Essays
Long reads on how we actually think, decide and live.
The patience of the deadline
Before we try to fix people, it is worth understanding what they are for.
The risk of small talk
Not every irrational act is a mistake. Some are the point.
Hope is a slow bargain
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
What the loyalty card teaches us about envy
It looks like a flaw in the person. Mostly it is a feature of the situation.
The pride of the commute
A small decision, repeated daily, is a life. Nobody designs it that way.
What the group chat teaches us about pride
Before we try to fix people, it is worth understanding what they are for.
A short history of gossip
We are far better at explaining our choices than at making them.
A short history of the to-do list
Before we try to fix people, it is worth understanding what they are for.
Fair enough
People will pay to punish unfairness. Markets have never quite accepted this.
Kindness is a public bargain
Not every irrational act is a mistake. Some are the point.
A short history of small talk
Most advice assumes a person who never existed.
In praise of the commute
The evidence is clear, the incentives are not, and the incentives usually win.