The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday LifeOxford University Press, 01/12/2017 - 288 من الصفحات Human 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 our private behavior; they also infect our venerated social institutions such as Art, School, Charity, Medicine, Politics, and Religion. In fact, these institutions are in many ways designed to accommodate our hidden motives, to serve covert agendas alongside their "official" ones. The existence of big hidden motives can upend the usual political debates, leading one to question the legitimacy of these social institutions, and of standard policies designed to favor or discourage them. You won't see yourself - or the world - the same after confronting the elephant in the brain. |
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الصفحة 8
... face to face— we quickly learn to appreciate the depth and complexity of our social behaviors and how little we're consciously aware of what's going on. These behaviors include laughter, blushing, tears, eye contact, and body language ...
... face to face— we quickly learn to appreciate the depth and complexity of our social behaviors and how little we're consciously aware of what's going on. These behaviors include laughter, blushing, tears, eye contact, and body language ...
الصفحة 13
... face an uphill battle and may never achieve widespread acceptance. When an idea emphasizes competition and other ugly motives, people are understandably averse to sharing it. It sucks the energy out of the room. As your two coauthors ...
... face an uphill battle and may never achieve widespread acceptance. When an idea emphasizes competition and other ugly motives, people are understandably averse to sharing it. It sucks the energy out of the room. As your two coauthors ...
الصفحة 17
... stay clean. Individual primates can (and do) groom themselves, but they can only effectively groom about half their bodies. They can't easily groom their own backs, faces, and heads. So to keep their entire 1 Animal Behavior.
... stay clean. Individual primates can (and do) groom themselves, but they can only effectively groom about half their bodies. They can't easily groom their own backs, faces, and heads. So to keep their entire 1 Animal Behavior.
الصفحة 18
Hidden Motives in Everyday Life Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson. own backs, faces, and heads. So to keep their entire ... face value. There are some puzzling facts that cast doubt on the simple hygienic function: • Most primates spend far ...
Hidden Motives in Everyday Life Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson. own backs, faces, and heads. So to keep their entire ... face value. There are some puzzling facts that cast doubt on the simple hygienic function: • Most primates spend far ...
الصفحة 19
... face).” Meanwhile, both parties strengthen their alliance merely by spending pleasant time in close proximity. Two rivals, however, would find it hard to let their guards down to enjoy such a relaxed activity.8 The bottom line ...
... face).” Meanwhile, both parties strengthen their alliance merely by spending pleasant time in close proximity. Two rivals, however, would find it hard to let their guards down to enjoy such a relaxed activity.8 The bottom line ...
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