3 Books That Will Change the Way You Understand the World Around You

This piece was written by Taylor Doll.

The start of a new season is once again upon us. Every year as fall sets in, I’m reminded of my own feelings of growth and challenge. Just as Mother Nature sheds her leaves to prepare for winter (and the new growth that inevitably follows each spring), I find fall to be a time to reflect on the efforts, challenges, change, and accomplishment of the year past and the ways I aspire to grow in the year ahead.

In that spirit, here are three books that have influenced the way I see the world. I come back to these books year after year to reignite my curiosity, feel inspired and empowered, and for a humble reminder that the world is more than the sum of my experiences. I hope that they’ll also help you find new hope and perspective.

1. Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling

I don’t believe there has ever been a time in which our ability to work with data has been more pivotal than it is today. And I’m not referring to our ability to access or manipulate data. I’m referring to a much more difficult and unseen challenge: overcoming the shortcomings and biases of the human mind.

I first picked up Hans Rosling’s Factfulness in 2018 – a year in which we were all blissfully unaware of the looming pandemic that would change the way we live, work, socialize (or not), and understand the world around, for better or worse. Picking it up for a re-read in late 2021 has been a healthy reminder of the subconscious tricks our minds play on us when it comes to finding, understanding, interpreting, and utilizing data in our day-to-day lives.

One of the biases I found particularly interesting this time around is the blame instinct, which Rosling defines as “the instinct to find a clear, simple reason for why something bad has happened.” As Rosling explains, “…the problem [with the blame instinct] is that when we identify the bad guy, we are done thinking.” He goes on to share a personal example:

“I had this instinct just recently when I was taking a shower in a hotel and turned the warm handle up to maximum. Nothing happened. Then, seconds later, I was being burned by scorching water. In those moments, I was furious with the plumber, and then with the hotel manager, and then the person who might be running cold water next door. But no one was to blame. No one had intentionally caused me harm or been neglectful, except perhaps me, when I didn’t have the patience to turn the warm water handle more gradually.”

Of course, this book does more than point out the silly ways our brains are wired to interfere with what’s really happening around us. For each of the 10 biases that are introduced in this book, readers are equipped with simple, actionable ways to identify and overcome them. It’s a humbling reminder that we are all human, and we all are predisposed to making false and inaccurate assumptions.

2. Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper

At face value, this book may seem like one reserved for English language enthusiasts. After all, why else would anyone willingly commit their free time to reading a book about the dictionary?

On its surface, this book is about writing dictionary definitions of words. But given a chance, this book serves as a reminder that the words we use are not inherently defined or understood in the ways that we know them to be. It’s a story about the evolution of verbal and written communication across geographies, cultures, and time.

As lexicographer Kory Stamper shares the intricacies involved in writing a succinct, accurate, and all-encompassing definition for words in a dictionary, she also takes the reader on what I found to be a fascinating journey of reflection for two reasons.

First, I must admit that I’m naturally curious about the English language. When I hear a new or interesting word, I can’t help but wonder where it came from, what its origin is, how it can contribute to a more colourful exchange of ideas and information in today’s age.

However, it’s the second reason that I believe most people will benefit from this book: It is a great parallel for the way we understand the world around us, and how your truth is likely different from the truth of those around you – neither being inherently right or wrong.

This book is a great reminder that things aren’t always as they seem, and that language is a brilliant tool that each and every one of us are equipped with. Language has evolved over millennia. It has adapted to suit the needs and context of its users, as it will continue to do for the duration of human existence.

3. The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind by Jonah Berger

Dealing with other people. Each of us has to do it, and each of us have faced a situation in which we want something to change. You’re probably facing this challenge right now. Here are some ways this might manifest:

• Convincing your boss that your proposal is worth the time, effort, and resources.

• Getting your children to eat their vegetables.

• Persuading your partner that your destination of choice is the ideal vacation spot for an upcoming summer getaway.

• Securing funding for a new venture.

In this book, Berger argues that successful change isn’t about pushing harder or exerting more energy; it’s about removing barriers. Berger shares five hidden barriers to change and how to mitigate them, with real life examples such as how Zappos became one of the largest, most successful e-commerce stores when the internet was still in its infancy and how a hostage negotiator gets people to surrender peacefully.

Berger also explores great failures – such as the global epidemic that was the Tide Pod Challenge and the reasons advertising campaigns can convince people to do the opposite of what is asked – and some of the reasons behind these undesirable outcomes.

Spoiler alert: It’s not because of lack of effort, information, or anecdotal experience.

The Catalyst is by far one of my favourite books about human behaviour as it pertains to influence, and I highly recommend this to anyone who deals with people on a regular basis (yes, that means pretty much everyone).