Blog
Is Art an Instinct or Did We Just Make It Up?
Why art resists every definition, how duct-taped bananas end up in museums, and the evolutionary debate over whether creating art is built into our DNA
Four Theories That Try to Explain Why You Like What You Like
Mere exposure, arousal dynamics, prototype theory, and fluency — how psychologists have tried to crack the code of aesthetic preference, and where each theory breaks down
How Do You Actually Study Beauty in a Lab?
What happens when researchers try to measure something as subjective as beauty — and why the gap between what we feel and what we can test matters
Can You Like Something Beautiful Without Wanting It?
Kant's four features of aesthetic judgment, the neuroscience of liking versus wanting, and why your brain treats beauty differently from simple pleasure
What Would the World Look Like Without Beauty?
A first look at why aesthetics shapes nearly every decision we make — from organizing browser tabs to choosing a life partner
Why Your Brain Decides Something Is Beautiful Before You Do
How symmetry, exposure, arousal, and grouping shape aesthetic judgment — and why a serial killer, a blurry portrait, and a Lego set prove the point
Same Bet, Different Choices — and the Math That Explains Why
How expected utility theory formalizes risk preferences and why two rational people can look at the same gamble and walk away with opposite decisions.
Why Our Brains Love Shortcuts Even When They Mislead Us
A practical look at heuristics, cognitive biases, and why anchoring, stereotypes, and vivid headlines can distort how we judge the world. 👋
Building Good Products Means Understanding More Than Tech
A practical look at product thinking, value proposition, product-market fit, and why client-server communication sits underneath so much of what we build.
Taxes Feel Overwhelming Until You See How the Math Actually Works
A practical walkthrough of the US income tax system — how brackets work, what gets deducted from your paycheck, and why your effective rate is always lower than your marginal rate.
Retirement Accounts Are the One Benefit You Can't Afford to Ignore
A practical breakdown of pensions, 401(k)s, and IRAs — how they work, why they matter, and why starting in your 20s gives you an unfair advantage through compounding.
Your Salary Is Only Half the Story of What You Get Paid
A practical walkthrough of what makes up a compensation package, how to negotiate your worth, and why managing your career is your responsibility.