Emily Kitazawa, Author at Shortform Books

How the Cycle of Oppression Shaped 1950s America

What is the cycle of oppression? What are the four steps of the cycle? What was racial oppression like in 1950s America? In 1959, John Howard Griffin wrote Black Like Me to convince white Americans that the U.S. was not the racism-free country they thought it was. The book describes Griffin’s account of the segregated South and the cycle of oppression faced by Black Southerners. Read on to learn more about the cycle of oppression in the 1950s, according to Griffin.

What Causes Plastic Pollution & What Are the Effects?

What causes plastic pollution? What are the effects of plastic waste? There are over 5 billion tons of plastic waste in the world, causing plastic pollution in the soil, the water, and even the air. Most plastic doesn’t get recycled—even recycling centers incinerate or dump most of the plastic they get. Read on to learn more about what causes plastic pollution and the health and environmental effects.

How to Stop Labeling Yourself: Tips From Steven Bartlett

Why and how should you stop labeling yourself? How can self-labeling be damaging? Steven Bartlett founded the successful internet company Social Chain at age 21 and was by all objective accounts “living the dream.” But when wealth and fame didn’t bring him happiness, he wrote Happy Sexy Millionaire to warn against chasing false idols. Read on to learn how to stop labeling yourself and live a label-free lifestyle, according to Bartlett.

Racism in the Segregated South: John Griffin’s Account

How did racism in the South during segregation affect the lives of Black Southerners? What discrimination did they face? In the late 1950s, white journalist John Howard Griffin darkened his skin and spent six weeks traveling throughout the segregated Southern U.S. His aim was to convince white Americans that the U.S. was not the racism-free country they thought it was. Read on for examples of racism in the South during segregation, based on Griffin’s findings.

Anti-Science Movement: Why Mistrust in Science Is Trending

What’s causing the anti-science movement? Why is there a widespread distrust of science recently? In recent years, an anti-science movement of hostility toward scientific institutions has spread around the globe. In response, an equally fervent pro-science movement has sprung up. Read on to learn why science has become controversial and what’s causing the anti-science movement.

How to Be Content With Life: 4 Tips From Steven Bartlett

Want to know how to be content with life? How can you achieve a consistent feeling of contentment? According to Steven Bartlett, many of us seek pleasure or happiness in life, but those feelings are short-lived. It’s important to learn how to be content with life to experience long-term satisfaction with what you already have, he says. Read on to learn Bartlett’s four tips for how to be content with life.

Ending Systemic Racism in the Deep South: Historic Challenges

What are the historic challenges to ending systemic racism in the U.S.? How did systemic racism operate in the Deep South? In his book Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin documented the racism Black Southerners experienced in the 1950s in the U.S. According to him, there were three primary challenges to ending systemic racism in the Deep South. Read on for an overview of the historic challenges to ending systemic racism in the U.S., according to Griffin.

How the CHIPS Act Can Save U.S. Chip Manufacturers

What is the CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science) Act? How will it help U.S. manufacturers? Chips are essential to all the tech we rely on every day, from our smartphones to our cars. Once upon a time, the U.S. produced those chips, but today they mostly come from Taiwan or China—however, the CHIPS Act may reverse that trend. Read on to learn more about the CHIPS Act and the state of the chip industry today.

How Meaningful Goals Make You Happier

Why are meaningful goals important? How can you set meaningful goals? According to Steven Bartlett, setting meaningful goals will bring you more success, contentment, and even love in life. In Happy Sexy Millionaire, Bartlett says that, to feel content, successful, and loved, you have to find what’s meaningful to you. Read on to learn more about why meaningful goals bring more happiness, according to Bartlett.

Black Like Me: John Howard Griffin Book Overview

Want an overview of Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin? What were Griffin’s key takeways from his experiment? In Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin darkened his skin to appear like a Black man, then traveled for six weeks throughout the segregated Southern U.S. In the book, he argues that his hypothesis was correct: Black Southerners faced brutal racism. Read on for an overview of John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me book.