Amanda Penn, Author at Shortform Books

Extremistan: Why Improbable Events Have a Huge Impact

What is Extremistan? Where is it? Where does the word come from? What elements of our lives fall under the purview of Extremistan? Extremistan is a term coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb to explain the randomness and deviations from the mean of most social, man-made aspects of human society. The term was popularized by Taleb’s book The Black Swan. We’ll cover what Extremistan is, how it differs from Mediocristan, what kinds of events and characteristics come from the land of Extremistan, and why Extremistan often makes prediction impossible.

Deterministic Chaos: Why Prediction is Often Impossible

What is deterministic chaos? How is it different than “true randomness”? Can we make predictions in situations of deterministic chaos? Deterministic chaos is a system whose operation could be predicted, but whose complexity makes prediction so difficult that it’s effectively impossible. That is, if we had the right information, we would be able to make sense of “chaos.” We’ll cover situations of deterministic chaos and if it affects our decision-making.

Road of Trials: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 6 (Explained)

What is stage 6 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the “road of trials”? The road of trials is the stage of a hero’s journey during which the hero undergoes a series of trials and tests. The road of trails is stage 6 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Will cover what the road of trials may look like and explore two examples of a hero on the road of trials.

The Belly of the Whale: Hero’s Journey, Stage 5 (Explained)

What is stage 5 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What does “the belly of the whale” have to do with the hero’s journey? The belly of the whale is the stage of a hero’s journey during which the hero symbolically dies and then must be reborn. The belly of the whale is stage 5 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what forms the belly-of-the-whale stage may take and look at two examples of a hero encountering the belly of the whale.

What Is the Hero’s Journey? Complete Guide to Joseph Campbell

What is the hero’s journey? How is it relevant today? The hero’s journey is a template of the plots of ancient and current myths and legends. It was popularized by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the hero’s journey entails and why it’s still relevant today.

What Is a “Black Swan” Event? The Ultimate Guide

What is a black swan event? Can you predict black swan events? Prepare for them? Avoid them? A black swan event is an extremely unpredictable event that has a massive impact on human society. These include positive Black Swans, like the invention of the Internet and the discovery of antibiotics, as well as negative Black Swans, like the 2008 recession. We’ll define black swan events, look at “black swan” event examples, and discuss how best to prepare for them.

Meeting with the Goddess: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 7 (Explained)

What is stage 7 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What does the “meeting with the goddess” signify? The meeting with the goddess is the stage of the hero’s journey when the hero encounters the goddess, the mother figure who is the epitome of beauty and represents the feminine ideal in all its aspects. The meeting with the goddess is stage 7 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the meeting with the goddess entails and look at an example of a hero meeting with the goddess.

Refusal of the Call: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 2 (Explained)

What is stage 2 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the “refusal of the call”? The refusal of the call is the initial reluctance of a hero to follow the steps of their destiny and heed the call of adventure. The refusal of the call is stage 2 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the refusal of the call entails and look at an example of a hero refusing the call.

Call to Adventure: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 1 (Explained)

What is the “call to adventure” in the hero’s journey? What step in the hero’s journey is it? In Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the call to adventure is the first stage of the 17 stages of the hero’s journey. It is during this stage that the hero discovers a hidden world of possibility. We’ll cover the elements of the “call to adventure” stage of the hero’s journey and look at three examples.

The 17 Hero’s Journey Steps: The Complete Guide

How many hero’s journey steps are there? What are they? Where did they come from? In Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces, there are 17 hero’s journey steps. The Hero With a Thousand Faces is a journey through the world’s mythological traditions, from the ancient Egyptians, to the Romans, the Hindu and Buddhist legends of the east, and the folk-tales and foundation myths of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and Oceania. We’ll cover the 17 hero’s journey steps and what happens in each stage of Campbell’s hero’s journey cycle.