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Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions
Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and social psychology research, an acclaimed author demonstrates how so much of our thinking is informed by false assumptions—making us dangerously mistrustful as a society and needlessly unhappy as individuals. The desire to fit in is one of the most powerful, least understood forces in society. Todd Rose believes that as human beings, we continually act against our own best interests because our brains misunderstand what others believe. A complicated set of illusions driven by conformity bias distorts how we see the world around us. From toilet paper shortages to kidneys that get thrown away rather than used for transplants; from racial segregation to the perceived “electability” of women in politics; from bottled water to “cancel culture,” we routinely copy others, lie about what we believe, cling to tribes, and silence people. The question is, Why do we keep believing the lies and hurting ourselves? Todd Rose proves that the answer is hard-wired in our our brains are more socially dependent than we realize or dare to accept. Most of us would rather be fully in sync with the social norms of our respective groups than be true to who we are. Using originally researched data, Collective Illusions shows us where we get things wrong and, just as important, how we can be authentic in forming opinions while valuing truth. Rose offers a counterintuitive yet empowering explanation for how we can bridge our inference gap, make decisions with a newfound clarity, and achieve fulfillment. **National Bestseller** ** Wall Street Journal Bestseller** **Named Amazon's 2022 Best Book of the Year in Business, Leadership, and Science**
304 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2022
About the author
Todd Rose
13 books209 followersTodd Rose is the cofounder and president of The Center for Individual Opportunity, and a faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His work is focused on the science of the individual and its implications for advancing self-knowledge, developing talent, and improving our institutions of opportunity. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 28, 2021
This is such an interesting book! Especially right now, it is just intriguing to dig deeper into the psychology of belonging...to fit in or go with the masses. At what cost do we alter our own values and intuition to be accepted? I really really really enjoyed this book. This is a topic I oddly think of often, so it was a joy to hear someone elses thoughts. It is eye opening and empowering!!
February 6, 2022
I didn't think it would be, but this is a self-help book. That is not a compliment. The author points out how the US has some very bad systemic problems (which we clearly do) and proposes that we fix them with individual actions (which will never work). Behind all the problems are clearly racism and capitalism, but Rose never calls them by their name. He does call out communism in a very strange way and makes heroes out of a company--equating success with constant growth (that isn't sustainable for companies and I would like to see a different form of success normalized), so he seems to think capitalism is great and not the problem at all. He ties it back to one single person, Frederick Taylor, not stopping to think that Taylorism wouldn't have caught on if the attitude wasn't already pervasive among the upper classes for centuries.
Additionally, he only addresses the problem on one side of the issue, as if everyone in the world never speaks up or speaks their mind and that is the only possible issue. He never addresses the idea that lots of people must be enforcing the status quo for it to stick around for so long. He insists that it is just a few (or even one person) enforcing the status quo. We can tell only a few people enforce it because that is what happened once, which is ridiculous. So maybe he should also tell people to be willing to listen to new ideas.
Furthermore, he never addresses the issue of what to do when some people have really bad ideas that are INHERENTLY bad (like the problems we are facing right now). The premise is basically, "everyone actually wants to go against the status quo and our problems will be fixed immediately if you cowards would just speak up". I got to tell you, that is just not my experience in life.
Additionally, he only addresses the problem on one side of the issue, as if everyone in the world never speaks up or speaks their mind and that is the only possible issue. He never addresses the idea that lots of people must be enforcing the status quo for it to stick around for so long. He insists that it is just a few (or even one person) enforcing the status quo. We can tell only a few people enforce it because that is what happened once, which is ridiculous. So maybe he should also tell people to be willing to listen to new ideas.
Furthermore, he never addresses the issue of what to do when some people have really bad ideas that are INHERENTLY bad (like the problems we are facing right now). The premise is basically, "everyone actually wants to go against the status quo and our problems will be fixed immediately if you cowards would just speak up". I got to tell you, that is just not my experience in life.
March 21, 2022
Great commentary on the current state of society and closes well with something we can all do to counteract.
Example:
- We believe we are more trustworthy than we think the average person in society is
- We subscribe to a more holistic definition of success (being happy, following your curiosities) than we think society does (fame/prestige)
As a result of things like these two examples, we end up preaching, acting, and speaking up in ways that might betray our own beliefs in fear of being ostracized by our communities.
Fear of being ostracized shows up neurologically similarly as physical pain.
So on average, humans will misrepresent their beliefs and stances based on what they think others, on average, believe, whether it is true or not.
The reality is that if we were more honest about our own individual beliefs, we will find more congruence within ourselves and hopefully help society move forward in a meaningful way.
