Why non-conformists always end up looking alike

Go ahead, try and be different.

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  • Anti-conformists have an odd way of ending up looking like each other.
  • A Brandeis mathematician looks at how this synchronicity occurs.
  • Understanding the mechanism behind non-conformist conformity has applications in other areas, like the stock market.
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7 best board games to help children think big

Like sneaking veggies into dessert, these board games teach STEM, strategy, and executive functions through the joys of play.

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  • Many popular board games offer little more than colorful distractions, lacking both thoughtful design or quality learning principles.
  • However, the recent board game renaissance has resulted in a host of new games that teach children a range of hard and soft skills through play.
  • We look at some of the best new board games and offer tips to find even more.
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Why American culture gets mistakes all wrong

Mistakes are part of learning, not a failure of character.

A young woman smokes a cigarette during a break outside an office building on May 4, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. Smoking is banned in Germany in restaurants and most indoor venues. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
  • Americans treat mistakes as character flaws, write Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson.
  • The Japanese, by contrast, treat errors as an essential part of personal growth.
  • Coming clean about our mistakes helps us earn trust and feel better about ourselves.
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3 ways to see misleading emotions more clearly

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  • Our emotions can lead us astray.
  • Just because you have an intense feeling doesn't mean you need to urgently act on it.
  • Shane Parrish has some tips for being more mindful of your feelings and more accountable for them.
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Why avoiding logical fallacies is an everyday superpower

Ten of the most sandbagging, red-herring, and effective logical fallacies.

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  • Many an otherwise-worthwhile argument has been derailed by logical fallacies.
  • Sometimes these fallacies are deliberate tricks, and sometimes just bad reasoning.
  • Avoiding these traps makes disgreeing so much better.
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