The Rational Animal
How Evolution Made Us Smarter Than We Think
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The Rational Animal
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Narrated by:
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Tim Andres Pabon
About this listen
Why do three out of four professional football players go bankrupt? How can illiterate jungle dwellers pass a test that tricks Harvard philosophers? And why do billionaires work so hard - only to give their hard-earned money away?
When it comes to making decisions, the classic view is that humans are eminently rational. But growing evidence suggests instead that our choices are often irrational, biased, and occasionally even moronic. Which view is right - or is there another possibility?
In this animated tour of the inner workings of the mind, psychologist Douglas T. Kenrick and business professor Vladas Griskevicius challenge the prevailing views of decision making, and present a new alternative grounded in evolutionary science. By connecting our modern behaviors to their ancestral roots, they reveal that underneath our seemingly foolish tendencies is an exceptionally wise system of decision making.
From investing money to choosing a job, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, our choices are driven by deep-seated evolutionary goals. Because each of us has multiple evolutionary goals, though, new research reveals something radical - there’s more than one "you" making decisions. Although it feels as if there is just one single "self" inside your head, your mind actually contains several different subselves, each one steering you in a different direction when it takes its turn at the controls.
The Rational Animal will transform the way you think about decision making. And along the way, you’ll discover the intimate connections between ovulating strippers, Wall Street financiers, testosterone-crazed skateboarders, Steve Jobs, Elvis Presley, and you.
©2013 Douglas T. Kenrick, Vladas Griskevicius (P)2013 Gildan Media LLCListeners also enjoyed...
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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.
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,666
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 998
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 988
In his groundbreaking book Predictably Irrational, social scientist Dan Ariely revealed the multiple biases that lead us into making unwise decisions. Now, in The Upside of Irrationality, he exposes the surprising negative and positive effects irrationality can have on our lives. Focusing on our behaviors at work and in relationships, he offers new insights and eye-opening truths about what really motivates us on the job.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Not as good as the first
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- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,666
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,465
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,459
You Are Now Less Dumb is grounded in the idea that we all believe ourselves to be objective observers of reality - except we’re not. But that's okay, because our delusions keep us sane. Expanding on this premise, McRaney provides eye-opening analyses of 15 more ways we fool ourselves every day. This smart and highly entertaining audiobook will be wowing listeners for years to come.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Not a lot of guidance
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By: David McRaney
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Sway
- The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior
- By: Rom Brafman, Ori Brafman
- Narrated by: John Apicella
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 780
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 504
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Story4 out of 5 stars 502
A Harvard Business School student pays over $200 for a $20 bill. Washington, D.C., commuters ignore a free subway concert by a violin prodigy. A veteran airline pilot attempts to take off without control-tower clearance and collides with another plane on the runway. Why do we do the wildly irrational things we sometimes do?
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3 out of 5 stars
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Disappointing book
- By Martin Proulx on 12-10-08
By: Rom Brafman, and others
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Justin
- 02-17-17
Good book
phone book loved some of the chapters really got in touch with my inner caveman
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