David Robson
@davidarobson.bsky.social
250 followers 120 following 130 posts
Award-winning science writer and author of The Intelligence Trap, The Expectation Effect, and The Laws of Connection (Canongate/Pegasus). davidarobson.substack.com
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davidarobson.bsky.social
Don’t care what the critics are saying, I unashamedly love The Life of A Showgirl, especially the clever play on Father Figure
davidarobson.bsky.social
Thanks to the end-of-history illusion, we feel that we’re permanently on the cusp of understanding life - yet those epiphanies are little more than mirages of self-understanding

+ a shortcut to close bonds open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...
The dangers of false epiphanies
A shortcut to close bonds | The end-of-history illusion
open.substack.com
Reposted by David Robson
tesmagazine.bsky.social
📱 Is Jonathan Haidt right about smartphones and screens? @jonsevers.bsky.social speaks to the Anxious Generation author – and his critics – in this in-depth investigation into one of today's major education debates.

Read the full article here ⬇️
Is Jonathan Haidt right about smartphones?
We speak to The Anxious Generation author – and his critics – about a key challenge for schools
www.tes.com
davidarobson.bsky.social
“While submission is transactional and involves a loss of control, when two people surrender to each other, they feel alive, empowered, accepted. They feel love.”

I hugely enjoyed Love’s Labour by psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz. It’s full of wisdom on the nuances and contradictions of romance.
davidarobson.bsky.social
And different forms of meditation may help to tune the brain's position within the "critical zone" (4/5)
davidarobson.bsky.social
It could help us to understand how anaesthetics work (4/5)
davidarobson.bsky.social
The critical brain theory might explain one of the primary functions of sleep (3/5)
davidarobson.bsky.social
This critical zone might be crucial for flexible thinking, creativity, and perhaps even consciousness itself. (2/5)
davidarobson.bsky.social
My latest post examines the fact that employers exploit their most loyal workers, and the reasons that we find it hard to say no to bad ideas open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...
davidarobson.bsky.social
Why do we say yes to the bad ideas?

One reason is “insinuation anxiety” - our fear of demonstrating our distrust of the other person. It’s the subject of my latest newsletter. davidarobson.substack.com/p/insinuatio...
Insinuation anxiety: why it’s so hard to say ‘no’ to bad ideas
The reasons bosses exploit worker loyalty | How to be more defiant
davidarobson.substack.com
Reposted by David Robson
jjaron.bsky.social
Not sure why this is only framed around the rich - it might surprise you, but I hear that poor people also experience temperature
Reposted by David Robson
koenfucius.bsky.social
Readers are less likely to die early than non-readers, and book readers the least likely.

@davidarobson.bsky.social digs into an extraordinary claim and finds the evidence supports it: deep reading does seem to confer longevity benefits:

open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...
davidarobson.bsky.social
Thank you! I reckon the differences are pretty small, and once we’re aware of those potential disadvantages we can consciously make up them. I tend to use physical books, audio and e-books depending on where I am and how I feel. 🤓
Reposted by David Robson
davidarobson.bsky.social
Over the past year I’ve noticed more and more that reading is essential for my mental health. Now there’s evidence it can boost our longevity too. davidarobson.substack.com/p/how-readin...
The life-expanding benefits of 'deep reading'
Why literature is good for your health | Are our screens making us stupid?
davidarobson.substack.com
davidarobson.bsky.social
Over the past year I’ve noticed more and more that reading is essential for my mental health. Now there’s evidence it can boost our longevity too. davidarobson.substack.com/p/how-readin...
The life-expanding benefits of 'deep reading'
Why literature is good for your health | Are our screens making us stupid?
davidarobson.substack.com
davidarobson.bsky.social
Thank you for sharing Zoë - and lovely to meet last night!
Reposted by David Robson
zoeflood.bsky.social
This is useful from @davidarobson.bsky.social (whom I was happy to meet IRL last night!)...

I am on a real mission atm to remove hasslers from my life – so much of my discontent comes from people who pester and hassle me, usually unnecessarily, and I'm not surprised there is physiological impact.
davidarobson.bsky.social
“The same person who comforts you today might criticise you tomorrow, creating more physiological damage than relationships you can simply categorise as bad and potentially avoid.”

A Q&A with sociologist BK Lee on the reasons “hasslers” accelerate ageing open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...
davidarobson.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to Melissa Hogenboom for this gem!

Breadwinners examines the fascinating psychology of power dynamics at work and in the home - it’s a must-read for anyone who wants to live in a fairer world.

Happy publication day!