Unsolicited Advice
Why wait for readers to ask questions before suggesting solutions? An advice column that cuts out the middleman.
"If it's rude to interrupt, how do you politely interrupt someone who (rudely) interrupts/talks over you?"
It's part of a bigger question of, "when someone breaks the social contract, how do you operate in the new, broken environment?"
When teaching someone how to do something, tell them how to do it badly
Whenever you can't do something exactly as you should, when something has to give, you need the expert to tell you what to prioritise and what to do 'badly'.
Wanting something is only barely related to enjoying something
The brain system that makes you feel an urge to get something - whether that's food, seeing friends, a cigarette - is separate from system of enjoying something.
“Be yourself” is terrible advice
The story of someone who thought of themselves as a provocateur who was just being their authentic self, and then realised they were just being an asshole and should stop it.
Lukewarm water, not cold, is best for a burn
Cold water also stops blood flowing to the area, and you need bloodflow to heal
Technically parenting advice but mainly intended as insight into your own childhoods
Kids are learning emotional literacy, and mislabelling emotions is confusing and makes it harder to process them.
How to tell someone their loved one has died
At the start of the conversation, say "I've got some really sad news about [Person] I'm afraid."
"Don't ask a question if the answer won't change your behaviour"
I think it's also a sign that you're circling and seeking more information to put off making a decision.
Write your future self an email with FutureMe
Write yourself an email when you've just accomplished something so later you can remember and remember how proud you were then (it's so easy to normalise level ups in your life).
What we get wrong about fame
There are two requirements: a local requirement (a spark), and a global requirement (the ability of the fire to spread).