Authenticity

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Authenticity

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Black and white film strips show a man in a suit making various facial expressions, channeling a Dali-like flair as he holds a cane to his face in one frame.
Mini Philosophy
The Dalí trick: The strange psychology of becoming who you want to be
Who do you want to be today?
Jonny Thomson
A group of identical, featureless figures with one central figure colored dark blue and green, surrounded by swirling lines.
Science & Tech
3 ways to prove you’re human online
As AI overwhelms the web, we will need a way to distinguish people from machines.
Andrey Mir
Book cover of "The Way of Excellence" by Brad Stulberg, featuring a winding path through green hills and a testimonial quote by Steve Kerr on how to find success.
Business
How to find success the “autotelic” way
Too many rich and prominent people turn out to be egotistical jerks: Brad Stulberg argues for a more grounded path towards excellence.
Brad Stulberg
Two people sit on white chairs facing each other, both smiling and dressed formally, on a brightly lit stage with a blue and white background.
Mini Philosophy
The Oprah Rule: What everyone wants you to say in a conversation  
People don't want you to buy their stories — they want you to listen to them.
Jonny Thomson
Simon Squibb, a middle-aged man in a blue shirt, stands outdoors in an urban setting, holding a small microphone with his arms crossed.
Business
The art of the hook: How Simon Squibb redefines influence
British entrepreneur Simon Squibb made his fortune and retired — then amassed legions of followers by giving away sharp business advice for free.
Lucy Tobin
Book cover for "The Hypocrisy Trap" by Michael Hallsworth, featuring a blue pattern of interlocking hands forming fists, with a subtitle about improving lives by changing criticism and understanding the influence of hypocrites.
Books
The 4 types of hypocrites (that we actually like)
In this excerpt from "The Hypocrisy Trap," Michael Hallsworth explains why accusations of hypocrisy don’t always damage credibility.
Michael Hallsworth
A woman with long red hair, wearing a puffer jacket, stands outdoors with passion in her gaze—holding binoculars and looking up as a camera hangs from her neck.
Mini Philosophy
3 ways to cultivate a passion
Be weird and esoteric because humans are weird and esoteric.
Jonny Thomson
Collage with "The Nightcrawler" text, an image of a tree, two photos of elderly hands working with clay—reminiscent of Warren Buffett’s wisdom—and partial faces of an older person, all highlighted by orange accents.
Business
Lessons from two of the greatest investors of all time
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
A man in a dark polo shirt sits and smiles in front of a background with graph lines and stock charts, evoking the analytical style of Buffett and Munger.
The Long Game
A fresh take on the Buffett-Munger axis of genius
A conversation with investor and author Alex Morris on what Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger can teach us about focus, discipline, and building a life that lasts.
Eric Markowitz
A smiling man with short dark hair wears a button-up shirt, standing in front of a purple, splattered-texture background.
13.8
David Kipping on how the search for alien life is gaining credibility
Big Think spoke with astronomer David Kipping about technosignatures, "extragalactic SETI," and being a popular science communicator in the YouTube age.
Adam Frank
A man speaking into a microphone, an illustration of a person with a bun near Japanese text, and Kevin Kelly, a bearded man, are overlaid with red geometric shapes under the title "THE NIGHT CRAWLER.
Business
What AI can never replace
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
A collage features people using phones, a vintage courtroom scene, and a close-up of mechanical watch parts under tweezers, exploring ancestral bonds, with the title "THE NIGHTCRAWLER" at the top.
Business
Inside my study of the world’s oldest companies
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
Book cover for "The Contemplative Leader" by Patrick Boland, featuring blue abstract art and Patrick Boland’s name alongside the subtitle "Uncover the Power of Presence and Connection.
Business
How “contemplative leadership” can help us face uncertainty with confidence
A contemplative approach to leading others can help us accept the tension of not always knowing how things will play out.
Patrick Boland
A woman's black and white portrait is centered, crafted by AI creators. An abstract geometric background with orange, black, and yellow segments featuring cube patterns surrounds the photo.
Business
The Morissa Schwartz interview: AI and the new media landscape
The founder of GenZ Publishing joins Big Think from the infinitely unfurling confluence of print and digital.
Mike Hodgkinson
A person in a suit holds a paper with a smiley face over their head, giving the thumbs-up with the other hand—perhaps caught in the people-pleaser trap, masking true feelings for approval.
Business
5 ways to avoid the “people-pleaser trap” at work
The road to “uncaged leadership” means reimagining your professional identity and value. Here’s how.
Katia Vlachos
Man in glasses and a brown jacket with a serious expression; the background features a blue overlay adorned with white sports strategy symbols and a cheering crowd. It's reminiscent of a Coach Raveling masterclass, where every move is meticulously planned.
