You Are Not So Smart

Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

By: David McRaney

Narrated by: Don Hagen

Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

An entertaining illumination of the stupid beliefs that make us feel wise.

You believe you are a rational, logical being who sees the world as it really is, but journalist David McRaney is here to tell you that you're as deluded as the rest of us. But that's OK - delusions keep us sane. You Are Not So Smart is a celebration of self-delusion. It's like a psychology class, with all the boring parts taken out, and with no homework.Based on the popular blog of the same name, You Are Not So Smart collects more than 46 of the lies we tell ourselves everyday, including:

• Dunbar's Number - Humans evolved to live in bands of roughly 150 individuals, the brain cannot handle more than that number. If you have more than 150 Facebook friends, they are surely not all real friends.
• Hindsight bias - When we learn something new, we reassure ourselves that we knew it all along.
• Confirmation bias - Our brains resist new ideas, instead paying attention only to findings that reinforce our preconceived notions.
• Brand loyalty - We reach for the same brand not because we trust its quality but because we want to reassure ourselves that we made a smart choice the last time we bought it.

©2011 David McRaney (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"In an Idiocracy dominated by cable TV bobbleheads, government propagandists, and corporate spinmeisters, many of us know that mass ignorance is a huge problem. Now, thanks to David McRaney's mind-blowing book, we can finally see the scientific roots of that problem. Anybody still self-aware enough to wonder why society now worships willful stupidity should read this book." ( David Sirota, author of Back to Our Future: How the 1980s Explain the World We Live In Now)

Great collection

Great collection of biases.
I like that is divided in short chapters, and each one is introduced by what we usually think before presenting the bias.

Overall a good logic check

the key thing is to fight against biases and that's one of the most difficult things to do. Lots of good examples lots of things that made me think about my own and abilities or abilities to adjust

Covers a lot of old territory

While this book makes for a breezy listen, a lot of what is contained within will be old news to many readers. If you know what a straw man argument and an ad hominem attack are, have read too many descriptions of the marshmallow experiment and the Standford prison experiment and are just plain tired of Milgram this book is probably not for you. While there were certainly many sections that contained information that I was previously unaware of the amount of the content that I already knew ruined this for me.

This book comes from the author of a blog of the same name, and it shows. The chapters read like blog posts, tending to lack depth, and the flow between chapters is choppy at times. However, it's an easy read, and a good introductory look at some of work that has been done in psychology in the past century.

I Feel Smarter Than The Author Says I Am!!!!!

This started a little slow for me, but it picked up quickly. There were some interesting psychology principles presented in an easy to understand manner; some of them I was familiar with from undergrad and life, and some were surprising (yet made perfect sense once explained).

I have to say that the narration was very good. I was highly amused because the author uses the word "asshole" or expressions like "you are not the shit" sporadically. It came far and few between enough so that I chuckled each time. The narrator has this very cultured, proper voice, and that is how I picture him. When he calmly reads "you are not the shit" in the same tone as the rest of the book, it really is quite funny (or I just have a strange sense of humor, which is also quite possible).

There were some logic games that were fun to do. I also enjoyed the exposure of the logical fallacies that we all (yes, ALL of us) commit. Even your feeling of "I would never fall for that" is not as unique as you think!

Some of the chapters I enjoyed the most involved the memory and how false memories are created. I had the image that he described of memories being retrieved like files on a disc; however, that is not true. We reconstruct memories based on experiences and the author shows how false memories are created. I also really like the chapter about egocentrism and how you feel that everyone is noticing you - the big zit on your forehead, your new haircut, new outfit, etc. In reality, that is not the case and people are too busy focusing on themselves to focus on you as much as you think. There was a bit about catharsis that I can apply to may daily commute to work. The author explains how you feel good after making a rude gesture to someone after you are cut off in traffic. However, this does not get rid of the negative emotions that the cutting off evokes; what it does do is provide a cathartic effect so it feels good to you. In turn, you seek out that feeling again. Hm, that would explain why I find the need to use "sign language" so often as I drive to and from work!

I'm sure that most people will have different chapters that they feel are interesting or pertinent to them, but there is enough in this book that I think many people will find several interesting areas.

I love the chapter on hypochondria and how a hypochondriac uses the excuse of not feeling well to avoid projects that feel overwhelming to them or so that they avoid failure. The author also explains how the self-fulfilling prophecy works and how you can talk yourself into things. On that note, I need to end this review now......suddenly, I'm not feeling well.

It aight

Good lessons read by Tywin Lannister’s condescending voice.

There are many impactful stories and lessons that really make you reevaluate your approach to life.

Smart and funny

Solid... Funny... Love the droll punchlines and learned that we all are not that smart.

Interesting (though not new) info/annoying narrator

Very interesting information though a compilation of studies, not original insights by author. Worth listening to, even though the condescending tone of the narrator is a constant irritant.

Fun, entertaining, and informative!

I admit that I am not so smart, but am now less not so smart. I used this book in my Gen Psych class.

a must read

If you think you have a grip on how the world works, this book will help bring you back down to earth. maybe.

FANTASTIC insight into how we think & choose.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

If you like understanding human nature and how the world works, you will love this book!

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this informative and entertaining audiobook.