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“The physician’s duty is not to stave off death or return patients to their old lives, but to take into our arms a patient and family whose lives have disintegrated and work until they can stand back up and face, and make sense of, their own existence.”
― When Breath Becomes Air
― When Breath Becomes Air
“most people don't know what they want unless they see it in context. We don't know what kind of racing bike we want—until we see a champ in the Tour de France ratcheting the gears on a particular model. We don't know what kind of speaker system we like—until we hear a set of speakers that sounds better than the previous one. We don't even know what we want to do with our lives—until we find a relative or a friend who is doing just what we think we should be doing.”
― Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
― Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
“I began to realize that coming in such close contact with my own mortality had changed both nothing and everything. Before my cancer was diagnosed, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when. After the diagnosis, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when. But now I knew it acutely. The problem wasn’t really a scientific one. The fact of death is unsettling. Yet there is no other way to live.”
― When Breath Becomes Air
― When Breath Becomes Air
“Resisting temptation and instilling self-control are general human goals, and repeatedly failing to achieve them is a source of much of our misery.”
― Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
― Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
“So imagine two scenarios. Let’s say it’s the holidays, and two different neighbors invite you to their parties in the same week. You accept both invitations. In one case, you do the irrational thing and give Neighbor X a bottle of Bordeaux; for the second party you adopt the rational approach and give Neighbor Z $50 in cash. The following week, you need some help moving a sofa. How comfortable would you be approaching each of your neighbors, and how do you think each would react to your request for a favor? The odds are that Neighbor X will step in to help. And Neighbor Z? Since you have already paid him once (to make and share dinner with you), his logical response to your request for help might be, “Fine. How much will you pay me this time?” Again, the prospect of acting rationally, financially speaking, sounds deeply irrational in terms of social norms. The point is that while gifts are financially inefficient, they are an important social lubricant. They help us make friends and create long-term relationships that can sustain us through the ups and downs of life. Sometimes, it turns out, a waste of money can be worth a lot.”
― Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
― Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Chakravarthi’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Chakravarthi’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
2 books
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45 friends
1 book
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36 friends
143 books
|
97 friends
4 books
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52 friends
2 books
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45 friends
0 books
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105 friends
1 book
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39 friends
2 books
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51 friends
More friends…
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