Business
Leadership masterclass: Nike, Jordan, and James Baldwin
George Raveling — the iconic leader who brought Michael Jordan to Nike — shares with Big Think a lifetime of priceless wisdom learned at the crossroads of sports and business.
Mike Hodgkinson
Collage featuring a construction worker, a person with a hand on their back, silhouettes, and the text "The Nightcrawler" in green and black, highlighting the power of in-person connection.
Business
The rising value of in-person connection
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
A line of waiters in formal attire, embodying a sense of unreasonable hospitality, carry trays with teapots and cups as they gracefully walk in procession outside the building.
Business
How the 3 pillars of “unreasonable hospitality” can transform any business
Restaurateur Will Guidara explains why it’s not just what you do, but how you make people feel that leads to successful ventures.
Ellise Pierce
Open book on a grid background, left page with a blue sticky note saying "You can do it!!", while the right page features an orange-tinted photo of a woman resting her chin on her hand. Remember to be genuine and avoid carewashing in your motivations.
Business
Well-being masterclass: How to avoid the pitfalls of company “carewashing”
Your teams need authentic caregiving, not an insincere plan to merely check all of the well-being boxes.
Jennifer Moss
A black and white collage of three women: one adjusting sunglasses, one walking on a runway, and one in a scarf, all captured in different settings. Each embodies the essence of women redefining leadership through their unique styles and confident presence.
Business
5 ways women are redefining leadership
Women bring new and innovative ways of exercising power to the table, argues Gaia van der Esch. All business teams will benefit.
Gaia van der Esch
A statue of a thoughtful, seated philosopher on the right seems to be contemplating a calling, while a standing figure holding a lyre on the left adds harmony against the textured background.
Thinking
Everyday Philosophy: Can you have a “calling” without a caller?
If you're an atheist with a vocation, who laid that path for you?
Jonny Thomson
Collage showcasing a stratospheric balloon soaring over Earth and a close-up of fingers, with "The Nightcrawler" emblazoned at the top, capturing the spirit of a creative renaissance.
Business
How AI is ushering in a creative renaissance
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
In a split image, Taleb's surgeon stands confidently alongside two diverse medical professionals: a woman in a hijab and a woman with glasses, each wearing stethoscopes.
Business
How “Taleb’s Surgeon” redefines what expertise looks like
The truly talented are those who got to where they are despite preconceived expectations.
Jonny Thomson
Edith Eva Eger, an older woman with short light hair, wearing a colorful scarf and gold earrings, sits on a chair with a butterfly pattern in a well-lit room.
Neuropsych
Holocaust survivor on freeing yourself from the “prison of your mind”
"I am free. It's a lot of effort to be free from the prison that is in your mind, and the key is in your pocket." - Edith Eva Eger
Kevin Dickinson
An open book displays great leaders, with a man walking with a briefcase on the right page and silhouettes of birds flying on the left page.
Business
Indispensable? Why some leaders should embrace succession
If “founder mode” runs its course, CEOs should cultivate a new skillset rooted in the authenticity of self-awareness.
Claudius A. Hildebrand & Robert J. Stark
A detailed painting of a pensive young woman with brown hair, dressed in red, looking down thoughtfully, hinting at a new chapter that balances her happy moments and quiet reflections.
Neuropsych
How redefining happiness can transform your life
We must get happiness right — even when the world around us gets it wrong.
Stephanie Harrison
A painting of the Parthenon, an ancient temple with columns and partial ruins, under a clear blue sky. The landscape around it includes scattered stones and minimal vegetation, perfectly capturing the essence of strong presentation skills in historical artistry.
Business
How ancient Greek speaking skills can supercharge your presentations
Rhetorical mastery is within everyone’s reach — equipped with some basic techniques you can rock it like Aristotle.
Kris Flegg
Close-up of a person's ear and partial profile of their face against a black and blue background, embodying the quiet confidence of a leader.
Business
The #1 superpower every leader needs
You can’t lead if you can’t listen.
Big Think+
A book titled "How To Be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment" by Skye C. Cleary, exploring the path to happiness, is displayed against a background of rippling water.
Thinking
How to be authentically happy in a world full of suffering
The philosopher Skye C. Cleary explores what being authentically happy looks like in a world where so many can't be.
Skye C. Cleary
Close-up of five pastel-colored faces with closed eyes integrated into a wavy background, each face in a different color: yellow, pink, blue, green, and red.
Business
Why the 5 core elements of “psychological safety” are essential for career and company
Without authenticity, curiosity, and risk-taking we get stuck in the mud — here’s how to make space for resilient progress.
André Radmall
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