These essays were written by Eddy Hood and represent an in-depth exploration of specific ideas related to literature and philosophy.
When you look at your home library, do you see books that you’ve read, loved, and COMPLETELY forgotten? I’m talking about the life-changing books that filled you with ideas and are now collecting dust on your shelf. What happened? When I forget books, it’s because I stayed at level 1 of reading comprehension – aContinue reading Do You Forget Books? Try This When You Read.
Robert Greene, author of Mastery and other psychologically juicy books, shares a powerful tip for achieving a higher level of skill in any field — and it’s connected to how you read. Before I share his secret, let’s figure out WHAT you should master in your life. In the first section of his book, Greene suggests thatContinue reading The Art of Mastery (For Book Lovers)
Decide to Be a Note-Taker Let’s assume you want to make notes when you read. How should you go about doing it? First off, it’s important that you decide to take this venture seriously. No more casual notes on loose sheets of paper or random ideas saved to your phone. You need a system ifContinue reading How I Take Notes When I Read a Book
It was my first time blessing the sacrament (communion) in a Mormon church, and I bungled it. Most boys forget words or mispronounce phrases, but I went a step further by wearing a blue shirt. This was a faux pas of my religious duties. The church, like other religions, creates expectations or commandments (call themContinue reading A Blue Shirt In a Mormon Church
The French philosopher René Descartes wrote, “I think, therefore I am,” which translated in Latin is Cogito, ergo sum (28). Actually, he wrote “I am thinking, therefore I exist,” but the former is more catchy. He coined the term to create a foundation for his philosophy of reason. Descartes questioned everything from the existence ofContinue reading I Write, Therefore I Am
Let’s do a thought experiment. Assume I give you ten thousand dollars and a book that teaches the exact method for converting your money into one million dollars by the end of the month. The only requirement is that you must follow its instructions perfectly. How would you go about learning from that book? WouldContinue reading A Useful Framework for Learning New Things (D-I-R-T)
Why should you learn something new? Maybe life is better lived without progress, merit, or hard work. After all, you can’t take your career with you when you die. The books you read will not pass beyond the grave. The things you build will likely be forgotten in a few generations at best. Despite theseContinue reading A Moral Obligation To Do Good Work
It’s almost 2024, and I’m practically a God; at least, I would have been in the eyes of ancient philosophers like Seneca, Plato, and Kant. That’s because I can use artificial intelligence to write full-length books at the snap of a finger. I can order food and have it delivered to my door within 30Continue reading Why You Should Study Philosophy in 2024
The Intellectual Life is worth reading for several reasons. It is short, concise, and full of universal ideas on how to live a life that wrestles with challenging concepts, explores excellent books, and ultimately produces a legacy. This little book spoke to me because I want to do good work and create something that matters.Continue reading 5 Lessons I Learned Reading The Intellectual Life
I’m ashamed to admit this, but I have a problem with books. If I see a bookstore, I have to go inside, and once I’m there, I always buy something. The dirty truth about book lovers is that we have piles of books stacked under desks, against walls, and atop every toilet. Reading all ofContinue reading The Three Reading Habits That Waste Time