BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK How Luxury Defies Economic Laws Key Takeaway: The law of demand, which states that as prices rise, demand generally falls, is a fundamental principle in economics. However, some goods, such as Veblen and Giffen goods, challenge this rule. Veblen goods, also known as “snob” goods, are valued for their prestige, exclusivity, and social standing. They are valued for their intrinsic […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK The Real Cost Of Billionaire Philanthropy Key Takeaway: Alice Walton, a Walmart heiress, has a $1.5 billion philanthropic footprint, including a $390 million donation in 2023 to support the Alice L Walton School of Medicine. However, her philanthropic efforts raise questions about the societal costs of billionaire giving and the genuineness of her contributions. The broader social and economic costs of […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY Freud’s Forgotten Theory: The Hidden Desires Behind Creativity and Genius Key Takeaway: Sigmund Freud’s theory of sublimation aimed to explain why some people display extraordinary talent by transforming repressed sexual desires into creative or intellectual prowess. He believed that Leonardo da Vinci’s life and work exemplified this process, as he left many of his paintings unfinished and engaged in scientific experiments that derailed his artistic […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Mystery Of Horse Domestication Key Takeaway: Horse domestication remains a mystery, despite its significant impact on human civilization. The Indo-European or “Kurgan hypothesis” suggests that horse domestication began on the steppes of western Asia, specifically among the Yamnaya people. However, recent advances in technology have revealed that the horses from the Botai culture were not the ancestors of today’s […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Secret To Becoming An Olympian Key Takeaway: Olympic athletes face a challenging journey of dedication and intense training to hone speed, strength, and technique. However, the path to success is fraught with uncertainty, as the risk of injury is a constant concern. In competitive sports, athletes must maintain their body’s integrity, as even a minor mistake can lead to serious […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK STRATEGY The Real Art Of War Key Takeaway: The Art of War, an ancient Chinese war manual from the 5th century BCE, is often cited as a cliché by teen edgelords and management gurus. However, the book is actually a work of clear-sighted and sometimes ruthless realism, influenced by philosophy and strategy. The book, which is attributed to Chinese general and […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK The Essence Of Surrealism Key Takeaway: André Breton’s “Manifesto of Surrealism” in 1928 sparked an art movement known for creating bizarre hybrids of words and images, often generated through chance. This approach was believed to stimulate the unconscious mind to cultivate new insights. Surrealist artists like Max Ernst used techniques like decalcomania and the “exquisite corpse” to create unique […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK Who Really Was Mona Lisa? Key Takeaway: The Mona Lisa, a Renaissance icon, has been a subject of debate for over half a millennium. The painting has been traditionally associated with Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. However, another theory suggests Isabella of Aragon, a princess deeply entwined in the political and cultural fabric of […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK The Source Of Surrealism Key Takeaway: Surrealist artists, such as Man Ray and Salvador Dalí, used randomness in their artistic practice to create unique and captivating images. Techniques like decalcomania, where paint is applied to a surface, and the “exquisite corpse” where sentences are divided into different parts of speech, have been applied to various creative ventures. The Blackwing […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Science Of Beauty Key Takeaway: Beauty is more important to us than we often realize, as it can have a compelling effect on our experience and behavior. Beauty emerges from properties of the object itself, such as proportion, symmetry, and curvature, as well as the relationship between the object and the viewer, including the degree of familiarity. Aesthetics […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Birkin Under Seige: Unlikely Challenge Of A Luxury Icon Key Takeaway: The “Wirkin” bag, a $78 imitation of Hermès’ Birkin bag, has gained popularity on TikTok, attracting millions of users. The bag, a clever portmanteau of “Walmart” and “Birkin,” allows everyday consumers to partake in high-end fashion without the exorbitant cost. The trend reflects a broader shift in societal values, where symbols of wealth […] Written by Empirics Asia January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Fusion: The Move Towards Unlimited Clean Energy Key Takeaway: In 2022, scientists achieved the “experiment of the century” at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, marking the first time a fusion reaction produced more energy than consumed. This achievement has attracted billions of dollars in private investment, particularly in the United States, to advance fusion technology. However, a myriad of engineering challenges remain before […] Written by Empirics Asia January 13, 2025January 13, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Biological Cost Of Loneliness Key Takeaway: A study by the University of Cambridge and Fudan University has found that loneliness is a significant health risk, with 25% of older adults and 15% of adolescents suffering from it. The research identified five proteins, including GFRA1, ADM, and FABP4, that are significantly elevated in individuals experiencing loneliness, which play key roles […] Written by Empirics Asia January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How A Japanese Show Revolutionised Global Startup Culture Key Takeaway: The Japanese show “Money Tigers” revolutionized global startup culture by introducing a risk-averse economic culture to entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to wealthy angel investors. This format, inspired by “Dragons’ Den” and “Shark Tank,” has sparked 50 adaptations worldwide, with over $1 billion in investments reported by 2024. Before the global success of Dragons’ Den or Shark […] Written by Empirics Asia January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
What We Can Expect From Science In 2025 Key Takeaway: 2025 is expected to be a groundbreaking year with technological innovation, space exploration, and scientific discovery. Artificial intelligence is leading the charge, tackling challenges like antibiotic resistance and material design. Space exploration is also on track, with missions like NASA’s Artemis II and India’s Gaganyaan launching. Brain-machine interfaces, quantum computing, and nuclear fusion […] Written by Empirics Asia January 3, 2025January 3, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Device That Transformed Philosophy Forever Key Takeaway: Friedrich Nietzsche’s creative process was a transformation driven by technology, transforming his writing style and offering profound insights into how tools of expression influence thought. By 1881, Nietzsche turned to the Malling-Hansen writing ball, an advanced mechanical typewriter, which increased his productivity and influenced his writing style. This shift reflected a broader evolution […] Written by Empirics Asia January 2, 2025January 2, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Is A.I. Redefining Business Success? Key Takeaway: Generative AI is revolutionizing the business landscape by providing instant, high-quality results without high costs or delays. It allows small businesses to create professional menus, provide round-the-clock customer support, and analyze social media trends. AI also reduces infrastructure investments, making it more accessible and cost-effective. This shift has redefined the equation for success, […] Written by Empirics Asia December 31, 2024December 31, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Rethinking Education Key Takeaways: The Industrial model of education that fueled the modern era and its dizzying reach did its job incredibly well. In his writing, Flynn illustrates study after study, spanning nations and decades, in which modern educational gift of abstraction — a transcendent sign of intelligence, as we saw in Raven’s Matrices — has been […] Written by Anthony Fieldman March 2, 2022October 19, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How China Is Transforming Its Economy Through Learning I highly recommend reading the McKinsey Global Institute’s new report, “Reskilling China: Transforming The World’s Largest Workforce Into Lifelong Learners”, which focuses on the country’s biggest employment challenge, re-training its workforce and the adoption of practices such as lifelong learning to address the growing digital transformation of its productive fabric. How to transform the country […] Written by Enrique Dans February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why You’re Not Seeing Success With Influencer Marketing With the new year around the corner, now is a good time to re-evaluate your past marketing strategies and gear up for the year ahead. For some businesses, influencer marketing has simply not seemed to live up to its lofty promises of genuine engagement, credibility, and transparency. Some have claimed that it has been failing […] Written by Michael Tan January 14, 2021January 15, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
A New Philosophy of Business I’m about to ask you to take a mental leap. For the next 8 minutes, suspend your notions of what a business is, and I’ll propose a new lens for you to look through. There are a lot of questions asked around what “community” means for business. “Where should community fit in my organization?” and […] Written by Empirics Asia September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked