Improvement Society

Minimalism is the art of knowing how much is just enough. Digital minimalism applies this idea to our personal technology. It's the key to living a focused life in an increasingly noisy world. In this timely and enlightening book, the best-selling author of Deep Work introduces a philosophy for technology use that has already improved countless lives.

Psychiatrist Will Siu, MD goes on a journey to better understand our potential to heal. He shares his personal story of healing trauma and what he’s learned from existing research, his patients, and two foundational experts and personal mentors. Siu sits down with Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), and renowned physician and thinker Gabor Maté, MD. And at the end of this particular exploration, Siu comes to envision and outline a holistic and more human approach to healing, connecting, and expanding.

When Ashley Shew became a self-described "hard-of-hearing chemobrained amputee with Crohn's disease and tinnitus," there was no returning to "normal." Suddenly well-meaning people called her an "inspiration" while grocery shopping or viewed her as a needy recipient of technological wizardry. Most disabled people don't want what the abled assume they want—nor are they generally asked. In vibrant prose, Shew shows how we can create better narratives and more accessible futures by drawing from the insights of the cross-disability community.

Researchers estimate that the average person will influence up to eighty thousand people over the course of their lifetime—or 2.8 people daily. That’s a stadium full of people whom each of us affects in ways positive or negative, sometimes without us realizing. What if we paid attention to this fact? Would we live differently? Would we lead differently? Would we put down our phones and be more present with the people in front of us?

From Stoics to existentialists, in philosophy and literature, discussion of the philosophy of life—of love and death, of courage, fortitude and wisdom—challenges us all to think about what kinds of life are truly worth living. In this summation of a lifetime thinking and writing about this great question, A. C. Grayling explores with clarity and depth the ideas that each of us must use in answering it for ourselves.

In this timely and enlightening audiobook, Cal Newport introduces a philosophy for technology use that has already improved countless lives. Digital minimalists are all around us. They're the calm, happy people who can hold long conversations without furtive glances at their phones. They can have fun with friends and family and eat out at restaurants without the obsessive urge to document the experience...Now, Newport gives us a name for this quiet movement and makes a case for its urgency in our tech-saturated world.

Consumerism drives the pursuit of happiness in much of the world, yet as wealth grows, unhappiness abounds, compounded by the grave problems of climate change, pollution, and ecological degradation. We've now reached both an environmental and spiritual dead-end that leaves us crying out for alternatives. Elegant Simplicity provides a coherent philosophy of life that weaves together simplicity of material life, thought, and spirit.

The world often falls short of how we'd like it to be, and our ability to make even just a little difference can seem limited. Sometimes it feels like you need to be a super-hero to achieve anything meaningful. But what if by re-conceiving what you do, you could change the world for the better? In The Regenerative Life, Carol Sanford shows you how to fundamentally change the roles you play in society, enabling you to do more than you ever believed possible.

If you want blind reassurance, affirmations of your inherent worth, or politically correct niceties, look elsewhere. Ethos of Men is a sobering account of what men are up against in today’s sociopolitical climate. More than an abstract survey of this climate, however, Ethos of Men is filled with practical advice on the development of healthy masculinity which inevitably leads to a better quality of life for any man who is willing to put in the work.

Technology - at least in theory - is improving our productivity, efficiency, and communication. The one thing it's not doing is making us happier. We are experiencing historically high levels of depression and dissatisfaction. But it doesn't have to be that way. Technology can drive - not diminish - human happiness.

Broken and Blue is the leading resource for America's heroes. Written by a cop, specifically for cops. After 25 years on the job, Chief of Police, Scott Silverii understands firsthand that danger, destruction and despair on the job leave many of our finest broken. Police officer depression, PTSD, addiction, domestic abuse and suicide continue to torment those who place others above themselves. "Seeking help doesn't make you weak. It makes you whole, so you return stronger and better prepared to fight." It's time to heal.

Adrift on a Sea of Belief: A Guide for Walkaway-Witnesses in Finding God is the first book of its kind. Rebecca Mantore provides next-step “what now?” information for walkaway-witnesses - those Jehovah’s Witnesses who courageously jump ship to navigate their life apart from Watchtower control. Dr. Mantore is supremely qualified to write this book as a walkaway-Witness who left the church after 34 years of living as a model Jehovah’s Witness. Dr. Mantore identifies elements of the unique phenomenon fleeing Witnesses face.

Human Permaculture is a powerful, forward-thinking guide that uses permaculture principles of ecological design rooted in people care, Earth care, and fair share for redesigning your life and community to align with the resources available on the planet. As climate change, ecological decline, and social breakdown start to bite, people expect that governments will solve our problems. Yet this belief has proven to be false. Rather than looking to others, changes must come from the inside out: transforming the "I" to "we", changing the world by changing ourselves.

In Human Technology, Ilchi Lee offers you his essential teachings, which are distilled from a lifetime of study. Lee presents a toolkit for self-reliant management of the core issues of life: health, sexuality, and life purpose. Meditation, breath-work, and Oriental healing arts are offered as health-management skills. You will also be guided to discover your passionate life purpose.

How to achieve lifelong fulfillment and lasting happiness by looking no further than within...Can you honestly say that you’re living your best life? No, not a life of ease and comfort, despite what society may dictate. Nor one of ultimate luxury and opulence. Living your best life means living up to your full potential, being at peace with who you are and feeling like you’ve given it your all. In Growing Stronger, you will uncover the secrets to reframe your perspective and tackle the issues that are keeping you from your authentic self.

Combining the deft social analysis of Where Good Ideas Come From with the optimistic arguments of Everything Bad Is Good for You, New York Times best-selling author Steven Johnson's Future Perfect makes the case that a new model of political change is on the rise, transforming everything from local governments to classrooms, from protest movements to health care. Johnson paints a compelling portrait of this new political worldview.

Do you feel stressed out and pressured about life? In this book, The Pressure Trap, Heather Lindsey exposes how to be free from the pressures of society so that you can fully do what God has called you to do. Don't get caught in the trap of being pressured by this world. Instead, break free to do what God has called you to do!

Charles Handy is one of the giants of contemporary thought. His books on management - including Understanding Organizations and Gods of Management - have changed the way we view business. His work on broader issues and trends - such as Beyond Certainty and The Second Curve - has changed the way we view society. In his new book, Handy builds on a life's work to glimpse into the future and see what challenges and opportunities the next generation faces.

Growing into You is the book that will change how you perceive yourself, within the boundaries of the life you’ve created. Do you feel like there must be more to life? Do you perceive having done everything right, yet something is still missing? Perhaps you’ve forgotten who you truly are, deep down, beyond all societal conditioning.

Intrinsic Hope offers a powerful antidote to these feelings. It shows how conventional ideas of hope are rooted in the belief that life will conform to our wishes and how this leads to disappointment, despair, and a dismal view of the future. As an alternative, it offers "intrinsic hope," a powerful, liberating, and positive approach to life based on having a deep trust in whatever happens. The author, a hopeful survivor, shows how to cultivate intrinsic hope through practical tips and six mindful habits for living a positive, courageous life in these troubled times.