Example:
- We believe we are more trustworthy than we think the average person in society is
- We subscribe to a more holistic definition of success (being happy, following your curiosities) than we think society does (fame/prestige)
As a result of things like these two examples, we end up preaching, acting, and speaking up in ways that might betray our own beliefs in fear of being ostracized by our communities.
Fear of being ostracized shows up neurologically similarly as physical pain.
So on average, humans will misrepresent their beliefs and stances based on what they think others, on average, believe, whether it is true or not.
The reality is that if we were more honest about our own individual beliefs, we will find more congruence within ourselves and hopefully help society move forward in a meaningful way.
February 2, 2022
More people need to read this book in 2022 — before we're a country with 330,000,000 people and only 2 opinions.
October 31, 2021
Interesting Ideas Marred By Author's Dogma. This is one of those books that presents a lot of interesting ideas, and indeed Part I in particular, where Rose is describing the problem and how it works, is quite remarkable. Yet even through this section, there are elements of Rose's partisan blinders (though also some refreshingly positive signs). For one, Rose, while spending an entire book speaking to the ills of conformity, repeatedly appeals to conformity to claim that "the science is settled" on "climate" "science". Ummm... Yet in the positive column, it is exceedingly rare for someone of Rose's political persuasion to cite the libertarian-based Cato Institute, and Rose actually cites this very organization within this text. It is really in the final third of the book though where Rose's political blinders become most obvious, often citing things in support of his overall narrative seemingly not noticing that doing so fails Occam's Razor - there are far simpler, and therefore more likely correct, answers to some of these things (such as the rise in violent crime during the 2020 COVID lockdowns). Still, Rose actually does present quite a bit here that is absolutely worthy of consideration and discussion, even if he is off at times in certain areas. Very much recommended.
November 24, 2022
As social animals, humans have a natural tendency to go along with the group, and that's a good thing because without that instinct we wouldn't be as effective as we are at building a large functioning society, and we wouldn't be as good as learners. But sometimes following the crowd leads us astray because the wisdom of crowds is not always so wise, and sometimes we are led astray by our misperceptions of what everyone else thinks. According to Mr. Rose, as an example, in the days before the Civil Rights Act a majority of people in the South were opposed to segregation but would not speak out because of their false belief that the majority favored it. Maybe.
Mr. Rose's suggested ways to deal with the problem of too much conformity are (i) having a willingness to question, particularly by asking "Why?", (ii) participating in diverse social circles that expose us to a variety of different ways of thinking, (iii) cultivating the trait of sincerity, and (iv) being more trusting of others.
All of this rang true for me, but it also all seemed pretty obvious and was mostly telling me things that I already know and practice.
Mr. Rose's suggested ways to deal with the problem of too much conformity are (i) having a willingness to question, particularly by asking "Why?", (ii) participating in diverse social circles that expose us to a variety of different ways of thinking, (iii) cultivating the trait of sincerity, and (iv) being more trusting of others.
All of this rang true for me, but it also all seemed pretty obvious and was mostly telling me things that I already know and practice.
February 10, 2022
I’m an audiobook listener, and when I get review copies, they’re in PDF format, so I rarely need to step foot in a book store. Recently, I had some time and decided to go into a Barnes and Noble where I came across this new book from Todd Rose, and I’m so glad I did. This quickly became one of my favorite books about group psychology, and I can’t recommend it enough. I read a ton of books about this topic, and Todd not only brought a fresh take and unique angle, but he covered a ton of studies that I was unaware of. While the book starts out making you feel nihilistic about human nature and wondering what we can do, Rose’s last few chapters explain how we can break free from these collective illusions to make the world a bit better when we work together. I could also really relate to some of the personal stories he discusses later in the book about being in poverty and how we treat low-income and poor citizens. This is a phenomenal book, and you need to go get a copy ASAP.
January 3, 2023
الأوهام الجماعية هي أكاذيب اجتماعية. تظهر في مواقف يرفض فيها غالبية الأفراد في مجموعة ما رأيًا معينًا، لكنهم يوافقون عليه لأنهم يفترضون أن معظم الأشخاص الآخرين يقبلونه. عندما يوافق الأفراد على ما يعتقدون أن المجموعة تريده، يمكن أن ينتهي بهم الأمر بفعل ما لا يريده أحد
Todd Rose
Todd Rose
December 20, 2021
The Great Toilet Paper Debacle of 2020 explained at last!
Seriously though, Collective Illusions is a fascinating, enlightening read, drawing on neuroscience and social psychology to show us how false assumptions spread to create a mistrustful, unhappy society.
