Name: You are Not So Smart
Rating: 4 (56 reviews)
ISBN: 9781592407361

David McRaney

Explains how self-delusion is part of a person's psychological defense system, identifying common misconceptions people have on topics such as caffeine withdrawal, hindsight, and brand loyalty.

Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

You are Not So Smart

Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, and 65 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

Jun Angelo Cabuguas

an incredibly eye-opening read, i really hope that the awareness i have for how the human mind works stays with me

How many of your Facebook friends do you think you know? Would you help a stranger in need? Do you know why you’re so in love with your new smartphone? The truth is: you’re probably wrong. You are not so smart. In this international bestseller, award-winning journalist David McRaney examines the assorted ways we mislead ourselves every single day. A psychology course with all the boring bits taken out, prepare for a whirlwind tour of the latest research in the subject, fused with a healthy dose of humour and wit. You’ll discover just how irrational you really are, which delusions keep you sane, how to boost your productivity, and why you’ve never kept a New Year’s resolution.

Why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

Mark Gibaud

Fabio Bracht

One of the most interesting books I have ever read. A real kick on your mind's balls.

Ahmed Salem

The misconception: You are so smart
The truth: You are not so smart

Most of the content of the book I have read in other books or researches or watched on TV (Hence: Mind Games)

However combining the content in one place makes it very lovely and special.

Regarding to the content of the book, we have bad news and good news.

BAD NEWS: our minds are so much limited.
GOOD NEWS: if we are aware enough with limitation and we are increasing our self-awareness, defiantly we can find our way through this complicated Life.

An entertaining illumination of the stupid beliefs that make us feel wise. You believe you are a rational, logical being who sees the world as it really is, but journalist David McRaney is here to tell you that you're as deluded as the rest of us. But that's OK- delusions keep us sane. You Are Not So Smart is a celebration of self-delusion. It's like a psychology class, with all the boring parts taken out, and with no homework. Based on the popular blog of the same name, You Are Not So Smart collects more than 46 of the lies we tell ourselves everyday, including: Dunbar's Number - Humans evolved to live in bands of roughly 150 individuals, the brain cannot handle more than that number. If you have more than 150 Facebook friends, they are surely not all real friends. Hindsight bias - When we learn something new, we reassure ourselves that we knew it all along. Confirmation bias - Our brains resist new ideas, instead paying attention only to findings that reinforce our preconceived notions. Brand loyalty - We reach for the same brand not because we trust its quality but because we want to reassure ourselves that we made a smart choice the last time we bought it. Packed with interesting sidebars and quick guides on cognition and common fallacies, You Are Not So Smart is a fascinating synthesis of cutting-edge psychology research to turn our minds inside out.

Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, an d 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

You Are Not So Smart

Kuba Milcarz

God! This book was so insightful. It’s awesome. I honestly believe everyone should read it and treat it like a bible when it comes to watching news regarding politics… or health. Misinformation is everywhere. And this little book shows how to defend yourself from it in 48 ways.

Madhuri Sridhara

My first audio book that came with great tidbits of information that’s fascinating for any budding psychologist/sociologist. I want to read more about each of the small phenomenon described in the book. It was funny in a dry and sassy way. This is the kind of non fiction I enjoy.

Mary Baldwin

I tend not to think too much when I write a book review, or when I write anything for that matter. But those of you who've read this book already will understand my hesitation in opening this review with 'There were ideas in this book I had come across before' or 'When two people recommended this book to me in the same week - I knew it was a sign I had to read it there and then'. Being objective about my self has now become a whole different challenge.

If you know nothing about cognitive biases, this book will really open your eyes to decision-making, belief, and behavioral biases that you'll continue to spot in yourself and others. Yes, prepare to be that overly analytical arsehole in the room. New to the subject matter - not a problem, McRaney makes the facts accessible and relevant with humourous examples. 

I'd suggest that if you're already well versed in the psychology of how we know what we think, but what we think we know isn't always so - then you should just see this book as a reference of interesting and supportive case studies for those theories.

Even though it's an engaging read, there's a lot to digest and were I to read it again I'd take a 'chapter a week' approach to really let the information sink in. Long story short, I finished it two days ago and I'm still thinking about it; I've learned some interesting (and downright annoying) concepts that are already assisting me at work & play. All sources and studies are well cited and easy to reference.

Ervin Szerdocz

It's really hard to listen to an audiobook that constantly shows how stupid you are.
If anything, I've learned to be even more humble - which I'm grateful for. I wish everyone would read half this book.

Adam

If there was a book about stereotypes for how the brain works this would be it. In most cases though, the stereotypes are true unless you're actively aware of the decisions you're making. This book elaborates on the decisions we make without knowing it. For most of them I was nodding along thinking "yeah, that's true, I knew that was a bias I held", which left it mostly skin deep for me.

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

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