Snippets about: Human Behavior
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Reciprocal Altruism in Action
Dawkins describes the intricacies of reciprocal altruism using the example of cleaner fish and their clients. Cleaner wrasses set up "cleaning stations" on coral reefs, where larger fish come to have parasites removed. The remarkable aspect of this relationship is that predatory clients refrain from eating the cleaner fish, despite the obvious opportunity.
Dawkins explains how this behavior evolved: cleaners that efficiently remove parasites are more likely to be revisited, while clients that resist the temptation to eat cleaners benefit from long-term parasite removal. This mutual restraint is enforced by the prospect of future interactions, demonstrating how cooperation can emerge from self-interest when there's a possibility of repeated encounters.
Section: 1, Chapter: 10
Book: The Selfish Gene
Author: Richard Dawkins
Bureaucracy Imposes Artificial Categories On A Messy World
According to Harari, bureaucracy tries to make the world legible and manageable by sorting it into clear conceptual "drawers." But this imposed order often fails to match the real world's complexity. For example:
- Biologists struggle to neatly categorize organisms when species boundaries blur through hybrids, horizontal gene transfer, etc.
- Psychiatrists moved homosexuality in and out of the official list of disorders.
- Universities split knowledge into departments like history, biology and mathematics, but reality doesn't conform to these divisions.
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Book: Nexus
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
"Humans Aren't Wired For Constant, Unvarying Effort"
"Humans Aren't Wired For Constant, Unvarying Effort"
The natural work style of great scientists mirrors anthropological findings about the "original" productivity of hunter-gatherers. Unencumbered by the artificial discipline of industrial capitalism, hunter-gatherers work in an oscillating rhythm of intense effort offset by extensive rest and socializing. This is likely the pattern of exertion that human beings evolved to sustain. In contrast, the relentless, unvarying intensity demanded by industrial and knowledge work schedules is deeply unnatural. It requires fighting against our innate need for fluctuating energy expenditure.
Section: 2, Chapter: 4
Book: Slow Productivity
Author: Cal Newport
Revenge Is A Powerful Human Instinct
The human desire for revenge, even when self-destructive, has important implications for politics and game theory. A study found that 90% of subjects retaliated against a simulated Soviet nuclear first strike despite knowing they were dooming themselves.
This is irrational from a self-preservation standpoint but reflects that revenge is a powerful innate drive, perhaps evolutionarily adaptive for deterring aggression against one's tribe. Mutually assured destruction works because of this glitch in human reasoning.
The instinct for retaliation deters conflict but makes de-escalation difficult. Game theory's assumption of pure self-interest misses these messy human motives. Understanding them is key to anticipating others' actions, both at the poker table and in geopolitics.
Section: 2, Chapter: 8
Book: On The Edge
Author: Nate Silver
Too Much Comfort Is Now Harming Us
For 99.996% of human history, our species lived with constant discomfort - too hot, cold, hungry, exposed to the elements, dealing with predators, injuries and diseases. Seeking comfort helped us survive. But in the last 0.004% of our history, we've suddenly been living with constant comfort thanks to modern innovations. Yet our brains are still wired for an uncomfortable world. So while comforts have allowed us to thrive, being overly comfortable is now linked with chronic diseases, mental health issues, lack of meaning, and fragility.
- Early humans lived intimately with discomfort to survive
- Comfort-seeking drove us to find food, build shelter, avoid risks
- But 99.996% of human history was pre-modern comforts
- In last 100 years, we now live with climate control, abundant food, sanitation, medicine
- Comfort creep means yesterday's comfort is today's discomfort
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Book: The Comfort Crisis
Author: Michael Easter
Territorial Leg Splay Claims Dominance
In moments of tension or disagreement, people will often splay their legs wide apart and firmly plant their feet to establish a dominant, authoritative stance. This "territorial display" communicates they feel challenged and intend to stand their ground.
When arguing with someone, look for this aggressive leg posture. You may need to back off or change your approach to avoid escalating the conflict. In any case, recognize the splay reveals the depth of the person's anger and conviction.
Use this tell to gauge their emotions accurately. If you're the one guilty of leg splaying, be aware it may alienate people. Adopt a more neutral posture to keep tensions from rising.
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Book: What Every Body is Saying
Author: Joe Navarro
Si Redd Revolutionizes Slot Machines
In the 1970s, slot machines were unpopular - over 97% of plays lost, so people quickly stopped playing. But slot machine designer Si Redd used screens to allow multiple betting lines (increasing win frequency to 45%) and near misses (encouraging replay).
