The Upside of Irrationality

The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home

By: Dan Ariely

Narrated by: Simon Jones

The provocative follow-up to the New York Times best seller Predictably Irrational

• Why can large bonuses make CEOs less productive?
• How can confusing directions actually help us?
• Why is revenge so important to us?
• Why is there such a big difference between what we think will make us happy and what really makes us happy?

In his groundbreaking book Predictably Irrational, social scientist Dan Ariely revealed the multiple biases that lead us into making unwise decisions. Now, in The Upside of Irrationality, he exposes the surprising negative and positive effects irrationality can have on our lives. Focusing on our behaviors at work and in relationships, he offers new insights and eye-opening truths about what really motivates us on the job, how one unwise action can become a long-term habit, how we learn to love the ones we're with, and more.

Drawing on the same experimental methods that made Predictably Irrational one of the most talked-about bestsellers of the past few years, Ariely uses data from his own original and entertaining experiments to draw arresting conclusions about how and why we behave the way we do. From our office attitudes, to our romantic relationships, to our search for purpose in life, Ariely explains how to break through our negative patterns of thought and behavior to make better decisions. The Upside of Irrationality will change the way we see ourselves at work and at home and cast our irrational behaviors in a more nuanced light.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2010 Dan Ariely (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Self-deprecating humor, an enthusiasm for human eccentricities, and an affable and snappy style make this read an enriching and eye-opening pleasure." ( Publishers Weekly)

Intriguing!

I found the author's observations of irrational human behavior enlightening. I loved the narrator's accent, too!

A Reason For Experimentation

Not enough to question

I appreciated the tenacity to test. I understand the difficulty in creating experiments and controlling variables. This program was is seemingly inspirational with insight as to how one could implement their own experiments

Intuition V Experimentation a need for balance

Not as good as the first

I gave 5 stars to Predictably Irrational also by this author. This current book is not nearly as good. The title is somewhat misleading, as after listening, I'm not sure what he believes the upside to irrationality is.

This book is shorter in length and seems to jump from one concept to another without much a clear connection or bridge between the chapters. On the plus side, he develops exceptionally clever experiments to test his theories. the difference between the original book and this, is there is lot more room for alternative explanations in this book.

For instance, he sets up experiments where behavior is measured by the amount of money the subjects keep, give away or are influenced by. However, in my mind, I would have reacted differently to the situations based on thee amount of money involved. For instance, my behavior if sharing parts of $5 would be very different from sharing parts of $5000. Also, in some 'games' he set up it would matter to me if knew we were going to play the game more than once. In some of his games, this would greatly influence my behavior. Last, the source of his subjects may influence the outcome. Many of his experiments involve MIT students, who you could argue are not the 'normal' population of people.


He also spends a great deal of the book talking about his own horrific experiences as a teen age burn victim. However, I am unsure of the purpose of providing painful, tortuous details of his suffering to the reader of this book.

The most interesting (to me) chapters deal with how long the consequences of emotional irrational decision making can haunt us. Also, he demonstrates how specific stimulus can increase the likelyhood of irrational decisions. I can't help but wonder if the author wasn't try to put us in a certain state of mind with his personal horror stories - perhaps to buy his next book?

You likely find more to like than dislike about this book but it's not as good as the first.

An enjoyable piece of pop psych.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a great book. The author gives a lot of really interesting information while managing to keep the book entertaining and readable. It helps give insight into the way we live and make decisions, which I found both interesting and useful.

Very educational and captivating reading<br />Enjoyed.

Excellent narration. Loved to listen to the audio book. The piece where people with past physical injuries compare notes about the pain and their altered perception of it is warm and memorable. I also liked the part about self herding and its different implications

Rationally Irrational

I found myself nodding enthusiastically at the points mentioned in this book. I believe it's a must read for everybody who has ever wondered why "rational" approaches fall short, and what to do about that.

Very eye opening

The great useful information were modulated on a lovely sense of humor, makes you never feel bored of reading the book! I couldn't stop wanting more...
I recommend it to everyone who wants to understand the irrationality of his or other people's behaviors, it will make you understand how to make correct decisions in your life.

A nice introduction

Great book to start with behavioral Psychology.
At times it may seem a bit slow, but its full of experiments and practical wisdom.

Another winner by Dan Ariely

I've yet to find a a book by Dan Ariely that I haven't finished in 48 hours or less, and he doesn't disappoint in The Upside Of Irrationality.

So Many Upsides

Great book. Much more personal than his first book, Predictably Irrational, the Upside of Irrationality helps us understand the benefits of our screwed up brains and illogical behaviors. Ariely is one of those truly inspiring people. His story of overcoming pain, of using pain to understand and explain the world, is an amazing motivator to all of us to stop whining about our own obstacles. I think Ariely is a genius in a very particular way - a genius in the construction of experiments to test ideas. A craftsperson of experimentation.