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rickycatto's review against another edition
4.0
Humans are social by default. Even "anti-social" humans. This book talks about some super interesting research that has been done on how people need to interact with each other. The book is better than this ted talk but will give you a taste of this book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNhk3owF7RQ
stevia333k's review against another edition
1.0
This is on the lower side of the spectrum. It's very 2013 neoliberal, but I need to evaluate the parts about the brain that I liked in order to figure out how low is too for this. I'm thinking it gets at least 2 stars, but it might get 3 this book is too fascist, it focuses on organizations, and i didn't take enough notes about the brain to follow-up. so it's a 1-star book.
The book was better when it focused on the brain. It's too bourgeois to get the application stuff right. To be fair this book is from 2013, but it's still sad.
So to be clear, some parts of the book felt like a nice complement to hunt gather parent, but it was like focused on an Ancap Overton Window but then was detoxing from that & due to the attachment felt conservative but due to using new info from science felt like blue maga. Like he gave nationalism apologia saying due to analyzing 10k pairings among like 45 people that we rely on stereotypes for cooperation... Cliche apologia but still horrid.
I took notes, and it was helpful because it gave me insight on multitasking & it gave me insight on how my development got stunted/delayed/robbed, but the harmonizing part felt too much like conversion torture apologia. So basically the earlier in the book the better.
The book was better when it focused on the brain. It's too bourgeois to get the application stuff right. To be fair this book is from 2013, but it's still sad.
So to be clear, some parts of the book felt like a nice complement to hunt gather parent, but it was like focused on an Ancap Overton Window but then was detoxing from that & due to the attachment felt conservative but due to using new info from science felt like blue maga. Like he gave nationalism apologia saying due to analyzing 10k pairings among like 45 people that we rely on stereotypes for cooperation... Cliche apologia but still horrid.
I took notes, and it was helpful because it gave me insight on multitasking & it gave me insight on how my development got stunted/delayed/robbed, but the harmonizing part felt too much like conversion torture apologia. So basically the earlier in the book the better.
morgan_blackledge's review against another edition
5.0
The book is ambitious. It covers an immense amount of ground. Way to many interesting ideas than I feel like listing or summarizing at present.
The author Mathew Lieberman has a TEDX talk that essentially summarizes the book. Google:The Social Brain And Its Superpowers : Matthew Lieberman, Ph.D. at TEDxStLouis.
WARNING: the talk is actually much less exciting than the book. Lieberman is a fantastic, engaging and quite persuasive writer, and the book is extremely well crafted. There were more than a few times that I had to put the book aside and process the flood of insights and ideas I was having as a result of reading Lieberman's words.
This is a really good book. I'm definitely going to read it again and give it a closer study next time around. I think there's something for just about everyone in it.
The author Mathew Lieberman has a TEDX talk that essentially summarizes the book. Google:The Social Brain And Its Superpowers : Matthew Lieberman, Ph.D. at TEDxStLouis.
WARNING: the talk is actually much less exciting than the book. Lieberman is a fantastic, engaging and quite persuasive writer, and the book is extremely well crafted. There were more than a few times that I had to put the book aside and process the flood of insights and ideas I was having as a result of reading Lieberman's words.
This is a really good book. I'm definitely going to read it again and give it a closer study next time around. I think there's something for just about everyone in it.
k_tiches's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
The research of this book is very interesting, to be honest it’s more a formatting issue for me. I find books without foot/end note numbers very frustrating, there were just highlighted passages in the back that correlate to research or other information, but you don’t know if what you’re reading has a citation note in the moment you’re reading it. This is a personal pet peeve of mine in nonfiction, so I struggled with finding my “groove” reading this book. Also, some things just didn’t age well since when this book was published, like the multiple references to Louis C.K, and some parts just seemed a little . . . Tone deaf? For instance, his discussion of SATs and college admission kind of just boiling down to if you are good at self-control. I’ll be reading some of that research now, because I’d love to know what else was controlled for there.
In the end, this was intriguing, but the formatting and some of the glazed-over ideas made this difficult for me to really enjoy.
In the end, this was intriguing, but the formatting and some of the glazed-over ideas made this difficult for me to really enjoy.
tiffanyc's review against another edition
4.0
"Why are our brains built in such a way that a broken heart can feel as painful as a broken leg?''
I've been highlighting a lot whilst I've been reading this. This book is truly fascinating filled with interesting scientific research and anecdotes to make things simpler. Learning about how our brains are wired to be socially connected has intrigued me. I'm reading this thinking "of course!" reflecting on our everyday human behaviours.
It's very appropriate to read this book during such a difficult year. 2020 has brought it's challenges, we've craved human interaction more than anything and our circumstances have forced many of us apart. This book may offer you an explanation as to why it's so important for people to feel socially connected.
I've been highlighting a lot whilst I've been reading this. This book is truly fascinating filled with interesting scientific research and anecdotes to make things simpler. Learning about how our brains are wired to be socially connected has intrigued me. I'm reading this thinking "of course!" reflecting on our everyday human behaviours.
It's very appropriate to read this book during such a difficult year. 2020 has brought it's challenges, we've craved human interaction more than anything and our circumstances have forced many of us apart. This book may offer you an explanation as to why it's so important for people to feel socially connected.
loufillari's review against another edition
3.0
It seems my brain is not wired to connect. Or I'm in denial, which is more likely the case.
Well researched book and other some such comments but all social science books are well researched. Different sections just irked me in strange ways. I'm doubtful about certain studies and the results. Or I just disagree with the results, which makes no logical sense.
Mostly, I hate the idea that my brain is totally social and here I sit denying that I want interaction with humanity. Maybe I'm higher up the autism spectrum than other beings.
Well researched book and other some such comments but all social science books are well researched. Different sections just irked me in strange ways. I'm doubtful about certain studies and the results. Or I just disagree with the results, which makes no logical sense.
Mostly, I hate the idea that my brain is totally social and here I sit denying that I want interaction with humanity. Maybe I'm higher up the autism spectrum than other beings.
baileydot's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book up after seeing the author's name mentioned by Josh Korda as a reference for why our connections to each other are so necessary. I also didn't finish it. Why would I give a book a four star reference if I didn't finish it? Because it was very well written, very engaging, and I absolutely can't read books full of recounting studies and their outcomes. I find it so boring. So every paragraph that wasn't about a study had me rapt, and then I lost all interest for pages at a time. I got the gist of the book: we need other people. Our brains appear to be wired to encourage us to seek others and build secure relationships for our wellbeing. I just don't need to read about dozens of studies to believe it. So if you like this type of writing, dig in!