food

Henry Ford had the famous insight that if you assign each factory worker one task, you can dramatically increase production capacity. Today, in most industrial systems across every market, this is the norm.

Excel Fiction

When you're trying to raise money – an investment for your business or a donation for your cause – you'll need to have a story to tell your audience first.

Pizza Party

The local pizza shop has two specials, and you can choose either two 12" pizzas or one 18" pizza for the same price. Which is the better deal?

Fear and Technology

WWII started on horseback and concluded with the invention of nuclear fission only six years later.