The Scout Mindset

Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't

By: Julia Galef

Narrated by: Julia Galef

"...an engaging and enlightening account from which we all can benefit." (The Wall Street Journal)

A better way to combat knee-jerk biases and make smarter decisions, from Julia Galef, the acclaimed expert on rational decision-making.

When it comes to what we believe, humans see what they want to see. In other words, we have what Julia Galef calls a "soldier" mindset. From tribalism and wishful thinking, to rationalizing in our personal lives and everything in between, we are driven to defend the ideas we most want to believe - and shoot down those we don't.

But if we want to get things right more often, argues Galef, we should train ourselves to have a "scout" mindset. Unlike the soldier, a scout's goal isn't to defend one side over the other. It's to go out, survey the territory, and come back with as accurate a map as possible. Regardless of what they hope to be the case, above all, the scout wants to know what's actually true.

In The Scout Mindset, Galef shows that what makes scouts better at getting things right isn't that they're smarter or more knowledgeable than everyone else. It's a handful of emotional skills, habits, and ways of looking at the world - which anyone can learn. With fascinating examples ranging from how to survive being stranded in the middle of the ocean, to how Jeff Bezos avoids overconfidence, to how superforecasters outperform CIA operatives, to Reddit threads and modern partisan politics, Galef explores why our brains deceive us and what we can do to change the way we think.

©2020 Julia Galef (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"...an engaging and enlightening account from which we all can benefit." (The Wall Street Journal)

"Most books tell you what to think. This is something rarer, and more valuable: a book about how to think, and how to learn, without the fear or favor that so often holds us back from inching closer to the truth. The beauty of The Scout Mindset demonstration is it is, itself, an example of the ethos it teaches. The delight it takes in questioning its own premises, and understanding the alternative arguments, will make you want to be a scout, too."(Ezra Klein, editor-at-large and cofounder of Vox, best-selling author of Why We’re Polarized)

“I find myself quoting Julia in my writing again and again, because no one explains thinking and rationality better than she does. The ideas in The Scout Mindset have been stuck in my head ever since I watched her TED Talk. The Scout Mindset is a lens, and once you're looking through it, the world makes a lot more sense.” (Tim Urban, co-founder of “Wait But Why”)

Best Book Ever, wait um probably.

I've been a Scout for 2 years and I'm so excited to finally read a book about people like me and how to improve as a Scout. Thank you, Julia Galef!

Looking forward to listening again!

Julia did an amazing job with writing and then reading this book. My next book? This one again!

A great read, well-read

Very enjoyable. Julia narrated her own book, and her years of podcasting paid off. The book itself is upbeat, to the point and I found it very inspirational.

Book of the Year

This is the best book I have read in a long time. It had a profound impact on me, and has made me yearn to see the world clearly instead of through the lenses of tribalism and bias. Wonderful narration, thoughtfully curated arguments, and humble and rational claims make this book a masterclass in honest persuasion.

A very practical book on how to be less wrong

A very practical book on how to be less wrong and more right. Highly recommended

excellent advice

This book is an excellent explanation of how to reorient your thinking away from defending opinions and towards examining the world for what it really is.
It contains techniques for recognizing and accepting that you could be wrong so as to better understand what is really going on around you.
How to be willing to change your mind in light of new evidence.
I just finished this book yesterday and I've already recommended it to wo people.

What an eye opener

This book is so good and really has helped me with my communication skills greatly. I think it is an absolute must read for anybody who’s trying to make a point and trying to get to the truth of the situation as best they can.

Insightful

I would like to think that this is the mindset I’ve been ascribed to for some time, even then, there were some excellent points in this book I hadn’t considered.

Straightforward

- Scout mindset = Analogy for an attitude concerned with understanding and navigating what is real

- Soldier Mindset= Analogy for an attitude concerned with defending and validating what is psychosocial

Scout Midset 5 Stars

I just finished listening to this incredible audio book for the second time. it is insightful, inspiring intelligent and delivered in a manner that is easy to follow and understand. The author has a speaking voice that is pleasant and clear. I highly recommend.