The elephant in the brain Hidden motives in everyday life

Drawing upon evolutionary psychology, the authors tackle the basic capacity of humans for self-deception, not merely at the level of the Freudian intrapsychic but collectively as well. Self-deception, they argue, allows people to better manipulate others. In exposing the darker side of human nature, the authors take readers on a fascinating journey into hidden motivations in such diverse realms as education, religion, and politics. They insist much of the hidden motivation in education resides in collecting outward signs of achievement, such as a prestigious degree. Religion similarly relates to social survival; being pious results in social rewards within the community. Less convincingly, the authors argue that art demonstrates an artist's value as a potential mate; this may have worked for Picasso but apparently not for Van Gogh! Overall, this book lacks some conceptual clarity. The terms mind and brain are often used as if they are interchangeable; actions are explained as a function of brains that are designed to pursue self-interest as if the brain, rather than the person, is the agent. A more coherent and three-dimensional account of collective self-deception is found in Ernest Becker's 1974 classic The Denial of Death. Summing Up: Optional. Undergraduates, professionals, and general readers. --Steen Halling, emeritus, Seattle University

Coauthors Simler, a software engineer, and Hanson (The Age of Em), an economics professor, bring a light touch in this thought-provoking exploration of how little understanding people have of their own motivations. The thesis is serious: we get into trouble because, while we "don't always know what our brains are up to," "we often pretend to know." The authors do not claim that this notion is original, but do effectively synthesize a wide range of scholarship to demonstrate that self-deception is rampant and strategic, "a ploy our brains use to look good while behaving badly." Not all of the self-deception discussed is malign; the authors suggest, counterintuitively, that something as seemingly straightforward as seeking medical care can come from the desire for "social support" as well as for good health. Given the book's unsettling implications for human nature, the authors are wise not to distance themselves from their findings but to apply the same treatment to their own motivations. For instance, Simler reveals that in part the book was a "vanity project" for him, one aimed at getting his name onto a book cover. This is a fascinating and accessible introduction to an important subject. Agent: Teresa Hartnett, Hartnett Inc. (Jan. 2018) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.