YOU ARE NOT SO SMART by David McRaney

You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself by David McRaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: How many of your Facebook friends do you think you know? Do you think you’d rush to a stranger’s help when no one else would? Do you think you choose which product to buy based on whether you like it? Do you think you know why you procrastinate? The truth is, you are not so smart. In fact, you’re pretty irrational, just like everyone else. But that’s OK – because that’s all part of being human. In this pithy celebration of self-delusion, David McRaney explores in 48 short chapters, the assorted ways we mislead ourselves everyday. Based on the popular blog, prepare for a whirlwind tour of the latest research in psychology, and to finally discover why we never get round to our New Year resolutions.

MY REVIEW: This book is essential reading for everyone — that is, everyone who considers themselves a flawed human. Those who don’t probably wouldn’t want to read it in case their delusions are shattered. It’s a wonderfully playful look at the ways our brains delude and deceive us. Each chapter starts with a brief statement of a misconception followed by the truth. Then the author provides a simple, fascinating account of the scientific and psychological research that shows how the misconception and the truth are produced by our brains. It’s a very enjoyable read and highly relevant in our contemporary society when there is so much our brains have to work with in deluding us. If you are looking to improve your intellectual humility, this is the book to do it. By the end of the 48 chapters, you won’t trust what your brain is telling you, you’ll be more cautious about what you think you know, and marvel at the highly sophisticated organ you have inside your head. Don’t miss this intriguing, enlightening, easy-to-read book!

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