Culture and Tradition / Interesting Facts / Wellbeing

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Hygge moments

Denmark has topped the world happiness report three times since 2013, which may have much to do with the way of their life, incorporating Hygge in everything they do. Trend-setters Hygge has been a buzzword since then, and its trend has influenced other cultures around the world so much so that you would come across plenty of articles and books based on it. Chances are you are one of those attracted to this cosy Danish philosophy or to the Hygge home decor that has become a vogue among interior creators. The grass is always greener on the other side of...

of pencils and boxes

fables and sayings / Philosophy / Social Science

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Of Pencils and boxes

If you were to explore your creative skills and offer your ideas and imagination about two themes from our daily life, one a pencil and another a box, I’m convinced that most amongst you can propose exciting and impressive ideas that reveal your unique originality and viewpoints.  Reflection of two great writers Before you discover your ideas, let us read up about the creative intelligence of two celebrated contemporary writers. Paulo Coelho’s short story on the pencil  Nassim Nicholas’s aphorism on boxes. Paulo Coelho The proclaimed author who shot to fame with his bestselling novel , The Alchemist, needs no...

honesty a sinking social trait

behavioural science / Interesting Facts / psychology / Social Science

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Honesty, a sinking social trait

We come across reports of deception and corruption almost every day that it doesn’t affect or surprise us anymore. The news varies from the trivial accounts of towels being stolen from hotel rooms to profound large-scale financial scandals.   How as a society, or as a country, we came to be tainted by this much widespread dishonesty? How we see ourselves  We consider ourselves to be honest, honourable people—rational thinkers with a built-in moral compass and the capacity of understanding of what’s right and wrong. The illusion of one’s morality  Do you think that the dishonesty we witness in our society...

conquering fear

behavioural science / Interesting Facts / Social Science

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Stress, stress and more stress

Stress that saves, Stress that harms, And the stress that we love. Varied kinds of stresses surround us ! Day to day stresses  When people mention the term stress, they invariably imply chronic stress, the silent killer of modern, fast-paced life that wreaks havoc on your health. In this post, let’s see how stress evolved, and know about a third kind of stress that people seem to enjoy. Dichotomy of stress The acute stress response is an adaptive mechanism designed to tide over any dangerous situations, which is, in fact, beneficial, a real-life saviour. Chronic stress, an outcome of modern,...

for it is in the giving that we receive

behavioural science / Social Science

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Give, and you will receive

 Give, and you will receive, says the golden rule of reciprocity. The most impressive aspect of the Rule of reciprocity is the sense of obligation that goes along with it. Rule of reciprocity  If someone does us a favour, we should do them one in return, and people are aware of the honoured network of obligation since the dawn of humanity, that has served us so well, both individually and societally. Simply put, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours!, Or as some social scientists suggest, it is akin to Newton’s third law of motion, that is applied to social...

The roles friends play in your life

behavioural science / Interesting Facts

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Are friendships limited? An insight into Dunbar’s number

Who is a friend? Why do we have them, do we need them? Why, the concept of Dunbar’s number, limits the number of meaningful relationships to 150. Roles people play Friends and peers play an essential role in the overall development, including the emotional wellbeing of individuals. As a child  Children acquire social skills and imbibe the prevailing culture from friends and peers. They discover the basics of sharing, cultural values, linguistic nuances, understanding others’ pain, how to sympathise as well as develop compassion and empathy by observing others. Play while you play  Play, a social interaction that is universal...

ten thousand hours rule for mastery

behavioural science / Interesting Facts

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The quest towards mastery, do you believe in 10,000 hours rule

Achieving mastery in any domain is a journey through time, the time you are willing to put in work for years on end. As the poet reflected As the poet Robert Frost echoed in his poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, much before the scientists came up with their hypothesis , that the journey towards accomplishment is protracted. But I have promises to keep  And miles to go before I sleep 10,000 hours rule  How to become an expert or achieve mastery in any domain? The short answer is, if you are prepared to spend 10,000 hours practising...

Learning, a journey into the unknown

behavioural science / Interesting Facts / Social Science

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Acquiring knowledge – a journey into the unknown

Acquiring knowledge is a never-ending mission and a journey into the unknown. Mentioning the word unknown in the recent time brings us to a news briefing that made the known and unknown well-known. A glimpse into Rumsfeld’s news briefing  The world listened with a mixed feeling of wonderment and ridicule to the statement from the then US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, at the department news briefing back in 2012. The major appeal of his speech was the tongue-twisting phrases of expressions which later gained popularity as prudent messages. A bit of background The explanation, by the then Secretary of...

are you a hedgehog or a fox

Interesting Facts / Social Science

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Are you a hedgehog or a fox ?

What would you prefer to be, a hedgehog or a fox? Enter the world of political, economic or any different business arena, where the leadership qualities of the kingpins are metaphorically characterised as, either a hedgehog or a fox. Modern jungle  What are the defining features of hedgehog and fox in the current world? Who is your best bet? Are there any clear winners here? The concept date back to  The Hedgehog and the fox concept  is credited to a parable by the Greek poet, Archilochus, who wrote, a few centuries ago that, A fox knows many things, but a...