Books I've read in the past month

These are the books I've read in the past couple months.

• Waking Up by Sam Harris
• Lying by Sam Harris
• The Will of the Many by James Islington
• The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction books. Lying by Sam Harris was a particularly eye-opening read, and very impactful. It's a very short read, I read it in about 3 hours. It drastically changed how I interact with others.

Before reading this book, I enjoyed telling harmless lies to people. For example, if someone asked me for my name, and I knew I wouldn't see them again, I'd tell them "Michael" or something similar, if they ask where I'm from, even if they are my friends, I'd tell them "Michigan" or a different state, just to see if they would notice.

However, this led to me having a reputation, that you never could tell if I was joking, or not. I'd tell people something true, and they would question if I was telling the truth or not. Realizing that, and reading this book changed my perspective, and it made me realize that white lies are never not harmless and have the potential to damage relationships.

Key Takeaways

• White lies are never harmless and have the potential to damage relationships.
• Spirituality is not unique to religion.
• Free will is an illusion, and we are not the author of our thoughts.

Favorite Quotes

"Being mindful is not a matter of thinking more clearly about experience; it is the act of experiencing more clearly."

"Perhaps you habitually lie to avoid making plans, or fail to express your true opinions for fear of conflict. Whom, exactly, are you helping by living this way?"