Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and social psychology research,
an acclaimed author demonstrates how so much of our thinking is informed
by false assumptions--making us dangerously mistrustful as a society and
needlessly unhappy as individuals.
The desire to fit in is one of the most powerful, least understood
forces in society.
Todd Rose believes that as human beings, we continually act against our
own best interests because our brains misunderstand what others believe.
A complicated set of illusions driven by conformity bias distorts how we
see the world around us. From toilet paper shortages to kidneys that get
thrown away rather than used for transplants; from racial segregation to
the perceived "electability" of women in politics; from bottled water to
"cancel culture," we routinely copy others, lie about what we believe,
cling to tribes, and silence people.
The question is, Why do we keep believing the lies and hurting
ourselves?
Todd Rose proves that the answer is hard-wired in our DNA: our brains
are more socially dependent than we realize or dare to accept. Most of
us would rather be fully in sync with the social norms of our respective
groups than be true to who we are. Using originally researched data,
Collective Illusions shows us where we get things wrong and, just as
important, how we can be authentic in forming opinions while valuing
truth. Rose offers a counterintuitive yet empowering explanation for how
we can bridge our inference gap, make decisions with a newfound clarity,
and achieve fulfillment.
**National Bestseller**
**Wall Street Journal Bestseller**
**Named Amazon's 2022 Best Book of the Year in Business, Leadership,
and Science**
