Description
Book SynopsisHuman beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus we don''t like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness. This is the elephant in the brain. Such an introspective taboo makes it hard for us to think clearly about our nature and the explanations for our behavior. The aim of this book, then, is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights. Then, once everything is clearly visible, we can work to better understand ourselves: Why do we laugh? Why are artists sexy? Why do we brag about travel? Why do we prefer to speak rather than listen?Our unconscious motives drive more than just ou
Trade ReviewThe argument that Simler and Hanson make is rather comprehensive, and compelling. They bring together research on various topics of limited reach that, when combined, speak to the outrageous gall of the mind in recreating reality to its own liking, and then covering its tracks. * Katherine Oktober Matthews, Riding the Dragon *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 01 Animal Behavior 02 Competition 03 Norms 04 Cheating 05 Self-Deception 06 Counterfeit Reasons 07 Body Language 08 Laughter 09 Conversation 10 Consumption 11 Art 12 Charity 13 Education 14 Medicine 15 Religion 16 Politics Conclusion