He also added exciting sounds/graphics and a Spin button for faster play. This optimized the scarcity loop in slot machines - providing opportunity, unpredictable rewards, and quick repeatability. Redd's machines were a hit, expanding to most casino floors and increasing revenues tenfold. His insights shaped the modern slot machine industry.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
"Incentives Are The Cornerstone Of Modern Life"
"An incentive is simply a means of urging people to do more of a good thing and less of a bad thing... There are three basic flavors of incentive: economic, social, and moral. Very often a single incentive scheme will include all three varieties. Think about the anti-smoking campaign of recent years. The addition of a $3-per-pack 'sin tax' is a strong economic incentive against buying cigarettes. The banning of cigarettes in restaurants and bars is a powerful social incentive. And when the U.S. government asserts that terrorists raise money by selling black-market cigarettes, that acts as a rather jarring moral incentive."
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Freakonomics
Author: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Dopamine Drives Pursuit Of Unpredictable Rewards
Dopamine has long been misunderstood as the "pleasure chemical." In reality, dopamine release motivates us to pursue rewards, especially when they are unpredictable.
When an outcome is unsure, our dopamine levels spike - causing intense focus, craving and anticipation as we await the result. This happens when waiting to see if we got likes on a post, matches on a dating app, a gambling payout, and so on.
Dopamine evolved to make us "obsessive" about persisting for unpredictable payoffs related to survival. Today, the neurochemical still pushes us to keep checking, scrolling, swiping and pulling the metaphorical slot handle - even when the reward is trivial or counterproductive.
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
"The Face Is Like The Penis!"
"Silvan Tomkins once began a lecture by bellowing, 'The face is like the penis!' What he meant was that the face has, to a large extent, a mind of its own."
This provocative quote introduces Gladwell's discussion of how our faces often betray our true feelings, even when we're trying to hide them. He explains that our facial expressions are controlled by both voluntary and involuntary systems, and that the involuntary system often reveals our genuine emotions. This insight is crucial for understanding how we communicate non-verbally and how others can read our true feelings.
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Blink
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Humans Naturally Add Rather Than Subtract To Solve Problems
When an engineer was bested by his 3-year-old son in a bridge-building challenge, he realized humans overlook subtraction as a problem-solving strategy. The father tried to fix a lopsided bridge by adding more blocks to the short column. His preschooler intuitively removed blocks from the taller column instead.
Experiments show that even when subtraction is the best solution, people default to adding. We tend to add more:
- Lego blocks to stabilize a structure
- Features to a mini-golf hole or product
- Words to an essay
- Items to a travel itinerary
- Even when instructed to improve the situation with "as few moves as possible"!
Section: 1, Chapter: 4
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
The Scarcity Loop: A Powerful Behavior Pattern
The scarcity loop is a three-part system that powerfully drives behavior:
- Opportunity - An opportunity to get something of value that improves our life, but with risk of not getting it.
- Unpredictable Rewards - Not knowing when or how much of the reward we'll get, which excites the dopamine system and makes us crave it more.
- Quick Repeatability - The behavior can be repeated quickly in rapid succession, compelling more action.
The scarcity loop evolved to help our ancestors persist in finding scarce food and resources. But now it's being used in slot machines, social media, shopping, and more to drive counterproductive habits.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
Spot Territorial Displays in Arm Positioning
During a boardroom negotiation, two executives, Jack and Ava, debate a contentious point in the contract. As Ava defends her position, Jack slowly moves his arms from his sides onto the armrests, then inches them outward until his elbows jut into Ava's space.
Jack's "territorial display" attempts to intimidate Ava and assert dominance over the discussion. If Ava mirrors his pose, it could escalate the argument. Instead, she keeps her arms in a neutral position while calmly reiterating her points. Noting Jack's aggressive stance, the room reads his behavior as overbearing and sides with Ava in the end. Jack's arm posturing backfired.
Section: 1, Chapter: 5
Book: What Every Body is Saying
Author: Joe Navarro
Hunter-Gatherer Societies Show The Naturalness Of Fluctuating Work Intensity
Anthropological studies of the few remaining hunter-gatherer societies show that their "work" of acquiring food unfolds at a fluctuating pace. Periods of intense effort, like a long hunting trip, are typically followed by stretches of rest and socializing. This contrasts with the artificially constant intensity demanded by industrial and knowledge work.
The studies suggest that our evolutionary heritage is better adapted to a work rhythm that ebbs and flows rather than maintaining an unsustainably high static level. Slow productivity aims to restore this more natural cadence to our efforts.
