Society & Culture

This Is Cautionary Tales

Cover Image for the collection 'This Is Cautionary Tales'
Hard-earned wisdom from tales of human error and tragic mishaps
By The Blinkist Curators

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Society & CultureHistoryBiography & Memoir

Hindsight is 20/20—and Tim Harford OBE will show you exactly why that is, in his Blinkist Shortcast of Cautionary Tales. The author and Financial Times columnist dissects mistakes and catastrophes that will both delight and terrify. Find out what made Florence Nightingale a brilliant hero and liar, how to get away with a con, and why knowledge can sometimes be a curse, all in these top 5 episodes of the Cautionary Tales Shortcast.

This Is Cautionary Tales

Hard-earned wisdom from tales of human error and tragic mishaps
Communication: Is Knowledge The Enemy?
Communication: Is Knowledge The Enemy?
The common belief is that the more you know, the more you can impart your wisdom to others. In this episode you'll see that's not always true. "The curse of knowledge" is one of the most common causes of breakdowns in communication—and you'll learn how to avoid it so your ideas really get through to those around you.
15 min
4.7
Florence Nightingale: Hero and Liar
Florence Nightingale: Hero and Liar
Nurse Florence Nightingale was a pioneer in using data visualization to persuade... and to mislead. Learn how to avoid getting bamboozled by a well designed graphic.
12 min
4.5
How to Avoid The Dunning Kruger Effect
How to Avoid The Dunning Kruger Effect
When the people who are the worst at something think they’re the best at it—that’s the Dunning Kruger effect in action. It speaks to a kind of mindset that's convinced "it can't be that hard," despite experts and specialists proving otherwise. In this episode, you'll hear about how it can affect us in big ways and small, and you'll learn how to prevent it before it happens to you.
12 min
4.7
How to Improvise Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
How to Improvise Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
Want your public speaking to make a real impact? The secret is to let go of the script. That’s what the greats do! In this episode, you'll learn why improvisation is the key to making speeches come to life.
13 min
4.8
The Nazi Art Forger Who Fooled A Nation
The Nazi Art Forger Who Fooled A Nation
Being well-informed is a good thing, right? Not always. Learn how motivated reasoning can cause experts to be especially vulnerable to deception.
13 min
4.7
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