Rory Sutherland

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Aug 23, 2023

Rory Sutherland, the UK Vice Chairman of Ogilvy and a pioneer in behavioral science for marketing, adds depth to the conversation with his unconventional theories. He explores how creativity often contradicts logic, advocating for curiosity in problem-solving. Sutherland critiques overreliance on data in decision-making, emphasizing the importance of humor and absurdity in human experience. He also examines the psychological aspects of consumer choices and the evolution of advertising, illustrating how constraints can spark innovation.

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INSIGHT

Creativity Deficit

Institutional decision-making desperately needs more creativity.
However, creative behaviors are often not rewarded, and may even be punished, in professional settings.

ADVICE

Beginner's Mind

Challenge assumptions to be creative, like the Intercity 125 designer who questioned the need for buffers.
The designer realized buffers were unnecessary since the train wouldn't be shunted.

INSIGHT

Asymmetry of Creativity

Creative people must present ideas to rational people for approval, but the reverse never happens.
Finance, legal, or compliance never seek creative input, creating an imbalance.

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The Righteous Mind

Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

Jonathan Haidt

In this book, Jonathan Haidt draws on twenty-five years of research on moral psychology to explain why people's moral judgments are driven by intuition rather than reason. He introduces the Moral Foundations Theory, which posits that human morality is based on six foundations: care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, sanctity/degradation, and liberty/oppression. Haidt argues that liberals tend to focus on the care/harm and fairness/cheating foundations, while conservatives draw on all six. The book also explores how morality binds and blinds people, leading to social cohesion but also to conflicts. Haidt aims to promote understanding and civility by highlighting the commonalities and differences in moral intuitions across political spectra.

Alchemy, The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense

The surprising Power of Ideas which don't make Sense

Rory Sutherland

Rory Sutherland's "Alchemy" explores the surprising power of ideas that don't make sense from a behavioral economics perspective. The book challenges conventional wisdom in marketing, advertising, and decision-making, highlighting the importance of seemingly irrational factors. Sutherland uses numerous anecdotes and examples to illustrate how seemingly illogical approaches can yield unexpected results. He emphasizes the role of emotion and perception in shaping consumer behavior and decision-making processes. The book offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand and influence human behavior.

The master and his emissary

The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

Iain McGilchrist

This book argues that the division of the brain into two hemispheres is essential to human existence, allowing for two incompatible versions of the world. The left hemisphere is detail-oriented, prefers mechanisms to living things, and is inclined to self-interest, while the right hemisphere has greater breadth, flexibility, and generosity. McGilchrist takes the reader on a journey through the history of Western culture, illustrating the tension between these two worlds as revealed in the thought and belief of thinkers and artists from ancient to modern times. He argues that the increasing dominance of the left hemisphere in today’s world has potentially disastrous consequences.

The Mating Mind

How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature

Geoffrey Miller

In 'The Mating Mind,' Geoffrey Miller proposes that the human mind evolved not just as a survival machine but as a courtship machine. He argues that many of the distinctive human traits, such as language, art, music, and morality, were developed as fitness indicators and sexual attractors. Miller draws on Darwin's theory of sexual selection and integrates ideas from psychology, economics, history, and pop culture to explain how these traits were shaped by the sexual choices of our ancestors. The book suggests that once language evolved, thought itself became subject to sexual selection, and that human courtship is a primary driving force behind human evolution[1][4][5].

The Darwin Economy

Liberty, Competition, and the Common Good

Robert H. Frank

In 'The Darwin Economy,' Robert H. Frank challenges the traditional libertarian view of economics by arguing that Charles Darwin's principles of natural selection provide a more accurate model for understanding economic competition. Frank contends that the 'invisible hand' of Adam Smith often fails in cases where the value of goods is relative rather than absolute, leading to collective action problems and market failures. He proposes policy changes, such as consumption taxes and 'sin taxes,' to address these issues and promote a more equitable distribution of wealth. The book highlights examples of 'positional consumption' and how individual self-interest can harm the community as a whole, drawing parallels with biological phenomena like runaway sexual selection[2][4][5].

Is shame necessary?

new uses for an old tool

Jennifer Jacquet

In 'Is Shame Necessary?: New Uses for an Old Tool,' Jennifer Jacquet argues that public shaming, when properly directed and utilized in the age of social media, can be an effective tool for changing behaviors and policies that harm the environment. Jacquet distinguishes between shame and guilt, emphasizing that shame can be a powerful mechanism for enforcing social norms and influencing groups and corporations. The book provides a set of 'Habits of Highly Effective Shaming' and discusses the potential and limitations of using shame to drive positive change.

The Enigma of Reason

A New Theory of Human Understanding

Dan Sperber

Hugo Mercier

In 'The Enigma of Reason', Mercier and Sperber argue that human reason did not evolve to enable individuals to solve abstract logical problems or make better decisions on their own. Instead, they propose that reason is primarily a social competence, developed to justify thoughts and actions to others, produce arguments to convince others, and evaluate the reasons given by others. This theory explains why reason is both a unique cognitive capacity of humans and why it often leads to biased and lazy reasoning. The book emphasizes that reason's main utility lies in facilitating cooperation and communication within complex social groups, making it an adaptation to the hypersocial niche humans have built for themselves[1][2][3].