How Small Phrases Make Big Impacts | James Geary

There are phrases that stick with us. They surface in moments of stress, uncertainty, or decision-making, offering a surprising sense of clarity when life feels complex. This week, we’re joined by James Geary, author of The World in a Phrase, to explore why these short sayings (known as aphorisms) have such staying power, and how they subtly shape the way we think, judge, and act.

James joins us to unravel what distinguishes aphorisms from proverbs, slogans, and commandments, and why those differences matter for how we communicate and make meaning. Together, we examine what truly makes an aphorism an aphorism, why authorship plays a critical role, and how a single sentence can carry enough psychological weight to reframe an entire problem. From fortune cookies to graffiti to philosophy, aphorisms appear wherever we search for insight.

Rather than telling us what to do, aphorisms help us decide how to think. They function as cognitive heuristics, guiding judgment without offering direct answers, and the ones that serve us best often change over time. Language nerds will rejoice as we dig into every word of a phrase, explore why contradictory sayings can both be “true,” and examine how compact bits of wisdom can orient decisions without oversimplifying them.

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