Modern productivity culture as a tool of neoliberalism — In 1843, Karl Marx wrote that “religion is the opium of the people”. Now in a secular and individualistic society, ‘self-improvement’ is the new opium of the masses, replacing religion. By nature, human beings evolved a drive to fill times of boredom with as much productive activity as possible. In…

What really makes life worth living — Today I realized I was wrong about everything. Previously, I used to internalize the philosophy of, “Be obsessed — or be average.” I believed that an unnatural tenacity required someone to be a master at their craft. I was also personally motivated due to wanting to beat some people I…

Is humanistic management a tool for motivation or manipulation? — A revolutionary concept in management theory, McGregor’s Theory X/Y contested the 19th-century predominant view brought by Frederick Winslow Taylor’s The Principles of Scientific Management (1911). The classical perspective of management emerged in response to the increased need for efficiency brought upon by the industrial revolution. …

This critically-acclaimed romance novel could have been much more than that — Plot Summary Call Me By Your Name is a romance novel written by André Aciman. The romance is between a 17-year-old named Elio and Oliver, a 24-year-old graduate student studying pre-Socratic philosophy. …

The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking — In her book, Susan Cain dissects the psychology behind the way extroverts and introverts perceive the world, as well as how stimulation impacts both personality types differently. She demonstrates the relationship between someone’s temperament and personality. …

Beware of the extroverted “Culture of Personality” — If you feel that society is designed for people who are drawn to the spotlight, you might also believe that in order to be a great leader, one must force themselves to fake a gregarious and highly energetic disposition. In the age of social media, people who cultivate the best…

Reflection on the meaning and significance of our lives — Every young person has at some point wondered whether what they are doing in life has meaning, and by extension, whether it is the “right” thing to do. University of North Carolina’s Philosophy Professor Susan Wolf has been thinking about what makes a meaningful life for years. Her book, Meaning…

A complete guide on how to be a great conversationalist — Everyone wants and tries to be charismatic. There are hundreds of books, thousands of YouTube videos, and way too much contradictory advice that seeks to answer the mystery of how to charm the person that we want — or need — to impress. I’ve read countless of books, watched tons…

A discussion and analysis of Walker Percy’s internationally acclaimed classic novel ‘The Moviegoer’ — I was in a café one afternoon waiting for my friend to arrive — only to have her cancel last minute. I ended up resorting to watching other people do their own thing. During times like these, the ordinariness just seeps in: The realization that you are not the main…