Name: Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain
ISBN: 9781324020288

Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain

Shankar Vedantam

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Self-deception does terrible harm to us, to our communities, and to the planet. But if it is so bad for us, why is it ubiquitous? In Useful Delusions, Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler argue that, paradoxically, self-deception can also play a vital role in our success and well-being.

The lies we tell ourselves sustain our daily interactions with friends, lovers, and coworkers. They can explain why some people live longer than others, why some couples remain in love and others don't, why some nations hold together while others splinter.

Filled with powerful personal stories and drawing on new insights in psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, Useful Delusions offers a fascinating tour of what it really means to be human.

Book Details

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Publish Date: Mar 1st, 2022
Pages: 272
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 8.20in - 5.40in - 0.80in - 0.50lb
EAN: 9781324020288
Categories: • Cognitive Psychology & Cognition• Organizational Behavior• Social Psychology

About the Author

Vedantam, Shankar: - Shankar Vedantam is host of the Hidden Brain podcast and public radio show and the author of The Hidden Brain, a New York Times national bestseller. He lives in Washington, DC.

Mesler, Bill: - Bill Mesler is the coauthor of A Brief History of Creation. He lives in Washington, DC.

More books by Shankar Vedantam

Book Cover for: The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives, Shankar Vedantam

What people are saying

Library of Armenian State University of Economics

@ASUE36805907

2 years

Everything you can imagine. We'll be happy to wait for you with us...

"Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain" By Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler. Self-deception can also play a vital #role in our #success and well-being. They can explain why some people #live longer, some couples stay in #love, and others don't. https://t.co/Oz1tIN5tvp

Exploring the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior | Team: Host and Executive Editor Shankar Vedantam & Executive Producer @taranoelleboyle

Join Shankar's virtual book tour! 🙌🏾 Over the next few weeks, Shankar will be in conversation with journalists, psychologists, and writers to discuss his new book, Useful Delusions. Find your tickets here: https://hiddenbrain.org/books/ https://t.co/xaDd1I7Tzs

Inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, strengthen communities. Got a question? Tweet @AskNYPL, call 917-ASK-NYPL, or send a message to https://t.co/phznzHexmM

'Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain' by Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler can explain the lies we tell ourselves to sustain our daily interactions with friends, lovers, and coworkers. #BookOfTheDay: https://t.co/TkADcxHtqQ https://t.co/8GFjv7iXtH

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Critics’ reviews

Praise for this book

Ingenious...A passionate, often counterintuitive, disturbingly convincing addition to the why-people-believe-stupid-things genre.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

This excellent narrative nonfiction work will engage a variety of readers, and is a solid choice for book clubs who like to discuss current events.-- "Library Journal (starred review)"

Powerful...[Vedantam] explains the phenomenon of deceit in general, and self-deception in particular, with the same plain language and gentle authority that his listeners have come to rely on.--Katie Hafner "Washington Post"

Vedantam and Mesler pepper hard data with compelling stories to make their case. Vedantam's empathy and intuitive understanding of human nature, which shine on his popular 'Hidden Brain' podcast, come through in Useful Delusions.--Tali Sharot "New York Times Book Review"

A lively and digestible book...Perhaps the book's most important point advises how to combat destructive delusions.--Matthew Hutson "Wall Street Journal"

[A] scientifically informed, provocative and stylish study of self-deception.--Andrew Robinson "Nature"

Useful Delusions takes us on a fascinating, enlightening tour of the human mind.--Karen R. Koenig "New York Journal of Books"

What people are saying

Library of Armenian State University of Economics

@ASUE36805907

2 years

Everything you can imagine. We'll be happy to wait for you with us...

Exploring the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior | Team: Host and Executive Editor Shankar Vedantam & Executive Producer @taranoelleboyle

twitter.com