[This Week's Books] 'How Numbers Change Thinking' and 5 More Titles

◆How Numbers Change Thinking=News often reports ‘3% GDP growth,’ but why hasn’t my salary changed? Why do people with high IQs sometimes behave in ways that seem incomprehensible? The author, a statistician, analyzes the impact of numbers and statistics on our lives, uncovering how blind faith and acceptance of numbers can lead us to poor decisions. Numbers are stimulating and simple, prompting easy reactions, yet they are often misleading. The author points out the problems of the public either blindly trusting or completely ignoring numbers and explains the importance of understanding the hidden meanings behind them. For example, GDP, created in 1934, still fails to accurately reflect a society’s economy, and IQ has limitations in measuring cognitive abilities, as noted by academia. The author proposes ‘statistical thinking,’ a critical analysis of the truths beyond numbers. (Written by Paul Goodwin · Korea Economic Daily)

◆Winds Blowing from All Directions=Set in Texas in 1921, the novel depicts a time of consecutive bountiful harvests and prosperity, soon followed by the Great Depression. To make matters worse, drought and dust storms turn life into a struggle. The protagonist Elsa, forced into marriage, faces new hardships. Millions lose their jobs, and farmers express helplessness before lands buried in sand. The dilemma of whether to endure or leave tightens its grip on life. The author richly testifies to history, vividly portraying the Dust Bowl?one of America’s worst environmental disasters?the conflict between the government and farmers over dryland farming blamed for the devastation, the migration of displaced people seeking survival, and the blind spots of the New Deal policies. (Written by Christine Hanna · Banknamu)

◆How the Brain Designs Self-Esteem=The author, a social neuroscientist, offers a scientific approach to resolving self-esteem imbalances such as anxiety, depression, addiction, and anger regulation disorders. The book contrasts the psychological term ‘self-esteem’ with the neuroscientific concept of ‘self-awareness,’ revealing that ‘interoceptive awareness’?communication with bodily signals?is a mechanism that enhances mental self-esteem and social empathy. The author emphasizes that scientific understanding of oneself is essential for building solid relationships with others in society. Using data such as how people sensitive to brain responses and heart rate experience the rubber hand illusion less, and how mistaking a mannequin’s body for one’s own affects the brain, the book helps readers understand themselves scientifically. (Written by Kim Hakjin · Galmaenamu)

◆Sense of Fairness=In May 2022, a Yonsei University student filed a police complaint against cleaning workers, accusing their protest noise of disrupting classes and demanding about 6.3 million won in damages. Among some students, criticism and hatred toward the cleaning workers spread. Professor Na Imyung of Yonsei University pointed out this distorted ‘sense of fairness’ and launched a course titled ‘Social Issues and Fairness.’ The class addressed how major social issues?labor, gender discrimination, meritocracy, disability rights, LGBTQ+, and the climate crisis (veganism)?are overlooked in young people’s lives. The book compiles writings co-authored with 13 students who took the course, capturing voices seeking a shift in awareness amid rampant hate speech and anti-intellectualism. (Written by Na Imyung and 13 others · Munye Publishing)

◆10×10 Roman History=‘No empire lasts forever’ is an immutable truth. Numerous hegemonic states have declined after their peak and vanished into history. Today, only a few relics hint at past glory. Ancient monuments like Egypt’s pyramids, China’s Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, and Greece’s Parthenon still impress as wonders of engineering. But Rome is somewhat different. While other relics were built for rulers, Roman structures like the Pont du Gard, the Colosseum, and the Baths of Caracalla were designed with citizens’ convenience and benefits in mind. The historian author delves into Roman history through 100 scenes, focusing on this practicality. (Written by Ham Gyu-jin · Chusubat)

◆Global Class=Entering the global market was once considered a second step after success in the domestic market. However, experts now advise starting businesses with a global mindset from the outset. The author stresses ‘not someday, but right now,’ especially emphasizing that for Korea, with its limited domestic market, this is not a choice but a necessity. The book introduces the growth stories of 250 companies that became global, from Google, Zoom, Airbnb, Slack, and Apple to Korea’s first Silicon Valley unicorn startups Moloco and Sendbird. It covers how to verify local customer needs, and if profitability is expected, how to build teams, manage organizations, set support scales, and balance cultures suitable for the global market. (Written by Aaron MacDaniell and one other · Hanbit Biz)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.