Collective Illusions
Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions
By Todd Rose | Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
About the book
Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and social psychology research, an acclaimed author demonstrates how so much of our thinking is informed by false assumptions—making us dangerously mistrustful as a society and needlessly unhappy as individuals.
“Move over, truthiness: Todd Rose is here with science and stories to help us rethink our questionable assumptions and abandon our inaccurate beliefs.” ―Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife
The desire to fit in is one of the most powerful, least understood forces in society. Todd Rose believes that as human beings, we continually act against our own best interests because our brains misunderstand what others believe. A complicated set of illusions driven by conformity bias distorts how we see the world around us. From toilet paper shortages to kidneys that get thrown away rather than used for transplants; from racial segregation to the perceived “electability” of women in politics; from bottled water to “cancel culture,” we routinely copy others, lie about what we believe, cling to tribes, and silence people. The question is, Why do we keep believing the lies and hurting ourselves?
Todd Rose proves that the answer is hard-wired in our DNA: our brains are more socially dependent than we realize or dare to accept. Most of us would rather be fully in sync with the social norms of our respective groups than be true to who we are. Using originally researched data, Collective Illusions shows us where we get things wrong and, just as important, how we can be authentic in forming opinions while valuing truth. Rose offers a counterintuitive yet empowering explanation for how we can bridge our inference gap, make decisions with a newfound clarity, and achieve fulfillment.
National Bestseller
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
Named Amazon's 2022 Best Book of the Year in Business, Leadership, and Science
Editions of Collective Illusions
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780306925689
- EBook
- ISBN 9780306925702
Read an Excerpt
Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and social psychology research, an acclaimed author demonstrates how so much of our thinking is informed by false assumptions—making us dangerously mistrustful as a society and needlessly unhappy as individuals.
“Move over, truthiness: Todd Rose is here with science and stories to help us rethink our questionable assumptions and abandon our inaccurate beliefs.” ―Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife
The desire to fit in is one of the most powerful, least understood forces in society. Todd Rose believes that as human beings, we continually act against our own best interests because our brains misunderstand what others believe. A complicated set of illusions driven by conformity bias distorts how we see the world around us. From toilet paper shortages to kidneys that get thrown away rather than used for transplants; from racial segregation to the perceived “electability” of women in politics; from bottled water to “cancel culture,” we routinely copy others, lie about what we believe, cling to tribes, and silence people. The question is, Why do we keep believing the lies and hurting ourselves?
Todd Rose proves that the answer is hard-wired in our DNA: our brains are more socially dependent than we realize or dare to accept. Most of us would rather be fully in sync with the social norms of our respective groups than be true to who we are. Using originally researched data, Collective Illusions shows us where we get things wrong and, just as important, how we can be authentic in forming opinions while valuing truth. Rose offers a counterintuitive yet empowering explanation for how we can bridge our inference gap, make decisions with a newfound clarity, and achieve fulfillment.
National Bestseller
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
Named Amazon's 2022 Best Book of the Year in Business, Leadership, and Science
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Collective Illusions about?
Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and social psychology research, an acclaimed author demonstrates how so much of our thinking is informed by false assumptions—making us dangerously mistrustful as a society and needlessly unhappy as individuals.
“Move over, truthiness: Todd Rose is here with science and stories to help us rethink our questionable assumptions and abandon our inaccurate beliefs.” ―Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife
The desire to fit in is one of the most powerful, least understood forces in society. Todd Rose believes that as human beings, we continually act against our own best interests because our brains misunderstand what others believe. A complicated set of illusions driven by conformity bias distorts how we see the world around us. From toilet paper shortages to kidneys that get thrown away rather than used for transplants; from racial segregation to the perceived “electability” of women in politics; from bottled water to “cancel culture,” we routinely copy others, lie about what we believe, cling to tribes, and silence people. The question is, Why do we keep believing the lies and hurting ourselves?
Todd Rose proves that the answer is hard-wired in our DNA: our brains are more socially dependent than we realize or dare to accept. Most of us would rather be fully in sync with the social norms of our respective groups than be true to who we are. Using originally researched data, Collective Illusions shows us where we get things wrong and, just as important, how we can be authentic in forming opinions while valuing truth. Rose offers a counterintuitive yet empowering explanation for how we can bridge our inference gap, make decisions with a newfound clarity, and achieve fulfillment.
National Bestseller
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
Named Amazon's 2022 Best Book of the Year in Business, Leadership, and Science
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Collective Illusions?
Health, Relationships and Personal development > Self-help, personal development and practical advice
Where can I read a sample of Collective Illusions?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780306925689
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Collective Illusions?
Todd Rose
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Collective Illusions is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780306925689) and ebook(ISBN 9780306925702)
Where can I buy Collective Illusions online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Collective Illusions from below
Where can I buy Collective Illusions?