Jumpstart Your Dream Life

The Streisand Effect: Why Censorship Leads to the Spread of Information

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In 2003, Barbra Streisand made a grave miscalculation.

She attempted to sue photographer Kenneth Adelman for invasion of privacy. In the process of documenting the California coastline, he photographed her Malibu mansion. Adelman then included the photo as part of the California Coastal Records Project.

Adelman created the publicly available 12,000 photo collection in order to document coastal erosion. His aim was to influence government policymakers. No matter the intent, Streisand didn’t take kindly to the inclusion of an image of her home. She launched a $50 million lawsuit.

Before the lawsuit, “Image 3850” had only been downloaded from Adelman’s site six times, two of which were by Streisand’s attorneys. Afterward? Over 420,000 people visited the site in a month due to the resulting publicity.

As for the lawsuit, things didn’t go well for Barbra Streisand. The case was dismissed and Streisand subsequently had to pay Adelman’s legal fees totaling $155,567.

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Ghosts, Monsters, and Curses: Why We (Still) Believe in the Unbelievable

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Bigfoot. Aliens. The Loch Ness Monster. There are all sorts of creatures out there that people buy into. While many of us see them as myth, there are many still who are rabid followers, chasing after any clues and signs.

Once in a while, something new pops up. A photo reveals a hazy shape off in the distance. Someone claims they saw a strange creature while hiking in the forest. A group of people hear unusual noises. When questionable evidence comes up, many people jump to the same conclusion every time: they were right all along.

However, there are few stories that have shared the same mystique as the legend behind the Hope Diamond.

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Just-World Hypothesis: Do People Always Get What They Deserve?

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“Whoops – My wand is a little over excited!” – Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Do you believe people get what they deserve in the end?

Because that’s exactly what happens to Gilderoy Lockhart, a character in the Harry Potter books.

Born in 1964 to a Muggle father and a witch mother, Lockhart attended school at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he joined the house of Ravenclaw. While there, Lockhart proved to be a good student, even though he constantly attempted to seek attention for himself.

In 1982, Lockhart mastered the spell of Memory Charms, enabling him to erase people’s memories. After graduation, he travelled to all sorts of exotic places. Using his newfound skill, he learned the greatest deeds that witches and wizards performed before promptly erasing their memories and claiming their deeds as his own.

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You Are Capable of Change, You Just Need Your Brain to Believe It Too

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Your brain becomes fossilized with age.

At least, that’s what they say.

In order to be classified as a fossil, a specimen usually has to be over 10,000 years old. When you consider this, comparing aged brains to fossils isn’t exactly a flattering metaphor. Fossils are hard, lifeless remains of what once was a thriving being – and that’s exactly what your brain becomes with time.

But it starts even earlier than that.

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4 Tips on Sending Effective Cold Emails

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Most cold emails that get sent out are pesky, irrelevant, or both. The busier the person, the more of these emails they receive. So when a cold email lands in a busy person’s inbox, that person usually ignores the message and moves on.

But there are exceptions. Once in a while, an email comes by that is interesting, relevant, and most importantly, compels the receiver to respond. Writing such an email is the key to opening doors for opportunities.

Over the past few years, I’ve drafted hundreds of emails from scratch. I’ve also received many emails containing a variety of messages, requests, and comments. While there’s been a large amount of trial and error on my part, I’ve started to notice trends on the types of emails that get bypassed and which ones receive a response.

Here are four tips to keep in mind the next time you send out an email:

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The Diderot Effect: Why We’re Still Unhappy After Buying What We Want

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One fateful day, Diderot’s world turned upside down.

No, he wasn’t laid off from his job. No, he wasn’t moving into a new apartment. And no, he wasn’t getting a divorce. In fact, he didn’t even realize at the time what was happening.

But before we get into all that, we need to answer the question: Who was Diderot?

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Focusing On the Present: How to Release Regrets and Anxieties

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“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.” — Lao Tzu

Each and every one of us has two lives.

Throughout our existence, we experience both simultaneously. Sometimes, both lives are aligned. Other times, they are worlds apart.

They are our outer lives and our inner lives.

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How to Thrive in an Environment that Doesn’t Support Your Goals

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You are the product of your environment.

The environment we live in influences, and in some ways, reflects who we are. Similar to how our bodies reflect the foods we eat, the places we visit and the people we meet reflect the way we think and believe.

Being raised in an inner-city neighborhood means you’ll likely live in the same neighborhood as an adult, while growing up in a middle-class area is a strong predictor of your future lifestyle. It’s difficult to escape the chains in which we are bound.

So how do you thrive in an environment that doesn’t support your goals?

The Count of Monte Cristo

In Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, the protagonist Edmond Dantès is set up for a promising future. He’s soon to become captain of a ship, newly engaged, and popular amongst his peers. However, his perfect life is about to take a turn for the worse.

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Why Bronze Medalists Smile More Than Silver Medalists

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When it comes to the Olympics, the rankings are clear: the gold medalist is the top athlete, followed by silver, and finally, bronze.

The top athletes go for gold. If not gold, then silver is better than the bronze medal. But if that’s the case, why do medalists holding the bronze have a wider grin on their faces than the silver medalists?

How Olympic Athletes React Based On Which Medal They Receive

In a study comparing the reactions of medal winners, researchers took video recordings of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The first recording showed the athletes as they learned their placement and the second recording showed the medal winners standing on the podium.

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Are Humans Built to Be Happy?

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These days, the concept of happiness seems ever-present on our minds.

We reflect on the things that give us joy and how to incorporate more of it into our lives. We talk about how to deal with mental disorders and depression. We battle isolation, criticism, and negativity on a regular basis.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 4 percent of the world’s population suffers from depression. Global economic losses amount to over $1 trillion a year due to decreased productivity. When people become fatigued or stressed, they find it hard to resolve problems at work and in the home.

If we’re so obsessed with happiness, why are we so unhappy?

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