In online discussion forums, people interact by posting messages at different times, as opposed to discussing the topic in real time. Each new message they post addresses one that was added earlier, and in this way the discussion progresses. The main advantage of these forums is that people can contribute to the discussion whenever they have enough time. Some of these contributions are simple comments, while others might be questions, responses, or even challenges. The individual messages don't need to be long or include a lot of detail in order for the discussion to remain active. The downside is that this level of activity is unlikely to remain steady. As a result, discussions taking place in an online forum format may last for an unnaturally long time, and some of the messages may ultimately end up being ignored.

Overconsumption is a serious issue in the world today, and the problem is made worse by fashion brands selling low quality clothes at cheap prices. Shoppers are drawn to this kind of bargain, but do they really need a closet full of clothes they rarely wear? Most of these low-cost items are soon thrown away. And since they're made of synthetic materials, they stay in landfills for a long time. Some fashion brands are trying to help reduce this problem. They are now focusing on smaller collections of high-quality clothes. These clothes are not cheap, but there is a good reason why they cost more. It's because they are made from natural materials and sewn by hand. The brands hope shoppers would rather own a single well-made item of clothing than a dozen cheaply made ones. If the shoppers agree with them, it will help reduce overconsumption.

In the middle of war, when life seems too difficult to continue, refugees accept the danger of a difficult journey, such as boarding a boat that may sink. Although their journey is hard to endure, losing their homeland is more painful to the refugees. The damage done to the body may seem significant, but the damage done to the mind is often more severe. No longer a member of a society — with a name, an address, relatives, and a wide circle of friends—they have become "exiles." They fear they are losing themselves. Therefore, in an attempt to preserve their sense of identity, refugees cling to memories from "the old country." Some, for example, carry clothes with them that are no longer practical, such as uniforms from their old jobs. From time to time they try them on, as if to remind themselves of who they were.

Some movies are about current social issues that everyone is talking about. However, it is important to remember that not all films are meant to be topical. One reason is that it takes a long time to make a movie. Today's hot issues might not have existed when the script was being written. This is what happened with a movie that many people thought was about environmentalism. In some ways, this belief made sense. After all, the movie's plot concerned saving the Earth from pollution with a tiny plant. And when it was released, environmentalism was a big issue. But it simply wasn't true. In fact, the movie's writer and director came up with the idea for the plot nearly fifteen years before the film was completed and released. This was long before the current environmental movement had even begun.

We often hear of rich and successful people with great jobs and large homes who simply aren't happy. However, you'll never hear anyone say this about a dog. Dogs are happier than people because they aren't affected by outside circumstances as much as we are. For example, when I take my dogs out for a walk on a cold and rainy day, they're just as excited as they would be on a sunny day. The minute I open the front door and call their names, they come running excitedly, ready for a new adventure. I put on my raincoat, and we all run outside together. The fact that it is pouring and the ground is muddy beneath their feet means nothing to the dogs. As I carefully make my way around large puddles, my dogs run happily through them. And it doesn't seem to bother them one bit.

What distinguishes recycling is not its importance, but rather the ease with which individuals can participate, and the visibility of actions taken to promote the common good. You may care passionately about the threat of global warming or the destruction of the rain forests—but you can't have an immediate effect on these problems that is perceptible to yourself or others. The rain forest salvation truck doesn't make weekly pickups, let alone the clean air truck. When a public opinion poll in 1990 asked people what they had done in connection with environmental problems, 80 to 85% answered that they or their households had participated in various aspects of recycling; no other significant steps had been taken by the majority of respondents. Like the drunk looking for his wallet under the lamppost, we may focus on recycling because it is where the immediate tasks are best illuminated.

When spending time at a pub or a restaurant, you might be brought a drink or a small plate of food at no charge. If so, you'll likely be informed that it is "on the house." But where did this common phrase come from? In the past, most pubs in England were located on the first floor of an inn. Local people would often stop by these pubs. But they also served as a place for the travelers staying on the upper floors to get food and a drink. The entire business, consisting of the inn and the pub, was therefore referred to as the "house." Often, the owners of these pubs would offer a free drink to customers who were staying upstairs at the inn. Because of this, the phrase has come to mean a gift from the business.

Researchers have suggested an interesting theory about the reason why expensive shops are designed to be such calming places. In an experiment, 670 people were put into two different states of relaxation: quite relaxed or less relaxed. They were then asked how much they would pay for a certain digital camera. The quite-relaxed subjects offered 11% more than their less-relaxed counterparts. This was replicated in other tests, showing that when it is relaxed, the brain focuses on the benefits the product would provide. As another example, think of a person shopping for an expensive car. A relaxed shopper may picture the comfort of being in the car and make a decision based on that. A less-relaxed person, though, would be practical, focusing on necessities and avoiding painful future costs.

