Bibliograph

Political animals, how our Stone-Age brain gets in the way of smart politics, Rick Shenkman

Type

Label

Political animals, how our Stone-Age brain gets in the way of smart politics, Rick Shenkman

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 253-283) and index

Illustrations

maps

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Political animals

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

916408331

Responsibility statement

Rick Shenkman

Sub title

how our Stone-Age brain gets in the way of smart politics

Summary

This book "challenges us to go beyond the headlines, which often focus on what politicians do (or say they'll do), and to concentrate instead on what's really important: what shapes our response. Shenkman argues that, contrary to what we tell ourselves, it's our instincts rather than arguments appealing to reason that usually prevail. Pop culture tells us we can trust our instincts, but science is proving that when it comes to politics our Stone-Age brain often malfunctions, misfires, and leads us astray"--Dust jacket flap

Table Of Contents

INTRODUCTION: the mismatch: why we can't trust our instincts -- PART I: Curiosity -- 1. The Michael Jordan lesson: why people who don't vote and don't follow the news don't think they need to -- 2. We're political animals: so why aren't we better at politics? -- 3. Your 150 closest friends: how many people do you know? -- PART II: Reading people -- 4. Why we are surprised when our leaders disappoint us: the mistake even smart voters make -- 5. 167 milliseconds: the amazing speed at which we draw conclusions about people -- PART III: Truth -- 6. Lying to ourselves: the high cost of self-deception and why we can't stop ourselves -- 7. Do we really want the truth? Why we often seem less interested in the truth than we profess -- 8. Everything happens for a reason: it's just not kids who prefer fairy tales -- 9. It's like it was still 1974: why people make arguments so transparently feeble they leave others dumbstruck -- PART IV: Empathy -- 10. When it happens to you: the limits to empathy -- 11. The accountant's error: the danger of relying on our gut -- CONCLUSION: A way forward: solutions are at our fingertips if only we grasp them -- CODA: The widow's advantage: and what we can learn from her

Classification