Core Memos

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Core Memos

@MemodTeam

42 Memos

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@HistoryProf

The life, death and legacy of Socrates in under six minutes

Cancel culture is nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, one of history’s most influential philosophers found himself in trouble for asking too many questions.

4 min read

@HistoryProf

How the space race was won

What kind of person is willing to sit on top of a bomb and wait for someone to light the fuse? This was the question NASA faced when the space agency formed. How could they get people to volunteer as the very first astronauts when their experimental rocke

4 min read

@HistoryProf

The Enlightenment made life better. Will its ideals save the world?

It may seem like things are getting worse. In almost every demographic on the planet, people’s outlook is pessimistic. But statistically, things have never been better. So how convincing is the evidence of progress?

4 min read

@HistoryProf

How Jane Jacobs revolutionized the way we think about cities

Jane Jacobs didn’t need a degree to know what gives a space its identity. Her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities is considered one of the most influential works ever written on urban living. Why? Because it flew in the face of all conve

2 min read

@HistoryProf

Explainer: Thomas Aquinas and the proof of God’s existence

Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica (Synopsis of Theology) is a vision of how the world came into existence and what it is for. Published in 1485, over 200 years after its author’s death, the book is widely considered a masterpiece of Western literature.

4 min read

@HistoryProf

Krishnamurti's philosophy of freedom: A crash course

At age 13, Jiddu Krishnamurti was heralded as the next great spiritual teacher by a religious movement called the Theosophical Society. In 1929, aged 34, he famously rejected that role, gave back all donations, and became one of the most influential think

4 min read

@HistoryProf

The ideas and experiences that made Montaigne a radical thinker

For such an influential work of philosophy, Michel de Montaigne’s Essays begins with one of the strangest prefaces you’ll ever find. He effectively says: Don’t read any further; I did this for me, so farewell. Ignoring that advice may be one of the rewarding things you ever do…

9 min read

@HistoryProf

What made Andrew Jackson such a controversial US president?

It’s no coincidence that Donald Trump was the first president to openly admire Andrew Jackson. The man on the $20 bill is one of the most divisive figures in the history of US politics. He also has one of the most fascinating life stories you’ll ever hear

4 min read

@HistoryProf

What it means to live a good life... according to Aristotle

Aristotle believed that there’s a universal sense of goodness that anyone can achieve based on timeless truths (rather than circumstances). To define it, he explored the question of ‘What does it mean to live a good life?’ almost as if it had never been a

9 min read

@HistoryProf

How did humans get to this point as a species?

For millions of years, humans were an insignificant animal – merely hunters who lived in fear of being hunted.

4 min read

@ForwardThinking

How did Einstein change the way we see the world?

The story of history’s most famous scientist starts with a rebel teenager. At 16, Albert Einstein comes up with a plan to renounce his German citizenship, leave his military high school, and dodge life in the Prussian army. Somehow, the plan works.

2 min read

@ForwardThinking

How Thomas Kuhn changed the way we think about science

Thomas Kuhn was a physics student at Harvard when a teaching assignment changed his life. He had to give an experimental course on science for beginners, which exposed him to centuries-long battles over competing scientific theories and world views. A fir

8 min read

@HistoryProf

What are the four noble truths of Buddhism?

When the Buddha gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in India, over 2,500 years ago, he shared his first sermon with five fellow meditators whom he believed could understand these teachings (or ‘dharma’) quickly. The first thing he imparted was the Four Noble Truths.

2 min read

@HistoryProf

Ireland’s bloody path to independence: A mini history

It’s Easter Monday, 1916. Around 1,200 armed Irish rebels take up strategic positions around Dublin city center. Patrick Pearse, a schoolmaster and activist, stands outside the General Post Office and reads out the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. History is in the making...

15 min read

@MrBusiness

A beginner’s guide to crypto trading

Crypto trading is easier than it looks: anyone can sign up anonymously, there’s no need for a broker, and the fees are low. But preparation is essential. Jumping straight in would be like taking your first driving lesson in a Lamborghini.

2 min read

@MrBusiness

How does Universal Basic Income work?

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a concept where a government gives every citizen money on a regular basis, no matter how much they already have.

2 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

Why are some countries so wealthy, and others so poor?

The world has never been a level playing field.

8 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

What sparked the Great Depression, and what are the lessons for today?

In the America of the 1920s, production and employment was high and going up, consumer prices were stable, and manufacturing was seeing a dramatic increase of output.

6 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

“Late capitalism” explained in 10 points

The term “late capitalism” is used in an ironic way to describe the absurdities, decadence, and injustices of contemporary capitalist society – the way it can distort human life and community.

2 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

"Creative Destruction": is economic dynamism worth the instability?

We all have a basic idea of how capitalism works, but how do you feel about it? Does it inspire you, or fill you with dread?

7 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

9 key ideas from Benjamin Graham's "The Intelligent Investor"

Warren Buffett described The Intelligent Investor as “By far the best book on investing ever written.” The following quotes represent Graham’s key ideas on value investing, specifically his view that wealth accrues to those with self-discipline and a long

2 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

John Maynard Keynes: does he matter more than ever?

On New Year’s Day, 1936, John Maynard Keynes wrote a letter to his friend, dramatist George Bernard Shaw.

11 min read

@WorkingOnWellness

What is Stoicism? And why is it relevant today?

Stoicism was a school of ancient philosophy that began in Athens, around 300 BC, with the belief that “virtue” is the most important thing in life. As a form of self-improvement, it’s often seen as the grandfather of personal development, which is why it’

4 min read

@TomButlerBowdon

Why is Seneca and his philosophy so popular now?

Lucius Annaeus Seneca was born in Cordoba in the Roman province of Hispania, or modern-day Spain, in 4 BCE. His father was an accomplished rhetorician and scholar.

7 min read

@WorkingOnWellness

What is trauma? And can you get over it?

Trauma is a fact of life that can damage the mind and body in extreme ways, literally rearranging the brain’s wiring. Extensive research has shown that traumatic stress disorder is a condition that not only alters the ways someone thinks and acts, but als

9 min read

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