The Honest Truth About Dishonesty

How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves

By: Dan Ariely

Narrated by: Simon Jones

This program is enhanced with 14 never-before-heard episodes of Dan Ariely's "Arming the Donkeys" podcast, available exclusively on this audiobook!

The New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational and The Upside of Irrationality returns with thought-provoking work to challenge our preconceptions about dishonesty and urge us to take an "honest" look at ourselves.

Does the chance of getting caught affect how likely we are to cheat? How do companies pave the way for dishonesty? Does collaboration make us more honest or less so? Does religion improve our honesty?

Most of us think of ourselves as honest, but, in fact, we all cheat. From Washington to Wall Street, the classroom to the workplace, unethical behavior is everywhere. None of us is immune, whether it's the white lie to head off trouble or padding our expense reports. In The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, award-winning, bestselling author Dan Ariely turns his unique insight and innovative research to the question of dishonesty.

Generally, we assume that cheating, like most other decisions, is based on a rational cost-benefit analysis. But Ariely argues, and then demonstrates, that it's actually the irrational forces that we don't take into account that often determine whether we behave ethically or not. For every Enron or political bribe, there are countless hidden commissions, and knockoff purses.

In The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, Ariely shows why some things are easier to lie about; how getting caught matters less than we think; and how business practices pave the way for unethical behavior, both intentionally and unintentionally. Ariely explores how unethical behavior works in the personal, professional, and political worlds, and how it affects all of us, even as we think of ourselves as having high moral standards.

But all is not lost. Ariely also identifies what keeps us honest, pointing the way for achieving higher ethics in our everyday lives. With compelling personal and academic findings, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty will change the way we see ourselves, our actions, and others.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2012 Dan Ariely (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Excellent! The most practical of all Ariely's book

excellent book, as always from Dan Ariely.
I found this one to be particularly practical, with most of the experiments and theories reviewed in the book having practical implications.

Also love the fact that the author is talking about his own experiments, not like Many popular authors who just recite work of others.

Reinforced world view

We all lie, best to not deny it and learn the reasons why so as to curb the behavior.

Great, great!

I've always been thrilled on people's conduct, why do they promise something they do not intend to do or why we act "good" sometimes and "bad" others just depending on the situation?

I felt this book as an approach to the answer.

Great Questions Asked and Researched

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to anyone who gets stuck in anecdotal evidence or believes that their motivations are the general norm (i.e I don't dod that!, therefore it can't be true.).

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The questions posed are of significant importance to a flat world and the evolutionary process.

What three words best describe Simon Jones’s voice?

British, smug, matter of fact (Did I just describe British?)

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The idea that we can fool ourselves so completely that it appears to others that we are lying or cheating, but to ourselves it is business as usual.

Any additional comments?

The listener should keep in mind that the experiments although having attempted to compensate for many variables are still happening in a laboratory and can not completing emulate one's behavior in real life situations were the BIG questions are asked.

Good read but a little dry

Where does The Honest Truth About Dishonesty rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It isn't the best, but it wasn't a bad read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Honest Truth About Dishonesty?

The author explains the link between creativity and dishonesty, and I found that very interesting.

I listened to this twice. That entertaining.

This book is packed with interesting little nuggets of information about you and how you behave, but you'll probably feel certain he's talking about someone else.
Seriously, The Honest Truth delivers experiment after experiment with somewhat shocking results. Cool stuff.
Also, Simon Jones did a great job with the narration. His mood and delivery were perfect for the content.
This will be among the short list of books I'll recommend to first time audiobook listeners in the future. It is enjoyable to listen to and every chapter provides a score of cool facts you can take to the water cooler.

Fascinating revelations about human behavior

Our tenuous relationship with reality is exposed through thoughtfully conducted experiments and humorous story telling. I was quite shocked at times, and entertained throughout!

Very interesting

This was filled with surprising facts and some of the conclusions were sadly predictable but all good to realize.

Regurgitating old material

This is nothing special, some of it is interesting, but it is a short book with regurgitated material and some interviews.

If it's Dan Ariely you know it's good

Dan Ariely is a fascinating researcher who can make what seems to be esoteric scholarship into an immediate and fascinating discussion. I think I enjoyed The Upside of Irrationality and Predictably Irrational better, but perhaps all research begins to repeat itself which makes its dazzle a little less brilliant. However, it is still insightful, with "a-ha" moments, and is worth a listen.