Sunday Soup: Books vs. Audiobooks, 'AI Psychosis', the Ellisons, How to Negotiate
These are the articles, streaming ideas, and books that caught our attention this week.
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We’ve got a new batch of articles and podcast streams that caught our eye over the last few days. The math behind a simple shuffle of a deck of cards and how it can wreak havoc on a gaming, whether we should read physical books rather than listen to audiobooks, and how the Ellisons are becoming a media powerhouse. Plus, a new book recommendation on the power of negotiating, a conversation with Shopify (SHOP) CEO Tobi Lütke, and how fixing problem stains became a viable business.
If you have a recommendation to share, we’d love to hear about it in the Comments section below.
Now use a large ladle and enjoy this latest offering of Sunday Soup.
Articles 📰
The College Drop-Off Is Done and the Nest Is Empty. Now What?
"Close to 66% of householders aged 45 and older who are parents don’t have a child at home, according to data from the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University. That translates into about 46.5 million empty nests. Some parents find newly acquired free time liberating, but many are blindsided by how much their children’s departure affects just about everything."
How the Math of Shuffling Cards Almost Brought Down an Online Poker Empire
"If you’ve ever shuffled a deck of playing cards, you’ve most likely created a unique deck. That is, you’re probably the only person who has ever arranged the cards in precisely that order. Although this claim sounds incredible, it’s a great illustration of how quickly large numbers can creep into everyday situations — with occasionally challenging consequences, as the developers of an online poker game painfully discovered in the late 1990s."
Is Reading Always Better for Your Brain Than Listening to Audiobooks?
"Reading books and listening to audiobooks tap into different elements of cognition, each with their own benefits. So which one should you choose, and when?"
The Alien Intelligence in Your Pocket
"Many people dismiss the idea, because chatbots frequently make embarrassing mistakes — glue on pizza, anyone? — and because we know, after all, that they are programmed by people. But a number of chatbot users have succumbed to 'AI psychosis,' falling into spirals of delusional and conspiratorial thought at least in part because of interactions they’ve had with these programs, which act like trusted friends and use confident, natural language. Some users arrive at the conclusion that the technology is sentient."
America’s Newest Moguls: the Ellisons
"Larry Ellison, the 81-year-old founder of Oracle, a software giant, stumped up most of the cash for his son David to take over Paramount, another grand old Hollywood studio, in August. The family is now said to be bidding for Warner Bros Discovery, a much larger rival. Meanwhile Oracle is part of a group hoping to buy the American operations of TikTok from ByteDance, its Chinese owner. A sale was approved in principle by President Donald Trump on September 25th. If the deals go ahead, they will give the Ellisons control of some of America’s biggest news and entertainment brands…"
The Human Stain Remover: What Britain’s Greatest Extreme Cleaner Learned From 25 Years on the Job
"From murder scenes to whale blubber, Ben Giles has seen it – and cleaned it – all. In their stickiest hours, people rely on him to restore order."
What We’re Streaming 📺📲
What We’re Reading 📖
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, by Chris Voss
"Life is a series of negotiations, and negotiation is at the heart of collaboration —whether you are a business executive, a salesperson, a parent, a community leader, or a spouse. As a former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss gives you the tools to be effective in any situation: negotiating a business deal, buying (or selling) a car, negotiating a salary, acquiring a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner, or communicating with your children. Taking the power of persuasion, empathy, active listening, and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any difficult conversation or challenging situation. This book is a masterclass in influencing others, no matter the circumstances.
After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference distills the Voss method, revealing the skills that matter most when it comes to achieving your goals in both your professional and personal life."