When a pesticide is used to kill insects that damage crops, it doesn't have the same effect on the entire population. It kills only individuals that are genetically unable to resist the specific toxins it contains. While this is usually the majority of the population, the few individuals that can break down the toxins will have a significant selective advantage. Despite the application of the pesticide, they will be far more likely to survive and pass on their DNA to the next generation of insects. As a result, this generation will be more resistant to the pesticide. If the pesticide is used repeatedly, this resistance will grow and grow until it has little effect on any of the insects, leading the pesticide manufacturer to develop new products that contain even deadlier toxins.

We often try to find happiness outside of ourselves by pursuing money, new clothes, or praise. Although getting them usually makes us feel good, it's a feeling that doesn't last for long. We soon begin to need more and more of these things in order to feel good. In other words, the more we look for happiness outside of ourselves, the harder it becomes to find it. Psychiatrists even have a name for this condition: "hedonic adaptation." It is considered to be one of the main reasons why we are often unsatisfied with our lives, despite all of the things we have acquired. Whether we want gold, good grades, popularity, or attention, searching for external rewards is likely to lead us away from happiness.

It is clear that children expand their vocabularies by reading. They encounter more words when reading, which enables them to learn more words. But is it better to read a variety of short stories on different subjects, or should a single topic be focused on over a longer period? According to a new study, staying with one topic is the better way to improve one's vocabulary. This is due to the fact that new words are presented in a familiar context, which makes it easier to learn their meaning. Imagine that you read a story about animals with your children. The words they learn will be repeated if you continue to read about animals every day. The more frequently they see the words used in the stories, the more likely it is that they will remember the words. For this reason, if your goal is to improve your children's vocabulary through reading, you should concentrate on a subject long enough for it to become familiar.

People often use the old saying "Blood is thicker than water" to say that your connection to family is more important than your loyalty to anything else. However, this meaning is quite different from what the original saying implied. Back then, it was used to emphasize the bond between soldiers. The blood mentioned in the saying referred to the bleeding of warriors who suffered together on the field of battle, and the water meant "the water of the womb." The saying was also used to refer to the practice of using blood to finalize a contract. When two people mixed their blood together, it was believed that their agreement was permanent and could never be broken. Over time, however, the meaning of "Blood is thicker than water" has changed to better fit our modern culture.

On one occasion I was trying to explain the concept of buffers to my children. We were in the car together at the time and I tried to explain the idea using a game. Imagine, I said, that we had to get to our destination three miles away without stopping. We couldn't predict what was going to happen in front of us and around us. We didn't know how long the light would stay on green or if the car in front would suddenly put on its brakes. The only way to keep from crashing was to put extra space between our car and the car in front of us. This space acts as a buffer. It gives us time to respond and adapt to any sudden moves by other cars. Similarly, we can reduce the friction of doing the essential in our work and lives simply by creating a buffer.

Over the centuries various writers and thinkers, looking at humans from an outside perspective, have been struck by the theatrical quality of social life. The most famous quote expressing this comes from Shakespeare: "All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players; / They have their exits and their entrances, / And one man in his time plays many parts." If the theater and actors were traditionally represented by the image of masks, writers such as Shakespeare are implying that all of us are constantly wearing masks. Some people are better actors than others. Evil types such as Iago in the play Othello are able to conceal their hostile intentions behind a friendly smile. Others are able to act with more confidence and bravado —they often become leaders. People with excellent acting skills can better navigate our complex social environments and get ahead.

Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents in American history, was known for being energetic and efficient. His philosophy for achieving success was to always sharpen the axe. He famously said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." Although this is an effective strategy, most people don't use it. Instead, they tend to start tasks immediately, using only the most obvious tools and methods. But that isn't usually the best way to get things done. Before starting a task, take time to research different ways of completing it. Pay attention to how others do things, and look for methods that differ from your own. Finding the most effective tools for the job is also important. By taking more time to prepare, you can improve the quality and efficiency of your work.

An elephant in a room is impossible to miss. Despite this, some people prefer to pretend it isn't there. The same thing happens with the internet. People choose to believe that it is full of viral information created and shared by everyday people. While this does happen, very few things actually go viral. Most social media posts barely get shared at all. Instead, the majority of the news and information online comes straight from the original source. Big companies such as TV channels and radio stations generate most of what people see on the internet. The myth of going viral is appealing because it lets us dream that a single post can make us famous. So we choose to believe that the internet is a perfect democracy, even though we're really just ignoring a very big elephant.

People believe that they are a product of their surroundings, but it is actually the opposite. People's surroundings are largely shaped by their decisions and the circumstances they create for themselves. Therefore, it is important to approach life actively rather than passively. It is more likely that seeking happiness will lead you to success than it is that success will bring happiness to you. So don't allow the storms that life sends your way to push you around and decide your path. Instead, find your own way out of the stormy weather by facing any problems or conflicts you have directly and looking for ways to solve them. By dealing with your issues, you will contribute to a more peaceful and sunny environment around you. If you allow them to remain unresolved, you'll be lost in the cold, miserable storm. Remember, this creates that, not the other way around.