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Slow Productivity
Author: Cal Newport
Altruism And Organ Donation
One domain where society depends heavily on altruism is organ donation. With over 100,000 Americans on the kidney transplant waitlist and 5,000 dying each year, the need for donors is immense. Levitt and Dubner examine different approaches:
- Iran has a free market system where donors are paid ~$1200, clearing the waitlist
- Israel gives transplant priority to registered donors, creating an incentive to opt-in
- The U.S. relies purely on unpaid volunteers but has a severe shortage as a result
The authors argue the U.S. system reveals the limits of pure altruism - even for a life-or-death cause, most won't voluntarily give a kidney to a stranger for free. They propose shifting to a market system could save thousands of lives per year. While acknowledging the valid ethical concerns, Levitt and Dubner argue certain "repugnant" ideas shouldn't be off-limits if they can improve outcomes. They see organ donation as the ultimate test case for altruism's limits.
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Book: Super Freakonomics
Author: Steven D. Levitt , Stephen J. Dubner
The Search For Happiness Is Universal
All human beings seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. We are constantly trying to optimize our experience of the world - seeking pleasant sights, sounds, tastes, sensations, and moods. Even when we achieve our goals, the resulting happiness is fleeting.
True well-being seems elusive as we lurch between wanting and not wanting. Some people begin to suspect that a deeper form of well-being exists beyond just gratifying one's desires. Certain individuals even go on retreats, spending months or years in silent meditation to find an inner peace not dependent on external circumstances.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Waking Up
Author: Sam Harris
Stuff Accumulates Because We Struggle To Know "Enough"
The average American home has tripled in size since 1970 and now contains over 300,000 items. We have entire industries to manage this excess: storage units, professional organizers, decluttering experts.
Clutter creeps up because, unlike with food or drink, we have no physical signals of "too much." There is no equivalent to feeling stuffed for material goods. Compulsive shopping taps into the scarcity loop - there's an addictive rush to scoring unpredictable deals. Filling our space with objects provides temporary soothing and sense of control.
To escape the stuff cycle, we must consciously define "enough" based on our true values.
Section: 1, Chapter: 6
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
The Internet Overloads Us With Information While Limiting Real
Today, the internet provides an endless flood of novel information - accessible with minimal effort and no real danger.
However, this easy access to data doesn't necessarily lead to true understanding. Skimming headlines and posts designed to hijack our attention often leaves us more anxious and fragmented.
To use the internet mindfully and aid real comprehension:
- Limit reflexive clicking on clickbait that provides surface-level "information rewards"
- Aim to engage with primary sources (research, in-depth journalism) vs hot takes
- When you have a hunch you've been misled by an oversimplified take, challenge it by researching alternative viewpoints
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
Resist The Mimetic Forces Of Freshmanistan With These Two Tactics
- Use imitation to drive innovation: There's a false dichotomy between imitation and innovation. The most creative geniuses start by imitating the right models. Identify a model to imitate as a starting point, then build something fresh on top of it rather than pursuing originality for originality's sake.
- Map out the systems of desire in your world: Identify the specific mimetic systems you operate in (e.g. your industry, school, family). What is considered more or less desirable in each one? Knowing the invisible maps of desire allows you to spot opportunities others miss by daring to look in different directions. Mark the boundaries of your current system to gain the ability to transcend it.
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
Are Monkeys More Rational Than Humans?
In the epilogue, Levitt and Dubner describe a provocative experiment by Yale economist Keith Chen. Chen taught capuchin monkeys to use money, then observed their economic behavior. Remarkably, the capuchins exhibited many of the same biases and irrationalities as humans:
- The monkeys responded to price changes, buying less of a food when its price rose
- They fell for the "sunk cost fallacy," eating more of a food they paid more for
- Like humans, the monkeys were loss-averse, strongly preferring gambles framed as bonuses vs. deductions
Levitt and Dubner argue the capuchin experiments hold a mirror up to human nature. If even monkeys exhibit economic biases, it suggests they may be more deeply hardwired than we'd like to admit. The authors believe acknowledging the limits of human rationality is a first step to devising policies and incentives that account for it. Rather than expecting people to act like Econs, they suggest we design systems that anticipate predictably irrational actors.
