Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

Is the Metaverse Dead? The 2 Sides of the Argument

What is the metaverse? Is the metaverse dead or just evolving more quietly than anticipated? When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg launched the metaverse in October 2021 he called the immersive virtual world “the next chapter for the internet.” But some say the metaverse didn’t just fail to live up to its promise to revolutionize human interactions in the virtual world, it actually died. We’ll take a look at what the metaverse is and the concerns for its welfare.

How the Decline of Religion in America Affects Politics

How is the decline of religion in America affecting the political parties? How do some members of Congress exploit religion? Churches are closing across America and each generation is becoming less religious than the last. Shockingly, the trend isn’t having the effect on politics that most would expect. In this article, we’ll examine what this could mean for the political future of America.

Should AI Be Regulated? (& How It Would Be Done)

Should AI be regulated? What are experts’ concerns about AI? Is AI regulation even possible? A growing number of experts are calling for regulation of advanced AI models, saying the technology poses an existential threat to humanity if left to develop unchecked. However, there’s no clear consensus on who should regulate AI or exactly what the process should look like. Here are some possible approaches in which the US government is involved fully, in part, or not at all.

The Phoenix Project: Book Overview and Lessons

Is the book The Phoenix Project worth reading? What can IT departments learn from the business parable? In The Phoenix Project, Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford present a fictional case study of a business that’s failing because it doesn’t align the work of IT services with the company’s goals. The authors then show how an IT department can turn itself around and get back in the game. Keep reading for a The Phoenix Project book overview, as well as the lessons you can learn from the authors.

The Three Ways From The Phoenix Project—Explained

What are The Three Ways from the book The Phoenix Project? How can you make your IT development teams run more smoothly? None of the problems of IT are insurmountable, but authors Kim, Behr, and Spafford argue that addressing them requires completely rethinking how IT work is done. The Three Ways from The Phoenix Project can be summed up as fast workflow, quick feedback, and continual improvement. Continue reading for a detailed overview of The Three Ways.

What Is Buddhist Meditation? Background & Types

What is Buddhist meditation? What are the two most popular types? What is the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism? Buddhism is a religion often associated with meditation and mindfulness. Buddhism focuses on finding happiness through self-improvement, rather than through understanding God or seeking divine guidance. Here’s a look at the background of Buddhist meditation, including vipassana and metta meditation.

The First Way: Create a Fast Workflow (The Phoenix Project)

What is the first of the Three Ways from The Phoenix Project? How can you create a faster, more efficient workflow among your IT team? In their book The Phoenix Project, authors Kim, Behr, and Spafford lay out the three ways to improve your IT department. The First Way involves improving the department’s workflow, which isn’t always an easy task. Here’s a look at The First Way and how you can increase the speed of your IT department.

What Is Hindu Meditation? Overview & Styles of Yoga

What is Hindu meditation? How is Hindu meditation related to yoga? Hindu meditation is also known as yoga. While many people practice yoga without practicing Hinduism, yoga is rooted in the religion. There are two styles of yoga, hatha yoga and kriya yoga—one focuses on the physical and one focuses on breathing and energy. Continue reading to learn about the Hindu meditation practice of yoga.

The 2nd Way: Create Feedback Cycles (The Phoenix Project)

What is The Second Way from The Phoenix Project? Why is a quick feedback cycle essential to IT departments? In The Phoenix Project, Kim, Behr, and Spafford demonstrate how work management principles developed on factory production lines can be applied in an IT environment. The three foundational pillars of production can be summed up as 1) fast workflow, 2) quick feedback, and 3) continual improvement. Continue reading for an overview of The Second Way and how to implement it.

What Is Christian Meditation? (+ Prayers to Start With)

What is Christian meditation? Can prayer be a form of meditation? When you hear the word “meditation,” your mind probably jumps to Buddhism or Hinduism. However, Christian prayers are another form of meditation that’s often overlooked. Whether you want to refer to written prayers or come up with your own, praying has many benefits. Keep reading to learn how praying is a form of meditation.