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

by Shankar Vedantam (Author), Bill Mesler (Author)

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.

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Praise for Shankar Vedantam:

Delivered with wit and lightness by Vedantam, The Hidden Brain is digestible without ever being dumbed down, and embodies an open-mindedness that becomes infectious.
-Emma Dibdin, New York Times

The Hidden Brain [is] compulsively readable. Vedantam is a gifted storyteller.
-Anthony Doerr, Boston Globe

The Hidden Brain is an altogether spectacular read, the kind that gives the best possible hope for changing our minds...toward more fairness, greater self-awareness, and a vital integration of our intentions and our actions.
-Maria Popova, Brainpickings