In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Shankar Vedantam, host of the wildly popular podcast, Hidden Brain and esteemed author of the new book Useful Delusions (https://amzn.to/2PUkzlv).
Before reading Shankar’s book and interviewing him for this podcast we were, as Shankar describes himself, card-carrying rationalists. We were firmly in the camp of believing rational, scientific findings and believing that lies and deception are harmful to ourselves and to our communities. However, Shankar walks us through a compelling argument, that paradoxically, self-deception actually plays a pivotal role in our happiness and well-being.
In our discussion with Shankar we cover:
We really hope you find Shankar’s unique insight on how delusions are useful as compelling as we did. If you’re a regular Behavioral Grooves listener, please consider supporting us through Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves). Thank you!
© 2021 Behavioral Grooves
BooksNoise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Kahneman, Sibony and Sunstein, 2021 https://amzn.to/3heyr5r
Richard Dawkins https://richarddawkins.net/
Mahabharata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata
Lake Wobegon Effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wobegon
Other Episodes We Talk About
The Myth of the “Relationship Spark” with Logan Ury (featuring a guest appearance by Christina Gravert, PhD): https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/the-myth-of-the-relationship-spark-with-logan-ury-featuring-a-guest-appearance-by-christina-gravert-phd/
Robert Cialdini, PhD: Littering, Egoism and Aretha Franklin: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/robert-cialdini-phd-littering-egoism-and-aretha-franklin/
Self Control, Belonging, and Why Your Most Dedicated Employees Are the Ones To Watch Out For with Roy Baumeister: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/self-control-belonging-and-why-your-most-dedicated-employees-are-the-ones-to-watch-out-for-with-roy-baumeister/
George Loewenstein: On a Functional Theory of Boredom: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/george-loewenstein-on-a-functional-theory-of-boredom/
Gary Latham, PhD: Goal Setting, Prompts, Priming, and Skepticism: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/gary-latham-phd-goal-setting-prompts-priming-and-skepticism/
John Bargh: Dante, Coffee and the Unconscious Mind: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/john-bargh-dante-coffee-and-the-unconscious-mind/
Linda Thunstrom: Are Thoughts and Prayers Empty Gestures to Suffering Disaster Victims? https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/linda-thunstrom-are-thoughts-and-prayers-empty-gestures-to-suffering-disaster-victims/
Grooving on Knowing Thyself: Why Figuring Out Who I Am is Easier Than You Thought.
Why You Never Feel Good Enough As A Perfectionist | Thomas Curran
Overcome Chronic Busyness With A Growth Mindset | Eduardo Briceño
Volunteering for Well-Being: How Team Rubicon Helps Volunteers and Communities | David Burke and Patti Norberg
Our Quest to Feel Significant And How It Affects Our Behavior | Arie Kruglanski PhD
How Best to Create a Culture of Learning | Sarah Nicholl
Imperfectly Perfect: The Science of Human Decision Making | Lionel Page
Want To Make Tomorrow Better? Get To Know Your Future Self Today | Hal Hershfield
Money, Success and the Cult of Never Enough | Manisha Thakor
All The Ways Into Behavioral Science (And No, You Don’t Need a PhD) | Merle Van Den Akker
Confidence, Certainty and Control: The Map to Success | Peter Atwater
The Psychology of Scams: Why We Fall for Fraud and How to Protect Yourself | Daniel Simons & Christopher Chabris
People Want Answers: How to Communicate in a Crisis with Christopher Reddy
The Value of an Open Mind and How To Overcome Knowingness | Jonathan Malesic
Feeling Stuck? Steps To Get Out Of Your Rut And How Music Helps | Adam Alter
Are You A People Pleaser? Learn To Say No More with Vanessa Patrick PhD
What Do You Think? How To Improve Your Perspective And Your Life | Woo-Kyoung Ahn PhD
How We’re Missing The Point With The Gender Pay Gap | Alex Imas PhD
Want People To Comply With Rules? Start With Trust | Christian Hunt
Grooving on Goals: The Magic of Goals [Republish: Episode 27]
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