The Elephant in the Brain

Hidden Motives in Everyday Life

By: Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson

Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus, we don't like to talk, or even think, about the extent of our selfishness. This is "the elephant in the brain".

Such an introspective taboo makes it hard for us to think clearly about our nature and the explanations for our behavior. The aim of this book, then, is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights. Then, once everything is clearly visible, we can work to better understand ourselves: Why do we laugh? Why are artists sexy? Why do we brag about travel? Why do we prefer to speak rather than listen?

Our unconscious motives drive more than just our private behavior; they also infect our venerated social institutions such as art, school, charity, medicine, politics, and religion. In fact, these institutions are in many ways designed to accommodate our hidden motives, to serve covert agendas alongside their "official" ones. The existence of big hidden motives can upend the usual political debates, leading one to question the legitimacy of these social institutions, and of standard policies designed to favor or discourage them. You won't see yourself - or the world - the same after confronting the elephant in the brain.

©2018 Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson (P)2018 Tantor

Great book

Helped me understand a little bit more about social norms and the psychology of why we still follow them.

Entertaining and thought provoking

The social implications outlined are well written and laid out to be easy to underatand and entertaining to think about

Very interesting.

I asked myself lots of questions while listening to this book about my own motivations. Keeping in line with selfish behavior. The tone and voice of the reader kept my interest and was not monotone like certain audiobooks. Interesting read, difficult book to discuss with others due to people not willing to give this theory a chance. One thing we humans are great at is self delusion.

potentially life-changing

a great insight into the human mind and motives. it can change the way you look at others but especially yourself.

Interesting but repetitive

It was an interesting read but overall it just felt repetitive. Definitely not a bad book but I feel like it could have been shortened by quite a bit and conveyed the same message. Worth it if you're interested in human social evolution.

Interesting new perspective

The book was not overly dry despite the subject. I especially enjoyed one of the authors internal conflict with the subject matter while writing it.

It offers a decent understanding of our subconscious and explains how we may naturally be more selfish than we'd like to admit

Very relatable analysis on human motives

If you're looking for anecdotal evidence on what drives us, this book is worth the listen.

your hidden motives shines with this book

in the evolutionary standpoint it shows that we don't do things because they are good but also for slew of other reasons. there are good and relatable examples from contents of this book.

「醍醐灌顶」

Thoroughly surveying various social behaviors and frameworks, Simler and Hanson paint their human motive picture with clear structures and delight examples. Seen in countless works over the centuries, the thesis is as old as time: every man for himself. This time around though, the authors focus on concrete and detailed results, hand holding readers to walk through every myths and norms we now see as the direct or indirect but inevitable consequences of human selfishness. However, that should not the end of the day. Early confucian philosopher Xunzi is known for the same arguments, but I also remind myself that Confucius' remark that the greatest achievement of a person is to withdraw and be indifferent to those selfish motives hence becoming a saint. Anyway, I recommend this book with great enthusiasm. Also, this is my first review on Audible, it is that good.

An easy but intellectual listen.

this is an awesome book that covers much of what we know but can't explain. The inconvenient truth of psychology.