'Read 2,000 books': Werner Herzog's advice on reading.

The famed German filmmaker offers his thoughts on reading during Eric Weinstein's podcast.

Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage
  • During Eric Weinstein's podcast, The Portal, Werner Herzog said that reading is essential for any creative endeavor.
  • In the past, Herzog has stated that you can't be a filmmaker without a regular reading habit.
  • Herzog's reading list includes classics by Virgil and J.A. Baker, and even the report on JFK's assassination.
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Exploring 'harm-joy': Here are the best books on schadenfreude

Experts' thoughts on this unique emotional state.

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  • These books take a deep dive into the psychological and philosophical implications of schadenfreude.
  • Overall, the authors believe that schadenfreude is a fundamental and universal emotion.
  • It stems from a number of unique psychological and social conditions.
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Being and drunkenness: How to party like an existentialist

"A serious party neglects the underlying virtues of playfulness and generosity that make a party authentic."

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Existentialism has a reputation for being angst-ridden and gloomy mostly because of its emphasis on pondering the meaninglessness of existence, but two of the best-known existentialists knew how to have fun in the face of absurdity.

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Mathematician Eric Weinstein launches a new podcast, The Portal

The Portal promises to be a deep dive into the possible.

Photo credit: FilmMagic / FilmMagic
  • Mathematician Eric Weinstein wants to put the mystery back into the world with his new podcast, The Portal.
  • The managing director of Thiel Capital announced his new project last week on the Joe Rogan Experience.
  • Weinstein says the recurring narrative is important during childhood, yet we often lose touch with it in adulthood.
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California, an island? Meet cartography's most persistent mistake

The Glen McLaughlin Collection brings together more than 700 historical examples of 'California as an island'.

Image: © Stanford University, CC BY-NC 3.0
  • California was born a fiction: named after a made-up island the name of which could be translated as 'caliphate'.
  • For centuries, California was a cartographic fiction as well: it was shown as an island until as late as 1865.
  • Over 40 years, Glen McLaughlin dug up more than 700 maps of California as an island – the world's biggest collection on cartography's most persistent mistake.
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