Bookology
The Elephant in the Brain
Authors: Kevin Similar & Robin Hanson
Published: Oxford University Press, 2018
Our brains are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better – and thus we don’t like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness.
Unfinished
Author: Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Published: Ballantine Books, 2021
One of the world’s most recognizable women on her journey of self-discovery. “I have always felt that life is a solitary journey, that we are each on a train, riding through our hours, our days, our years. We get on alone, we leave alone, and the decisions we make as we travel on the train are our responsibility alone. A life story rooted in two different worlds
Think Again
Author: Adam Grant
Published: Viking, 2021
Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there’s another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. In our daily lives, too many of us favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt. We listen to opinions that make us feel good, We see disagreement as a threat to our egos, We surround ourselves with people who agree with our conclusions. Intelligence is no cure, and it can even be a curse: being good at thinking can make us worse at rethinking.
Give a (Virtual) Museum a Hug
Guggenheim, Bilbao
LINK: https://artsandculture.google.com/project/guggenheim-bilbao
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern art. It is in Abando, Bilbao, Spain. The museum was opened in 1997. It is one of the several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. This museum was designed by the architect Frank Gehry.
The J.P. Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Link: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-j-paul-getty-museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center features works of art dating from the eighth through the twenty-first century, showcased against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views of Los Angeles. The collection includes European paintings, drawings, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European, Asian, and American photographs.
National Palace Museum, Taipei
Link: https://tech2.npm.edu.tw/720vr/museumen/views.html
With a permanent collection of almost 700,000 pieces stretching back 8,000 years, the National Palace Museum in Taipei boasts one of the most extensive collections of Chinese artefacts and artworks. Most of the collection are pieces collected by China’s emperors. The National Palace Museum shares its roots with the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, whose extensive collection of artwork and artefacts was built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Did you miss it?
Luxury gets a new meaning
Luxury in 2021 and beyond is about elevated essentialism and rigorous minimalism. Luxury as a symbolic value of wealth has become too inflationary and thus defied the very essence of the meaning of luxury: exclusiveness. The new luxury is about purpose, relevance, and longer-use potential. The new luxury is about its meaningful contribution to a personal lifestyle, with an emphasis on value-based experience while driving a positive change in the world. The new luxury is about intended exclusiveness, relaxed elegance, and discreet richness- showing off luxury is vulgarizing it.
The new self-care – online therapy
Long before the pandemic, we noticed an underlying reverse peer group pressure to address mental health issues; with more and more people being ” in the same boat”, we were ready to admit that mental health is as important as physical health and needs to be part of our self-care routine. Self-care is the cornerstone to building resilience and is crucial to tackling the challenges we will face post-pandemic. Covid-19 changed the attitude and readiness to accept the need for counselling; online therapy is the tool to make mental health care more accessible and less stigmatized. The industry has seen a growth of 68% and is here to stay.
Important note: Online therapy is not suitable for people with serious mental issues
Skinimalism
2021 will be seeing more and more people embrace their skin’s natural textured adopting minimal skincare routines. Skins around the globe will utter a sigh of relief! We will see less make-up and minimize the number of steps in our regimen. Smart skincare with probiotics, custom-made personal dermatology, and skincare supplements are the future. Most dermatologists are very supportive of this trend
Positivity Supplement
“What we know matters but who we are matters more.”
Dr. Brenée Brown, research Professor Social work & Author