Section: 1, Chapter: 6
Book: Super Freakonomics
Author: Steven D. Levitt , Stephen J. Dubner
The Flywheel Effect - How Cycles Of Desire Determine Our Destinies
Mimetic desire tends to build momentum in one of two self-reinforcing flywheels:
- Destructive Cycle (Cycle 1): Mimetic desire leads to rivalry and conflict. People believe there isn't room for both their desires and their rivals' to be fulfilled. A scarcity mindset and resentment take hold.
- Creative Cycle (Cycle 2): Mimetic desire unites people in a shared desire for a common good. An abundance mindset leads people to create new things together and uplift each other to greater heights. The trajectory of our lives often comes down to which cycle we get caught in. Like a flywheel that's hard to turn at first but builds unstoppable momentum over time, these cycles become self-fulfilling prophecies - for good or ill. We must be intentional about which one we feed.
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
The Martini Is A Gateway Drug To Mimetic Desire
"Let's say that while we're bellied up to the bar sipping our drinks, my friend tells me about a promotion he's about to get. He'll receive a $20,000 boost in salary and have a new title: managing director of something or other that sounds important. It comes with more vacation time, too.
As I smile and tell him how exciting that is, I feel some anxiety. Shouldn't I be making an extra $20,000, too? Will my friend and I still be able to plan vacations together if he gets twice as much paid time off as I do? And also, what the hell? We graduated from the same university, and I worked twice as hard as he did in school and after. Am I falling behind? Did I choose the right path in life?"
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
The Joys (And Perils) Of Sex
Sex is one of the most powerful human drives, capable of producing both ecstatic pleasure and devastating anguish. In its basic biological form, sex provides pleasure but not necessarily lasting enjoyment or meaning. To transform sex into a flow activity requires skill, discipline and psychological growth.
The first step is developing physical techniques that allow for total absorption (as through Tantric practices). The next level involves adding a romantic-emotional dimension - getting to know and appreciate the partner as a whole person. The highest stage is a merging of two selves into a richer, more complex union, where the relationship itself becomes a vehicle for self-expansion. Sex motivated purely by selfish pleasure is a form of psychic entropy; sex in the service of love and mutual growth produces flow.
Section: 1, Chapter: 5
Book: Flow
Author: Mihály CsÃkszentmihályi
The Adaptive Logic of Animal Conflict
Dawkins examines how aggressive behaviors in animals are often more restrained than one might expect from a "selfish gene" perspective. He explains that this restraint is actually in the genetic self-interest of individuals, as excessive aggression can be costly. The chapter outlines several key insights:
- Ritualized combat often replaces lethal fighting
- Individuals assess each other's fighting ability to avoid unnecessary conflicts
- Territorial behavior can be an ESS, reducing overall conflict
- Apparently altruistic behaviors can be explained through genetic self-interest
Section: 1, Chapter: 5
Book: The Selfish Gene
Author: Richard Dawkins
Our Drive For Social Status Is Rooted In Evolution
Humans are wired to vigilantly track our social status because historically, more influence meant better odds of survival and reproduction. Higher-status individuals had:
- Access to more resources and mates
- A greater ability to win conflicts
- Power to make others do unpleasant tasks
- More trust and cooperation from the group
Status considerations influence our behavior more than we realize. For many, perceived social rank matters more than money, health or family obligations. Our craving for importance is a key driver of violence, risk-taking, overwork, and conspicuous consumption.
Section: 1, Chapter: 7
Book: Scarcity Brain
Author: Michael Easter
Three Ways Mimetic Desire Distorts Reality In Freshmanistan
- The misappropriation of wonder: We exaggerate the qualities of models, gawking openly at Celebristan models but secretly amazed by Freshmanistan ones. Admiration morphs into metaphysical desire - a yearning for the model's entire way of being.
- The cult of experts: As traditional hierarchies fade in liquid modernity, we become model addicts relying on "experts" to mediate desires. Except expertise is often mimetically driven, valued because others value it.
- Reflexivity: Our perceptions change reality by altering how we act, in a self-fulfilling loop. In rivalries, each person's desires become coupled to the other's in a "two-way interaction", so neither can want something without affecting the other.
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
Hand-Mind Mismatch Reveals Discomfort
Our hands reflect our inner state by automatically moving in sync with our thoughts and feelings. When words and gestures align, it shows congruence and authenticity. But when the hands contradict the message, it signals dissonance and possible dishonesty.
If someone makes a bold claim like "I'm certain about this" while wringing their hands or fidgeting, their words and body language don't match. This hand-mind disparity reveals doubt, no matter how much bravado they project verbally. Before accepting such statements at face value, probe further to uncover the source of their inconsistency. If your own hands undercut your point, acknowledge the disconnect to restore credibility.
