What had just taken place had happened before many times in the past.
Everything has happened many times before and will surely happen again — perhaps in other forms, between different people, in a modern setting. Perhaps the last time an event occurred was before our lifetime, so it seems that it was the first time we experience it.
War, or not war?
Currency devaluation, and stock market going up.
History may not be repeating exactly the same, but certainly in its core principles — because human psychology has not changed in the last thousand years.
- Greed.
- Anger.
- Ego.
- Wanting to have more.
- Pursuit of happiness.
- Fear.
Because human psychology is what it is, by studying about history and human psychology, we more or less can see the path of the future by reference to earlier events of the same crux.
It is not the first time in history that the government prints money.
It is not the first time that we face infectious diseases.
It is not the first time that distrust in the government leads to massive protests.
It is not the first time that we see an international giant banks / company fall.
History is a good teacher and if you dive deeper in-between the facts and names, you will see the underlying human psychology at work that causes the event to happen as it is. Everything happens for a reason.
By studying history and human psychology, we would be learning from other people’s life and mistakes can potentially save us from horrible decision-making that could ruin us. Identifying the cause and effect and the root of the issue (and perhaps the hidden assumption, human error, mistakes) can benefit us to become wiser in the face of turmoil and crisis.
History books to study:
21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari
This book is all about the present.
Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari
This book is all about the past.
Homo Deus, by Yuval Noah Harari
This book is all about the future
See history as stories — look to the patterns of things in order to understand the cause and effect relationship that drives the (real) characters to behave as they did, and how they react.
In our daily lives, too often we are trapped in the hustle
Looking from a third person’s perspective (bird’s eyes view), you would be able to see things with better clarity rather than just clinging onto your own views of how things should be. From the higher level, you would be able to see and learn how things really are — to look at the reality and truth.
The human race has evolved a lot since the stone age, the only thing that remains permanent is psychology.
Human psychology books to study:
Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion by Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson
How the media, our friends, and even we ourselves cause us to behave in unexpected ways.
Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
A book about the cognitive dissonance we embrace to justify our bad decisions.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
Grandfather and classic must-read of psychology books. It teaches critical principles that will help you understand how to influence others and yourself — and how to protect yourself from unethical persuasion.
The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
Fear is one of the dominating psychology and it is important to understand more about how we react to it.
It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Capt. D. Michael Abrashoff
Management and team-building psychology.
My Life in Advertising & Scientific Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins
The psychology of being sold — this book explains the theory behind advertising and proven tactics you can use to approach it.
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Douglas Kent Hall
The psychology of top performer.
Models: Attract Women Through Honesty by Mark Manson
The psychology of attraction.
Principles by Ray Dalio
The psychology of investing
Four-times entrepreneur Elon Musk has shown us that cross-disciplinary learning can have an exponential effect on our work, career, business and life.
By combining history and human psychology, we become a student of humanity which real education should be about.
