Category Archives: psychology

Have we all been duped by the Myers-Briggs test?

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 15 May 2013

INFP? ISTJ? You’ve probably taken a personality test at some point. But here’s the bad news: even the most popular tests, such as Myers-Briggs (MBTI), are not to be trusted. Retake a Myers-Briggs test after just a five week gap and there is a 50% chance you’ll be put into a different personality category. In this [...]

Also posted in emotions, mental health, science, work | Leave a comment

Four Ways to Rethink ‘Having It All’ (Without Leaning In)

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 8 May 2013

Here’s an article I just wrote for the Wall Street Journal on the dilemmas of balancing work and family life. Is Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, author of Leaning In, right to think that women can ‘have it all’ if only they really believe in themselves? My approach is not to answer the question ‘Is it possible [...]

Also posted in belief, family, history, money, politics, public policy, simple living, travel, work | Leave a comment

The Human Zoo: The tyranny of group-don’t-think

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 26 March 2013

There’s a fascinating new BBC Radio 4 series called The Human Zoo, looking at the ins and outs of who we really are – are we led by the head or the heart? what are the quirks and qualities that drive human behaviour? Episode 4 focuses on why human beings find it so difficult to admit when [...]

Also posted in belief, creativity, emotions, ethics, podcasts, science, work | 2 Comments

Who Are You Trying to Impress? How to Escape Status Anxiety

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 16 March 2013

In the eighteenth century, the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau warned against ‘the universal desire for reputation’. And yet so often we seek to be admired by others, pursuing careers and lifestyles that offer the lures of social status. In this article in Psychology Today magazine, I put the idea of status under the spotlight, and ask whether [...]

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Five Ways to Make Work Matter Again – Without Changing Jobs

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 12 March 2013

Finding fulfilling work isn’t always about making a drastic career change. In this article for the Wall Street Journal, I suggest five ways to make your existing job more meaningful and stimulating – with a little help from John Maynard Keynes, E. F. Schumacher and  Brené Brown.

Also posted in conversation, creativity, emotions, money, simple living, work | Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day Video: The Six Varieties of Love

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 12 February 2013

The Ancient Greeks would have considered us modern creatures incredibly unsophisticated in the way we talk about love. We tend to use a single word to cover so many different kinds of relationships and emotions. On Valentine’s Day you may well whisper ‘I love you’ to your soulmate over a candlelit meal, but then the [...]

Also posted in family, history, love, philosophy, videos | 1 Comment

Sherlock Holmes and the lost history of empathy

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 1 February 2013
Sherlock Holmes

Here’s a new podcast from the rather wonderful Aeon Magazine, in which philosopher Jules Evans explores the theme of empathy. I kick off by talking about the history of empathy, tracing the concept from Adam Smith’s ideas in the 18th century and through developments in child psychology over the past hundred years. Then comes Maria Konnikova, who [...]

Also posted in empathy, empathy through education, empathy through experience, ethics, interviews, literature, podcasts | Leave a comment

12-Step Guide to Career Change in 2013

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 14 January 2013

Do you want to break free and pursue new career ambitions? Then take a look at  my 12-Step Guide to Career Change in 2013, which appears in today’s Guardian newspaper. The article is based on my book How to Find Fulfilling Work, now available in Korean! (you can also read it in Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, Portuguese and German)

Also posted in money, time, work | Leave a comment

The Power of Outrospection

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 3 December 2012

What do Mr Spock, Che Guevara and Gandhi have in common? They all appear in my new RSA Animate, The Power of Outrospection, about how empathy can create radical social change. If you want to know more about my ideas on empathy, a good place to start is my book The Wonderbox: Curious Histories of [...]

Also posted in art, conversation, empathy, ethics, history, politics | 11 Comments

Can popular philosophy change the world?

By Roman Krznaric | Published: 26 October 2012

I was recently interviewed by philosopher Jules Evans, author of the bestselling Philosophy for Life: And Other Dangerous Situations, as part of his project on the rise of the practical philosophy movement. The interview originally appeared on his website. Here it is in full.  Roman Krznaric is the author of two popular books that came out this [...]

Also posted in conversation, empathy, ethics, interviews, philosophy, politics, work | Leave a comment

  • Welcome to OUTROSPECTION, my blog on empathy and the art of living. You'll find articles, interviews and news on the fundamental questions of how to live, with an emphasis on outrospection, which is about discovering who we are by stepping outside ourselves and exploring the lives of other people and cultures.

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