Section: 1, Chapter: 6
Book: What Every Body is Saying
Author: Joe Navarro
The Power Of Disruptive Empathy In A Mimetic World
In a world of rivalrous mimetic desire, empathy is disruptive. It allows us to understand others' desires without imitating or resenting them, and see people as they are, not as mimetic distortions
Practice disruptive empathy in charged situations:
- When someone accuses you, don't just react with a counterattack. Ponder what real failure or fear might be driving their accusation.
- When you feel jealous of another's success, imagine how it must feel to be in their shoes. What desires and pressures weigh on them?
- When embroiled in office politics, map out each player's desires. What do they really want? How can those desires be integrated?
Section: 1, Chapter: 4
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
The Paradox Of The Locust Swarm
Locust swarms demonstrate a perplexing dynamic that mirrors aspects of modern human society. At low densities, locusts behave as individuals, their actions uncoupled from those around them. At medium densities, they form semi-coordinated clusters, but these clusters are prone to sudden directional changes and function independently of one another.
However, at high densities, locusts undergo a behavioral phase shift, coalescing into a unified swarm that moves together. Surprisingly, despite the swarm's coordinated movement, the overall direction of the swarm is highly unpredictable and can shift abruptly based on slight perturbations. This "paradox of the swarm" - the coexistence of individual order and collective unpredictability - characterizes many modern human systems and helps explain our vulnerability to sudden crises.
Section: 1, Chapter: 5
Book: Fluke
Author: Brian Klaas
Celebristan vs Freshmanistan - The Two Worlds Of Mimetic Desire
There are two kinds of models that affect our desires differently:
- People in Celebristan are models separated from us by time, space, money or status. There's little chance of directly competing with them (e.g. celebrities, the ultra-wealthy, the dead). We imitate them openly as their desires don't threaten ours.
- People in Freshmanistan are models in our immediate social world with whom we can compete directly (e.g. classmates, colleagues, neighbors). Rivalry is common as even minor differences get magnified. We have to secretly wonder at these models as openly imitating them would be embarrassing. In today's world of social media and diminished hierarchies, most of us live in Freshmanistan, vulnerable to the distortions mimetic desire causes there.
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
Five Motivational Patterns That Shape Our Desire
Based on thousands of Fulfillment Stories, Burgis and his colleagues identified 27 core motivational patterns. Here are 5 of the most common:
- Achieve Potential: Driven to identify and realize your own and others' potential. Always pushing to the next level.
- Compete: Relish head-to-head competition. Derive immense satisfaction from out-performing rivals.
- Comprehend & Express: Seek to deeply understand ideas and experiences, then express your insights creatively.
- Curate: Delight in collecting and arranging information, objects or experiences into meaningful patterns.
- Empower: Fulfilled by empowering people to learn, grow, and do their best. Enjoy teaching and mentoring.
Knowing your core motivational patterns is key to choosing roles and goals that align with your thick desires.
Section: 1, Chapter: 6
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
"Protect Me From What I Want" - The Dangers Of Freshmanistan
"Freshmanistan is the world of models who mediate desire from inside our world, which is why Girard calls them internal mediators of desire. There are no barriers preventing people from competing directly with one another for the same things.
...
Friends live in Freshmanistan together... Mimetic desire is both the bond and the bane of many friendships. A common example: one friend introduces the other to baking; the desire to become a better baker is then shared by both friends, which leads them to spend more time together baking. But if the friendship becomes tinged with mimetic rivalry, it can lock them into a never-ending game of rivalrous tug-of-war that extends beyond baking to relationships, career success, fitness, and more. The same force that drew them together, mimetic desire, now pushes them apart as they try to differentiate themselves."
Section: 1, Chapter: 2
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
The Desire For Recognition Leads To Unhappiness
The philosopher argues that the desire for recognition from others leads to a lack of freedom and unhappiness. When one craves recognition, one ends up living according to others' expectations instead of one's own values.
The more one seeks recognition, the more one tries to stand out as special by conforming to what one thinks others want, and the more one loses sight of one's authentic self. It is a downward spiral into performative, approval-seeking behavior that leads away from self-actualization.
Section: 3, Chapter: 24
Book: The Courage to Be Disliked
Author: Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
Three Tactics To Deal With Mimetic Desire
- Name your models: Identify who your models are at work, home, and in life. Some are easy to name, like role models you admire. Others are harder, like rivals you secretly orbit around. Naming them gives you more control.
