Why You Should Finish A Book? #LeadersAreReaders June 2022

Last month [June 2022] I only managed to finish two books. Since the relaxation of quarantine, the works of ministry are getting momentum - and then some. Most of the time, I read for references, and not enough space for leisure reading. I hope for the months to come, I can catch up with other books that I've bought during The Hills Book Fair. Before I share why once you start a book you should finish it is a wise rule, I want to confess that I sometimes break this rule myself. Quitting a book is not a sin. This is a wise rule, not a divine law. Having said that, here are FOUR (4) REASONS why you should finish a book:

1) SURPRISES. When you stop short, you risk missing something incredible. I can’t count how many books have bored me in the beginning only to later amaze me with their insights and thrills. I experienced this when I read Dan Brown's Origin (2017) and James Garvey's The Persuaders (2016). Also, when I first read the Book of Leviticus I find it very boring and irrelevant. But after I endure to the end and studied a little more on the subject, I find that is a very enriching book of truth!

2) PLEASURE. Finishing a book is like completing a mission or a race. The sense of accomplishment and a small win will motivate you to want to read more. It's like you have done something great amid never-ending challenges in the world today. I remember when I finished reading a big volume of Martyn Lloyd-Jones's Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (1984), I felt like a champion and filled with awe by Lord Jesus's teachings and Lloyd Jones's expositions. The intellectual pleasure makes me happy and the spiritual pleasure makes me glad.

3) DISCIPLINE. Perhaps this is not a popular word nowadays. But to start a book means you want to acquire the discipline, to begin with, and it requires discipline to finish it. What I mean is this: You need the discipline to begin and you will gain discipline when you finish it. It's like reading the Bible. As Christ believers, you know you should read the Bible but most of the time you don't feel like you want to read it. So what's the solution? After asking God to give you spiritual hunger for the Word of God, the most basic way is to JUST read it. Once you discipline yourself to start to read it and do it daily, the habit will start to form and soon or later you just can't live without it for more than a week! You'll start to love it and finish it.

4) RESPECT. "Never judge a book by its cover", right? Hmmm... sometimes I do. I think we can bring that a step further in a much more practical way: Never judge a book by some bad chapters. Yuval Noah Harari, I think, has written two very important books, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011) and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015). I recommend both. I enjoy Harari's insights, intelligence, and train of thought. But I do not necessarily agree with some of his theories and conclusions. In fact, there are chapters and sentences that I just can't tolerate. Yet, out of respect, I need to judge his books as a whole. Never give up a book just because you disagree with some of their arguments. Trying to understand other people's opinions without compromising your values is the key. Even if you want to criticize the author, make sure you read the book to the end.

There are more that I wanted to say but the four reasons above should be enough, right? May you find a book or two or more that can make you say what Lailah Gifty Akita wrote: "I wish I could fall asleep. But with a good book in my hands, I stay awake to finish reading.” #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #FinishABook #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Art of the Good Life: 52 Surprising Shortcuts to Happiness, Wealth, and Success (2017) by Rolf Dobelli, Book Review

The Art of the Good Life: 52 Surprising Shortcuts to Happiness, Wealth, and Success (2017) by Rolf Dobelli

This is my second book from Dobelli. I enjoyed the first one, The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013), and since this is marketed as the follow-up book, I expected to have the same enjoyment with this one too (Here lie my many biases. Chief among them is the confirmation bias!). I do, most of the time. What the subtitle called shortcuts are actually Dobelli's "own collection of mental tools designed to build a good life" as he defines it. He derives these tools from classical antiquity to cutting-edge psychological research. As such, these are not original thoughts per se but packed briefly and simply for modern readers and aimed to be as practical as possible for the twenty-first century. The author, an economic philosopher, admits that "these fifty-two intellectual tools may not guarantee you a good life, but they'll give you a fighting chance." I like this kind of honesty.

Here are what I like about this book: 1) Each chapter consists of one main mental tool, with a clear definition or explanation and relatable examples. I think this is why Dobell is a good writer (it was originally written in the German language) because he can make complex concepts and academic journals accessible to common readers like me. Perhaps there are times when he oversimplified things and situations, but hey, these are just tools not laws; 2) I appreciate Dobelli's openness about his atheism and stoicism. This understanding helps me to see from his point of view and filtered through what I read with my own worldview; and 3) Notes at the end of this book are very useful if I want to explore each tool further. There are references and credits. By the way, I noticed that he loves to quote Warren Buffett, Charles Munger, Bertrand Russell, and Daniel Kahneman. Good thinkers.

Overall, I like it. Although, if you haven't read any book by Dobelli, I recommend you start with The Art of Thinking Clearly. That book will make you feel - and perhaps actually - smart. You may or may not read this one as a follow-up. I bought this at a massive discount bookstore. The normal price is expensive. So, borrow or find a secondhand one ☕#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheArtOfTheGoodLife #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Energized by Books #1Book1Week August 2020

 

As an introvert (at its core), I'm energized when I read books quietly outside but noisily inside. And because I love to explore various subjects, find new ideas and challenge my beliefs, these lists are very enriching. Let me know if you want to discuss any of these books 😉

 < Blessing Or Curse> One of my favourite Bible teachers Derek Prince, in this book, shows how the forces behind blessings and curses might be at work in our lives. Drawing from God's Word and real-life experiences, he helps us understand the causes of curses and ways of blessing. Read my BOOK REVIEW here: https://www.richardangelus.me/.../blessing-or-curse-you...

