Scarcity Brain

Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough

By: Michael Easter

Narrated by: Michael Easter

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Comfort Crisis asks: Are we hardwired to crave more? From food and stuff to information and influence, why can’t we ever get enough?

“Reveals the biological and evolutionary foundations behind your brain’s fixations, so you can stop seeking and start living.”—Melissa Urban, Whole30 CEO and author of The Book of Boundaries

“Michael Easter’s genius is that he puts data around the edges of what we intuitively believe. His work has inspired many to change their lives for the better.”—Dr. Peter Attia, author of Outlive

Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis and one of the world’s leading experts on behavior change, shows that the problem isn’t you. The problem is your scarcity mindset, left over from our ancient ancestors. They had to constantly seek and consume to survive because vital survival tools like food, material goods, information, and power were scarce and hard to find. But with our modern ability to easily fulfill our ancient desire for more, our hardwired “scarcity brain” is now backfiring. And new technology and institutions—from dating and entertainment apps to our food and economic systems—are exploiting our scarcity brain. They’re bombarding us with subversive “scarcity cues,” subtle triggers that lead us into low-reward cravings that hurt us in the long run. Scarcity cues can be direct and all-encompassing, like a sagging economy. Or they can be subtle and slight, like our neighbor buying a shiny new car.

Easter traveled the world to consult with remarkable innovators and leading scientists who are finding surprising solutions for our scarcity brain. He discovered simple tactics that can move us towards an abundance mindset, cement healthy habits, and allow us to live our lives to the fullest and appreciate what we have, including how to:

• Detect hidden scarcity cues to stop cravings before they start, from a brilliant slot machine designer in a Las Vegas casino laboratory
• Turn alone time into the ultimate happiness hack, from artisanal coffee-making Benedictine monks
• Reignite your exploration gene for a more exciting and fulfilling life, from an astronaut onboard the International Space Station
• Reframe how we think about and fix addiction and bad habits, from Iraq’s chief psychiatrist
• Recognize when you have enough, from a woman who left a million-dollar career path to adventure the world

Our world is overloaded with everything we’re built to crave. The fix for scarcity brain isn’t to blindly aim for less. It’s to understand why we crave more in the first place, shake our worst habits, and use what we already have better. Then we can experience life in a new way—a more satisfying way.

©2023 Michael Easter (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This book is for anyone desperate to break the cycle of doom scrolling, constant cravings, and the relentless drive for more—more validation, more sugar, more money, more stuff. Scarcity Brain reveals the biological and evolutionary foundations behind your brain’s fixations, so you can stop seeking and start living.” —Melissa Urban, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Boundaries

“Michael Easter brings to light that our challenges with behavior change can be better understood—and conquered—if we know how driven we are by our scarcity mindset. With deep science-backed insights, personal stories, practical guidance, and a relatable approach, Easter’s book is for anyone interested in embarking on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment with the goal of living a healthier, more satisfying, and actualized life.” —Juliet Starrett & Dr. Kelly Starrett, New York Times bestselling authors of Built to Move

“Michael Easter illuminates how humans are hardwired to seek more, even when our reward-seeking behaviors become at odds with our well-being. His vulnerable weaving of his own personal experiences alongside cutting edge research and current events compel you to examine your own life and patterns. Consider this engaging read a mandate to get curious, a more effective tool for meaningful, positive, lasting change than shame or judgement, the traditional tools of the trade.” —Liz Plosser, editor in chief of Women’s Health

Consistency

Mike and his point of view is a breath of fresh air. Love the detailed stories and chapter diversity. His commitment to the big picture is unmatched.

Better than Easter's Last Book

I was nearly 3/4 of the way through this book before realizing that I had listened to Michael Easter's previous book, This book is completely different and very good. For someone interested in understanding at least some of the reasons the world works as it does, there is no replacement for reading this book. This book is in my top 5 of must-reads.

Successful second book

Easter writes well and takes readers on adventures to illustrate his points. This book is a successful distinction from Comfort Crisis; engages you to look at your patterns and teaches how big tech and industry prey on deeply wired responses. He had me reconsidering habits and actions and I consider myself pretty self-aware and informed. Well done.

Very Insightful

The author goes to great lengths to prove the scarcity mindset in all aspects of our lives. More people need to listen to his words and reflect on how it affects us as humans.

Very real

Love the way he uses facts and truth to help all of us live with more purpose.

New way of looking at Scarcity & Abundance

Content worth listening too. Only issue was on the download. Each chapter started later than what the app said

Great food for thought

I loved Easter’s first book, “The Comfort Crisis.” This is in the same vein: psychology, science spirituality, evolutionary theory about why we seek more in a world of over abundance.

Another great book by Michael Easter

If you liked comfort crisis, you’ll enjoy this book. Worth the read/listen IMO. Read by the author and makes a good follow-up to comfort crisis by touching on. Why our brain respond a certain way.

Eye Opener on Humanity

Author exposes the why's of human behavior in interesting mini stories and scientific facts. These are gathered from his studies of millennium and his own travels and experiences around the globe. Excellent read and cautious advice for us all to stop and think about our subconscious. Brilliantly explains the cues that stem from our evolution on the planet. Patterns and habits that can quickly become harmful, especially with AI and technology and those who wish to take advantage of the average person.

Really thought provoking

I listened to the Comfort Crisis and I actually liked this book even more. We know that our babies are being hacked but in this book he really lays out in real world example how they do (tech, social media, and casinos) do it. Most importantly the reverse of this and how this circuit in our human brain can be used to make us better.