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 25
Hidden Motives in Everyday Life Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson. 2. Competition. H. umans are a peculiar species. We're relatively hairless, we walk on our hind legs, we dance and sing like nobody's business. We laugh, blush, and shed ...
Hidden Motives in Everyday Life Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson. 2. Competition. H. umans are a peculiar species. We're relatively hairless, we walk on our hind legs, we dance and sing like nobody's business. We laugh, blush, and shed ...
الصفحة 26
... competition for mates, jockeying for social status, coalition politics (alliances, betrayals, etc.), intragroup violence, cheating, and deception. These activities pit humans against other humans and are therefore competitive and ...
... competition for mates, jockeying for social status, coalition politics (alliances, betrayals, etc.), intragroup violence, cheating, and deception. These activities pit humans against other humans and are therefore competitive and ...
الصفحة 27
... competition are actually easy for us to acknowledge, even celebrate. We love playful competition, for example, as in games and sports. “There are no losers in wrestling,” it's sometimes said, “only winners and learners.” We also endorse ...
... competition are actually easy for us to acknowledge, even celebrate. We love playful competition, for example, as in games and sports. “There are no losers in wrestling,” it's sometimes said, “only winners and learners.” We also endorse ...
الصفحة 28
... competition. PARABLE OF THE REDWOODS Kevin's native California is home to the world's tallest tree species: Sequoia ... competitive place, and sunlight is a scarce but critical resource. And even when you're a redwood, the tallest of all ...
... competition. PARABLE OF THE REDWOODS Kevin's native California is home to the world's tallest tree species: Sequoia ... competitive place, and sunlight is a scarce but critical resource. And even when you're a redwood, the tallest of all ...
الصفحة 29
... against ourselves, as shown in Figure 4. “The worst problems for people,” says primatologist Dario Maestripieri, “almost. Figure 3. Human vs. Animal Intelligence Figure 4. Humans Competing in Intelligence. COMPETITION 29.
... against ourselves, as shown in Figure 4. “The worst problems for people,” says primatologist Dario Maestripieri, “almost. Figure 3. Human vs. Animal Intelligence Figure 4. Humans Competing in Intelligence. COMPETITION 29.
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