 < Difficulties In the Bible > This book examines some of the difficulties surrounding the Bible and explains how we should deal with them when they arise (so, R.A. Torrey didn't deal with every difficulty). Each chapter focuses on a different passage of Scripture and provides an illuminating perspective on the biblical text. Read my BOOK REVIEW here: https://www.richardangelus.me/.../difficulties-in-bible...

 < Hitler > Some people say this is “In the best short biography of Adolf Hitler"; some disagree. N.A. Wilson comes from very narrow angles of what made the 'Fuhrer' the phenomenon he was. His conclusions make fascinating, somewhat controversial, and unique. I appreciate the brevity because I don't want to read a long biography of this man (or some say, animal). Read my BOOK REVIEW here: https://www.richardangelus.me/.../hitler-2012-by-n-wilson...

 < Rich Malaysia, Poor Malaysians > This statement says it all: "Malaysia is blessed with abundant natural resources, petroleum being the most precious. With income per capita of about US$9,970 and Petronas continuously providing an onerously generous 40 percent to government revenues, Malaysia has all the essential ingredients to flourish." But why? Oh why rich Malaysia, but poor Malaysians* still? Read my BOOK REVIEW here: https://www.richardangelus.me/.../rich-malaysia-poor...

 < The Art of Thinking Clearly > If you love reading about psychology and human behaviour like I do, this book is essential. It is about cognitive biases, namely, systematic errors in thinking that occurs when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgments that they make. Read my BOOK REVIEW here: https://www.richardangelus.me/.../the-art-of-thinking...

 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreLeaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #Theology #Hermeneutic #Biography #Politics #Thinking

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The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013) by Rolf Dobelli, 2nd Book Review

The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013) by Rolf Dobelli, 2^nd Book Review

I have read this book twice. The first was 4 years ago in 2016 (to read my first review, CLICK HERE). I love this book so much for three main reasons: 1) It’s about thinking; 2) I’m very interested in social psychology and decision-making; and 3) Each chapter is short, concise, and easy to read. It is about cognitive biases, namely, systematic errors in thinking that occur when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgments that they make. The bad news is that all of us - even the most self-aware people - cannot avoid all of these biases. But the good news is that we can begin to understand why we do what we do and by deliberate practice - we can make better (not perfect) choices. Dobelli outlines 99 cognitive biases, let me share the top 3 biases, in my opinion, that we always make in our day-to-day thinking:

#1 Confirmation Bias. It is the idea that people seek out information and data that confirms their pre-existing ideas. They tend to ignore contrary information. This can be a very dangerous cognitive bias in business and especially, religion. Let say you just started a business selling Faith Fleur hair serum because your friend says it’s an excellent and the best serum in Malaysia. You post some testimonial pictures on your social media and then a few hours later, you observe (due to the algorithm) that others in your circle of social media also sell the product with very positive testimonies. You thought, “This product is the best!” Is it the best? No. There are other products in the market. Faith Fleur hair serum is a popular, safe, and good product but not the very best there is. Your friend says it’s the best, you believe her, and so you interpret everything based on that existing belief or conviction. As you can see, if you apply that bias in religion, it can be misleading, even dangerous. “The confirmation bias,” writes Dobelli, “is the mother of all misconceptions.”

#2 Groupthink. It is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of individuals reaches a consensus without critical reasoning or evaluation of the consequences or alternatives. Let me give an example in a Christian setting: during a Bible Study on the Book of Romans, the leader expounds the Scripture and concludes that Calvinist doctrines of predestination and election are the most biblical and faithful to the Scripture. When you heard it, you’re skeptical and doubtful. You wanted to respond and ask questions but since almost everyone nodded in agreement, you keep silent. Not wanting you cause division, you suppressed your opinions, and say to yourself, “Oh well, since nobody disagree with him, maybe I’m wrong.” And you say “Amen” all the way. If you want to decide with your friends where to eat for supper (Malaysian culture ma), then subjecting yourself to groupthink is harmless. But when it involves ethics or morals (and eternal consequences), groupthink can be disastrous.   

#3 Halo Effect. Simply put: it is when one trait of a person or thing is used to make an overall judgment of that person or thing. It is also known as the "physical attractiveness stereotype" or the "what is beautiful is a 'good' principle." I love this example by Dobelli: “Dozens of studies have shown that we automatically regard good-looking people are more pleasant, honest, and intelligent. Attractive people also have it easier in their professional lives - and that has nothing to do with the myth of women ‘sleeping their way to the top.’ The effect can even be detected in schools, where teachers unconsciously give good-looking students better grades.” Men, do you accept Facebook friend requests by a stunningly beautiful girl right away even though you never knew her before? Woman, do you think all the BTS members are angels from heaven? (Okay, maybe not all men or women like that). We love to think that we are fair and just, not stereotyping and anti-racism, very kind, and ‘never judge a book by its cover’ but on a subconscious level, we do. We are irrational. Why do anime fans think that Son Goku is the good guy? Because when he died, he has a halo and angel’s wings. Oh, the halo effect dies hard.

I recommend this book for beginners and for those who want to get the big picture of cognitive biases or fallacies. If you want to study deeper, I recommend reading books by Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow (haven’t finished it, so no book review yet), Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s The Black Swan (use it as reference), Robert Cialdini’s Influence (my review, CLICK HERE), Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational & The Upside of Irrationality (my review, CLICK HERE), and Steven D. Levitt’s Think Like a Freak (my review, CLICK HERE). But before I finished, I’m fully aware of the controversy that Rolf Dobelli is accused of - or actually, showing that - plagiarizing other authors especially his once a good friend, Nassim Nicholas Taleb... I think it’s true.

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