- Find sources of wisdom that withstand mimesis: In an age of overnight experts, carefully curate knowledge sources that are less subject to mimetic trends. Look for wise sources that have stood the test of time rather than crowd-anointed gurus.
- Create boundaries with unhealthy models: Distance yourself from models that bring out unhealthy mimetic desires and rivalry in you. Unfollow them on social media, don't ask about them, and create space to starve the toxic relationship.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
The Honest Feet and Legs
The feet and legs are the most honest part of the body because they react instantly and subconsciously to situations. Since the legs have been critical to human survival by enabling us to run from predators, the limbic brain carefully controls their actions. When people feel uncomfortable, their feet will point away, withdraw, or kick. When they are comfortable, their legs will mirror the other person's posture or point towards them. Paying attention to changes in foot and leg behavior provides key insights into a person's state of mind.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: What Every Body is Saying
Author: Joe Navarro
The Creation Of Capabilities Belongs To Freedom
Edith Stein argued that developing people's capabilities is essential to freedom. Supporting young children's development - through physical contact, trusting relationships, play, and choices - allows them to gain the attributes needed to be free. Since we can't develop these capacities alone as babies, we owe our freedom to others. "The attributes we need to be free individuals are available to us only through coordinated action. Babies can be raised and educated to become free, but babies cannot create for themselves the setting where this is possible."
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: On Freedom
Author: Timothy Snyder
Scapegoating - Humanity's Primal Response To Mimetic Crises
When societies face a mimetic crisis - a breakdown of order as people become hostile rivals - they instinctively resort to scapegoating. A person, often an outsider or eccentric, gets blamed for the disorder. The community unites against the scapegoat, projecting their anger on him.
Scapegoats are chosen by stigma, not guilt. The disabled, foreigners, eccentrics, and elites are frequent targets. The scapegoat mechanism:
- Channels all-against-all violence into all-against-one violence
- Unites people against a common enemy
- Absolves the community of responsibility
- Reconciles people...until disorder builds again
Scapegoating has been a safety valve for societies throughout history.
Section: 1, Chapter: 4
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
Models That Move Markets
- In February 2020, Tesla's stock price had a parabolic rise of over 50% in just two days, capping a four-month period where the stock had nearly quadrupled. Professional analysts were baffled as the movement didn't correspond to any extraordinary news or "reality."
- However, mimetic desire explains the irrational exuberance. On the peak day, over $55 billion of Tesla stock changed hands, the most of any stock in history at the time. Google searches for "Should I buy Tesla stock?" skyrocketed.
- People were searching Google to find out if they should buy Tesla based on whether others wanted to buy it. This is mimetic desire in action. In bubbles and crashes, desires spread at lightning speed as people imitate models. Mimetic desire, not just information, moves markets.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Wanting
Author: Luke Burgis
Stories, Not Representations, Create Human Networks
According to Harari, the defining characteristic of information is not representation, but connection. Stories connect people into networks, even if they don't accurately represent reality. For example, the Bible made factual errors about history and biology, but still managed to connect billions of people into the Jewish and Christian religions.
Similarly, astrology connects people despite its inaccuracies. Even in biology, DNA doesn't represent anything, but rather initiates chemical processes that connect cells into functioning organisms. The power of stories comes from their ability to connect people, not represent truth.
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Book: Nexus
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Why Are Hospital Infections So Common?
Hospital-acquired infections kill an estimated 100,000 patients per year. One major culprit - doctors failing to wash their hands between patients. This is a classic case of misaligned incentives:
- Doctors don't bear the full cost of skipping a handwash (patient bears risk of infection)
- Handwashing takes time, creating a disincentive for busy doctors to comply
More broadly, the handwashing case study illustrates how smart incentive design can solve stubborn problems. It also shows how data and behavioral economics can be applied to reduce medical errors and improve patient outcomes. Similar principles could extend to other stubborn challenges.
Section: 1, Chapter: 4
Book: Super Freakonomics
Author: Steven D. Levitt , Stephen J. Dubner
Pursuing Superiority Through Interpersonal Relationships
Adlerian psychology posits a universal human drive for superiority - the desire to improve one's condition and pursue an ideal state. While this often manifests as unhealthy competition with others, the healthy form is simply the striving to grow as an individual.
The philosopher notes: "One does not need to battle with others to be able to live. One only needs to continue moving forward and challenging oneself to grow. One need not be trapped in the narrow confines of 'superiority or inferiority' that one decides for oneself."
Section: 2, Chapter: 21
Book: The Courage to Be Disliked
Author: Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
