The Compassionate Instinct is actually a collection of essays from the magazine Greater Good which despite being in Berkeley, I had no idea existed. I may actually start reading it based on this book. The writings together take a really interesting look at human compassion (also known as positive psychology to those in the academic world) in all of its forms. The book begins in section one: The Scientific Roots of Human Goodness, with the question of how to define compassion, how we display it, and whether or not it can be taught. This part of the book mostly talks about case studies in monkeys/apes/chimps and any other primates human beings evolved from. For the 40% of you who don't believe in evolution, you might want to skip this part. Although noticeably absent is a creationism chapter on why God might have created some humans with so little compassion....volume 2 maybe?
The second section of the book attempts to address how to cultivate compassion with people we interact with, specifically those we have complex relationships with such as spouses/partners, family, and coworkers.
The essays in this section I felt were a little bit scattered, perhaps just ordered poorly, and I felt that the story was not as cohesive as in section 1. I really enjoyed some of them, particularly, given my current situation, Are You a Jerk at Work? and Compassion Across Cubicles, and others, like Stumbling Towards Gratitude and The Choice to Forgive left me inspired. On the other hand, Paul Ekman's conversation with his daughter about trust was boring. Feel free to skim it but if you don't read it I don't think you'll be missing anything.
Finally, in the last section, they broaden the scale to society as a whole. Again, the essays were a tad disjointed and particularly those on heros felt out of place. However, the first 4 are without a doubt the highlights of the book and the lessons have stuck with me all week.
If everyone read this book, the world would be a more compassionate place. So here's my contribution to a better world: read it.
Made to Stick: Some things stay in our mind forever. I can still recall the way my high school science professor Mark Stefanski ended each class* but I can't remember the Spanish word for clam. Companies spend millions trying to create a memorable brand, a memorable ad campaign, etc... yet we rarely recall the billboards we pass on the highway. Enter this book. If you're looking for the tell-all secret handbook on how to create a winning message, you're not going to find it here. What you will find are suggestions on how to make your message simple, credible, concrete, emotional, unexpected, and some other adjectives I already forgot (irony at its finest). Teachers share tips like "make it a mystery that the class unravels with you", ask questions in an "imagine if you..." way. CEOs of corporations and head military officials offer suggestions on creating a one liner that defines your objectives so that all decision making will lead to the same goal.
Is this a little bit fluffy? Yes, yes it is. But I actually think it could be helpful and I definitely recommend it. Of course, even the best, stickiest message won't stick if no one sees it or understands it. I'm talking to you crazy homeless guy with the sign in Wingdings...
* For those interested, here's how he ended each and every science class: "Be good to yourselves, be good to those around you. Go forth and multiply your knowledge and understanding, but keep your DNA to yourself, at least for the time being."
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