--Lessons--
Human Stories
History
From hominin to sapien to cities.
Recent Tidbits:
Stories, Quotes, and FAQs.
The wisdom builder tidbits that feed the columns, articles, and trainer.
HISTORY
Featured Story
History
Story
Born circa 563.
Gautama Buddha
Lived 103 Generations Ago, from about 563 to 486 BCE.
- The "Buddha"
Buddhism
The Buddha, from about 500 BCE, has a modern lesson for us all. He taught the world to live for the now. Embrace your spiritual beliefs, sure, but also live this life, for this life. He saw disciplined experience here on Earth as way to reduce suffering. Start with experience: craving unsettles us, impermanence humbles us, and mindful attention can free us from needless pain. Embrace crafting a clearer view. Your goal is to explore what is possible right here, right now.
Featured QUOTE
Updated This Week
History
Quote
“Do not speak arrogantly or do hateful things.”
- King Shuruppak
- 2600 BCE
Fatherly Advice
Fatherly advice to his son, and society, from a Sumerian king.
A thread of wisdom running through human advice across thousands of years is remarkably consistent: good people resist arrogance and hatred. This short instruction is from the Instructions of Shuruppak. King Shuruppak’s timeless advice against arrogance and hatred offers profound insight into the enduring human struggle for ethical conduct. These ancient words remind us of the importance of humility, respect, and compassion in building harmonious societies. More than 4,500 years later, the wisdom still holds: humility, respect, and compassion help people live together.
Featured FAQ
Updated This Week
History
FAQ
What is the history of Confucianism?
Confucian History
Confucianism was never about abstract belief or the afterlife. It focused on how people should live together—through proper conduct, relationships, and virtue. Confucianism is about the roles, customs, and expectations that make up our current idea of what is normal. Its endurance comes from practicality: ideas designed to stabilize society tend to survive, even as they adapt. Much of enjoying life’s journey is relational. Value the stability of the relationships you have right now, tolerate what falls outside the norm.
Updated Tidbits
08 Aug 2026
(Updated 7 hours ago)
Critical Thinking
FAQ
Are there more Christians or Muslims in the world today?
Hasty Generalization
08 Aug 2026
(Updated 4 days ago)
08 Aug 2026
(Updated 1 week ago)
World History
The Human Story in Time
World history from prehistory to our time.
History traces the arc of humanity from the earliest hominin artifacts through post-medieval civilization and into what we call “Our Time.” It studies how ideas, cultures, technologies, and power structures evolve under real-world pressures. Dates are not arbitrary—they frame how we interpret meaning, continuity, and change.
Evidence-first History
History built from traces, context, and confidence.
Deep-Dive Articles
Education: On Testing in Schools
Anonymous practice tests help teachers spot knowledge gaps and teach more effectively.
No Kings Has Deep Historical Roots
Recent protests reflect the timeless struggle to limit power and oppression using checks and balances.
Pragmatism and Pythagoras
Pythagoras exemplifies rational pragmatism and reminds us that authority is often topic specific. Choose your authorities carefully, because good authority is usually limited to a ...
Women’s Rights History in 3 Minutes!
History shows that when rights are left to the states, they’re often lost, limited, or delayed. Check out the story of women's rights from gaining ...
Confucius and the Analects: His Teachings, No Doubt
Honor the life you are standing in. Spirituality is lived in the present role: with respect, sincerity, restraint, gratitude, and care.
Must-Reads
Ancient History
Pragmatism and Pythagoras
Pythagoras exemplifies rational pragmatism and reminds us that authority is often topic specific. Choose your authorities carefully, because good authority is usually limited to a ...
Ancient Humans
The Evolution of Vocabulary in Ancient Humans
The evolution of language is the evolution of communication. From touch which evolved about 800 million years ago to human words. Along the journey, communication ...
Ancient History
Echoes of the Self: Exploring Consciousness Across the Ages
Consciousness is the capacity for awareness; animals add subjective experience, and humans add self-reflection and inquiry.
New Ideas
Ancient Humans
Holistic Paleolithic Framework: A New Look at Prehistory
A new look at dividing up the paleolithic era switches from lower, middle, and upper to Stone, Fire, Cultural, Symbolic, Cognitive, and prehistory ending specifically ...
Ancient Humans
EQ: The Story of Ancient Human Brains
Ancient human brains evolved gradually over millions of years, with important bursts of change, producing minds that were often far more capable than traditional stories ...
Updated Articles
TST COLUMN
05 Mar 2020
History
Article
Coronavirus Covid-19 Notes
Thu 5 Mar 2020
(6 years ago)
Updated 3 weeks ago.
TST COLUMN
15 Jan 2019
History
Article
Read PDF: New England’s Memorial by Nathaniel Morton, published 1669.
Tue 15 Jan 2019
(8 years ago)
Updated 3 weeks ago.
TST COLUMN
29 Dec 2018
History
Article
California: Illegal Immigrants Did Not Vote in the 2018 Election
Sat 29 Dec 2018
(8 years ago)
Updated 3 weeks ago.