Lifelong Learning

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A woman in a white dress sits on a chair by a window, reading a book in a softly lit room with a piano nearby, embodying the quiet charm of why read old books.
The Learning Curve
Every era believes it is enlightened. Old books teach us otherwise.
Reading classic books can teach you as much about the present as the past.
Kevin Dickinson
Collage featuring a man operating early computer equipment and a man in aviator goggles, with the text "THE NIGHTCRAWLER" above them—capturing the creative sparks of innovation and adventure.
Business
The beauty of writing in public
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
A collage titled "The Nightcrawler," featuring a hand planting a seed, a distressed woman holding her head, and repetitive office cubicles in purple tones, explores trust amid cycles of anxiety and routine.
Business
A cure for toxic work
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
Two grayscale portraits of men are shown in a four-panel grid, alongside blue and white arrow graphics and blue diagonal shapes.
Members
Class
Living Well by Design
Deepak Chopra and Harvard neurobiologist Rudolph Tanzi advocate for "radical well-being," emphasizing that optimal health relies on proactive measures—such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, and emotional regulation—rather than reactive responses to health issues.
Deepak Chopra
A grid with four sections: a grayscale man’s portrait, green ovals, a head silhouette with a triangle inside, and a grayscale woman’s portrait.
Members
Class
The Power of Being Real
This class features insights from Salman Rushdie, Annie Duke, and Matt Dixon on authenticity, confidence, and effective communication, emphasizing lifelong growth, the importance of embracing uncertainty, building trust in client relationships, and navigating crises with clarity to enhance leadership skills.
Salman Rushdie
Black and white illustration of a human brain with purple scribble circles and arrows pointing toward it on a light background, perfect for those interested in books about the brain.
Books
5 brilliant books to demystify the brain
Neuroscientist Rachel Barr shares her favorite books on the brain and how they shaped her approach to the field.
Kevin Dickinson
a painting of a woman avidly reading a book.
Smart Skills
Neuroscience shows that speed reading is bullshit
Despite the claims of speed reading apps and programs, you actually have to read the book if you want to learn.
Ross Pomeroy
A man speaking into a microphone, an illustration of a person with a bun near Japanese text, and Kevin Kelly, a bearded man, are overlaid with red geometric shapes under the title "THE NIGHT CRAWLER.
Business
What AI can never replace
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
Split image: Left side shows a painting of hands peeling apples with a knife; right side features a modern mechanical apple peeler, echoing Jeff DeGraff’s spirit of innovation bridging tradition and progress.
Business
AI will never be a shortcut to wisdom
Real understanding, argues Jeff DeGraff, doesn’t come from outputs — it comes from practice.
Jeff DeGraff
A grayscale portrait of Caterina Fake is centered between an FDNY ambulance on the left and patterned designs with circular symbols on the right.
Business
Essential skills for “weird times”: How internet pioneer Caterina Fake keeps it real
Venture capitalist and Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake talks to Big Think about why AI won’t make the internet better, her influences beyond tech, and more.
Lucy Handley
A man and woman sit on a bed with two young children, sharing a quiet moment; the older child stands while the younger, cradled by the woman, embodies the precious gift of consciousness within the family.
Business
What brain surgery taught me about the fragile gift of consciousness
After the trauma of a high-risk medical procedure, Eric Markowitz discovered a kind of consciousness that lives not in thought — but in presence.
Eric Markowitz
A minimalist drawing of a duck outlined in white against a gradient background, with an orange star shape marking the eye, invites you to question your perception.
The Learning Curve
Why you should always question your perceptions
“Who ya gonna believe: me or your own eyes?” Until you can assess your perception, the answer should be neither.
Kevin Dickinson
A hand pulls a green book from a library shelf, surrounded by tsundoku—the gentle art of collecting more books than you can read—with the silhouette of a person formed from the bookshelf and books.
Neuropsych
What our shelves of unread books teach us about ourselves
The Japanese practice of "tsundoku" bestows joy and lasting benefits to those who make books an important part of their lives.
Kevin Dickinson
Two men in suits sit side by side, each holding a white cup and saucer, with only their torsos and hands visible—one could easily imagine Aaron Hurst sharing a thoughtful conversation over coffee.
Business
How “6 points of connection” can repair our shared trust
Social entrepreneur Aaron Hurst explains why the decline of social connection is the greatest challenge of our time — and offers a roadmap for restoration.
Aaron Hurst
Illustration of a skateboarder in mid-air performing a trick, with labeled rotation angles (720°, 900°) and the term “McTwist” on a blue sky background with clouds.
Smart Skills
How to instantly be better at things
Just pretend you're someone else.
Cate Hall
Bogumil Baranowski, dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and patterned tie, stands and smiles in front of a plain light blue background.
The Long Game
The Bogumil Baranowski interview: “Treat everyone with care”
The investment advisor and host of the Talking Billions podcast explores childhood curiosity, building networks through kindness, and more.
Eric Markowitz
A digital collage with overlapping purple-tinted images, including a traditional building and a sculpture, explores panpsychism under the title "The Nightcrawler" on a black grid background.
Business
On consciousness, AI, and panpsychism
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
Two people sit on a deck at night, illuminated by red light, looking up at a star-filled sky with mountains silhouetted in the background.
Smart Skills
The meaning of your life isn’t a puzzle to solve
It’s something to wrestle and live with, says behavioral scientist Arthur Brooks.
Danny Kenny
Man in glasses and a brown jacket with a serious expression; the background features a blue overlay adorned with white sports strategy symbols and a cheering crowd. It's reminiscent of a Coach Raveling masterclass, where every move is meticulously planned.
Business
Leadership masterclass: Nike, Jordan, and James Baldwin
George Raveling — the iconic leader who brought Michael Jordan to Nike — shares with Big Think a lifetime of priceless wisdom learned at the crossroads of sports and business.
Mike Hodgkinson
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