9,698 books
—
2,051 voters
to-read
(239)
currently-reading (15)
read (304)
i-recommend (0)
fantasy-ya (47)
philosophy (39)
fiction (27)
favorites (18)
currently-reading (15)
read (304)
i-recommend (0)
fantasy-ya (47)
philosophy (39)
fiction (27)
favorites (18)
fantasy
(17)
non-fiction (15)
historical-fiction (13)
plays (9)
poetry (8)
cooking (6)
feminism (5)
ya (5)
non-fiction (15)
historical-fiction (13)
plays (9)
poetry (8)
cooking (6)
feminism (5)
ya (5)


“In a world deluged by irrelevant information, clarity is power.”
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century

“It takes a lot of courage to fight biases and oppressive regimes, but it takes even greater courage to admit ignorance and venture into the unknown. Secular education teaches us that if we don’t know something, we shouldn’t be afraid of acknowledging our ignorance and looking for new evidence. Even if we think we know something, we shouldn’t be afraid of doubting our opinions and checking ourselves again. Many people are afraid of the unknown, and want clear-cut answers for every question. Fear of the unknown can paralyse us more than any tyrant. People throughout history worried that unless we put all our faith in some set of absolute answers, human society will crumble. In fact, modern history has demonstrated that a society of courageous people willing to admit ignorance and raise difficult questions is usually not just more prosperous but also more peaceful than societies in which everyone must unquestioningly accept a single answer. People afraid of losing their truth tend to be more violent than people who are used to looking at the world from several different viewpoints. Questions you cannot answer are usually far better for you than answers you cannot question.”
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century

“One potential remedy for human stupidity is a dose of humility. National, religious and cultural tensions are made worse by the grandiose feeling that my nation, my religion and my culture are the most important in the world â€� hence my interests should come before the interests of anyone else, or of humankind as a whole. How can we make nations, religions and cultures a bit more realistic and modest about their true place in the world?”
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century

“If we cannot leave something tangible behind â€� such as a gene or a poem â€� perhaps it is enough if we just make the world a little better? You can help somebody, and that somebody will subsequently help somebody else, and you thereby contribute to the overall improvement of the world, and constitute a small link in the great chain of kindness. Maybe you serve as a mentor for a difficult but brilliant child, who goes on to be a doctor who saves the lives of hundreds? Maybe you help an old lady cross the street, and brighten up an hour of her life? Though it has its merits, the great chain of kindness is a bit like the great chain of turtles â€� it is far from clear where its meaning comes from. A wise old man was asked what he learned about the meaning of life. ‘Well,â€� he answered, ‘I have learned that I am here on earth in order to help other people. What I still haven’t figured out is why the other people are here.”
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century

“We are now creating tame humans that produce enormous amounts of data and function as very efficient chips in a huge data-processing mechanism, but these data-cows hardly maximize the human potential. Indeed, we have no idea what our full human potential is, because we know so little about the human mind. And yet we don’t invest much in exploring the human mind, instead focusing on increasing the speed of our internet connections and the efficiency of our Big Data algorithms. If we are not careful, we will end up with downgraded humans misusing upgraded computers to wreak havoc on themselves and on the world.”
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
― 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Leena’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Leena’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends�
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Leena
Lists liked by Leena