Our Political Nature

The Evolutionary Origins of What Divides Us

De: Avi Tuschman

Narrado por: Jay Snyder

The first book to tell the natural history of political orientations.

Our Political Nature is the first book to reveal the hidden roots of our most deeply held moral values. It shows how political orientations across space and time arise from three clusters of measurable personality traits. These clusters entail opposing attitudes toward tribalism, inequality, and differing perceptions of human nature. Together, these traits are by far the most powerful cause of left-right voting, even leading people to regularly vote against their economic interests.

As this book explains, our political personalities also influence our likely choice of a mate, and shape society's larger reproductive patterns. Most importantly of all, it tells the evolutionary stories of these crucial personality traits, which stem from epic biological conflicts.

Based on dozens of exciting new insights from primatology, genetics, neuroscience, and anthropology, this groundbreaking work brings core concepts to life through current news stories and personalities. For instance, listeners will meet Glenn Beck and Hugo Chavez and come to understand the underlying evolutionary forces they represent. By blending serious research with relevant contemporary examples, Our Political Nature casts important light onto the ideological clashes that so dangerously divide and imperil our world today.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2013 Avi Tuschman (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Fascinating book filled with great information...

Would you consider the audio edition of Our Political Nature to be better than the print version?

I only read the audio version.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Our Political Nature?

It answers why babies cry in the middle of the night. Who knew? It's not because they are hungry.

Inserting Listen

I recommend this book to anyone who has a question about how politics shape our world, and why people think the way that they do. Very interesting listen.

Have everyone you know read this.

Wonderfully researched. Incredibly informative. Given the current political climate in the US and over much of the world, everyone needs to read this book to understand the basic differences that make some conservative and some liberal rather than just yelling at each other. Pure science. I listened for political bias and I couldn't find any.

Crystal-clear, non-partisan, brilliant.

Crystal-clear, fact-based explanation of evolutionary psychology for everyday people--arguably the best popular, non-partisan book on this topic since Robert Wright’s “The Moral Animal," which remains a classic in the popular science literature. Narration of the audiobook version is brilliant.

“Our Political Nature” is not only about politics, but it is definitely essential reading for everyone who wants to understand the measurable factors that compel us to vote the way we do. Most people will be surprised by what they learn.

Some highlights:

Virtually every human being-- in almost every country throughout the world, regardless of who is in power-- will claim that they fall somewhere along a left-right spectrum.

Most people, self-identified as “left or right”, “liberal or conservative”, do not understand what actually motivates people to vote the way they do.

The political leanings of individuals correlate with specific patterns in MRI scans.

Identical twins raised apart have more closely correlated political leanings than fraternal ones.

Three parameters are critical motivators in human behavior: tribalism, views on inequality, and views of human nature.

After an enlightening introduction, six parts of the book are brilliantly organized as follows:

1. Tribalism
2. Biological roots of tribalism
3. Views on inequality
4. Biological roots of views on inequality
5. Views of human nature
6. Biological roots of views of human nature, including altruism and parenting.

Anyone who has strong opinions about nature vs. nurture owes it to themselves to read this book. Engaging, readable, and thoroughly researched.

learned a lot.

I learned a lot about why people are the way they are from this book.