Essays
Long reads on how we actually think, decide and live.
The price of being kind
Generosity looks irrational on a spreadsheet. Over a lifetime it is the best trade most of us ever make.
What the lottery teaches us about hope
A ticket is not a bet on winning. It is a small, weekly permission to imagine.
What the shortcut teaches us about regret
Economists have a model. The rest of us have a Tuesday.
Knowing when to stop
Enough is a decision, not a quantity, and almost nobody makes it on purpose.
A short history of the to-do list
Before we try to fix people, it is worth understanding what they are for.
The loyalty of the weather forecast
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
What wealth feels like
The number in the account and the feeling of security are only loosely related.
A short history of the shortcut
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
Envy is a slow form of trust
The cost is obvious, the benefit is diffuse, and so the benefit loses.
What the last biscuit teaches us about kindness
The cost is obvious, the benefit is diffuse, and so the benefit loses.
Attention is a borrowed habit
Most advice assumes a person who never existed.
What the slow lane teaches us about loyalty
A small decision, repeated daily, is a life. Nobody designs it that way.