Book Summary: How Should We Live?
Roman Krznaric’s book How Should We Live? Looks at why we think the way we do about certain important elements of our lives, from love and relationships to death and how it impacts us.
Related Book Summaries:
The Obstacle Is The Way – Ryan Holiday
Happiness By Design – Paul Dolan
The Road To Character – David Brooks
How Should We Live? Book Summary Notes:
- The ancient Greeks had the idea that love didn’t just consist of one idea or need that required fulfilling by a partner but rather that there were 6 different aspects to love that we could seek fulfilment with by multiple partners.
- These 6 forms of liver were; the eros, philia, ludus, pragma, agape and philautia. Each of them unique, identifiable and able to be fulfilled through different means than just one romantic partner.
- The shift towards women being home makers is a relatively new cultural phenomenon and not nearly as old as everyone believes. Before the Industrial Age men and women shared much of the work that needed to be done to keep the house, it was only after industrialisation began and men were pulled away to travel to and work at factories that the roles shifted to the more modern standard.
- Couples today spend more time watching tv together than they do actually speaking to one another.
- Empathy may have evolved in our species as a way for us to develop into communities. Three factors can help to influence our empathy and those are; experience, conversation and social action.
- Working towards meaningful goals for ourselves can help us to feel like we have a purpose.
- Scaling back on our consumerism, debt and constant spending can mean more time and money for the things we really enjoy.