Our brains are badly flawed when it comes to independent thinking. Often, when we believe we’re forming our own opinions, we’re really just falling in line with our tribe. This book breaks down the how and why of this behavior, and most importantly, teaches us how to shatter the damaging illusions we’ve come to accept, so we can see the truth.
Todd Rose presents this complex topic with an easy to understand, entertaining writing style. Anyone who makes decisions about anything in life should read this book.
*I received an ARC from Hachette Books.*
Seriously though, Collective Illusions is a fascinating, enlightening read, drawing on neuroscience and social psychology to show us how false assumptions spread to create a mistrustful, unhappy society.
Our brains are badly flawed when it comes to independent thinking. Often, when we believe we’re forming our own opinions, we’re really just falling in line with our tribe. This book breaks down the how and why of this behavior, and most importantly, teaches us how to shatter the damaging illusions we’ve come to accept, so we can see the truth.
Todd Rose presents this complex topic with an easy to understand, entertaining writing style. Anyone who makes decisions about anything in life should read this book.
*I received an ARC from Hachette Books.*
February 3, 2022
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed this new book by Todd Rose. I've listened to Rose on some podcasts and generally appreciated his insights so I was keen on trying one of his written works. I think this is a great distillation of cognitive biases and tricks we play on ourselves that affect the way we think. Rose does a great job of highlighting how collective illusions harm us individually and as a society, and the pitfalls that come with not speaking up when you think differently than the crowd. I would definitely recommend this both to people who have no prior knowledge of cognitive science as well as those that do (although those that are already well versed will not find much new here, maybe just packaged in a way that they may find meaningful.)
I really enjoyed this new book by Todd Rose. I've listened to Rose on some podcasts and generally appreciated his insights so I was keen on trying one of his written works. I think this is a great distillation of cognitive biases and tricks we play on ourselves that affect the way we think. Rose does a great job of highlighting how collective illusions harm us individually and as a society, and the pitfalls that come with not speaking up when you think differently than the crowd. I would definitely recommend this both to people who have no prior knowledge of cognitive science as well as those that do (although those that are already well versed will not find much new here, maybe just packaged in a way that they may find meaningful.)
August 20, 2023
This is a very thought-provoking book with ideas that are very pertinent to both our personal lives and the state of society. It cites an impressive array of sources.
What could have been an intimidating or boring academic read , though, benefits from an enjoyable writing style. As Mary Poppins once said, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!"
What could have been an intimidating or boring academic read , though, benefits from an enjoyable writing style. As Mary Poppins once said, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!"
April 16, 2022
I devoured this book in a single afternoon. This is far from fluffy brain candy, but the author's writing style is so excellent that you'll lean into the book without feeling put upon or exhausted later.
It is an apt almost prophetic description of our time. We all assume no one believes what we do or believes it in the same way, so, we opt for silence rather than strengthening our courage by taking a stand that may prove unpopular. But why the silence? Why do we swallow back the urge to eradicate errors by perpetuating them with our silence? The author assures that we're wired to be extremely social animals, but he insists that we're also equipped with the ability to swim upstream so to speak and exhibit courage if only we will do it.
The book is filled with almost heartbreaking examples of how often in life we swallow our objections or lie to ourselves and pretend we're in agreement with what appears to be the vast majority. But those self lies are destructive beyond measure, and the so-called massive majority may be far smaller than we think once we start speaking out and taking stands. After all, courage is contagious. The best news about collective illusions is that they're fragile and we can easily destroy them. This is a must-read for any of us who are sure our divisions as a society are too intrenched to fix. That may not be as true as we think it is, and we may yet be able to find common ground. These collective illusions also foster societal mistrust, a condition that seems to be at an all-time high. If you read this, you'll understand better what's happening from a scientific perspective, and you'll find hope in the premise that none of these delusions are set in stone.
It is an apt almost prophetic description of our time. We all assume no one believes what we do or believes it in the same way, so, we opt for silence rather than strengthening our courage by taking a stand that may prove unpopular. But why the silence? Why do we swallow back the urge to eradicate errors by perpetuating them with our silence? The author assures that we're wired to be extremely social animals, but he insists that we're also equipped with the ability to swim upstream so to speak and exhibit courage if only we will do it.
The book is filled with almost heartbreaking examples of how often in life we swallow our objections or lie to ourselves and pretend we're in agreement with what appears to be the vast majority. But those self lies are destructive beyond measure, and the so-called massive majority may be far smaller than we think once we start speaking out and taking stands. After all, courage is contagious. The best news about collective illusions is that they're fragile and we can easily destroy them. This is a must-read for any of us who are sure our divisions as a society are too intrenched to fix. That may not be as true as we think it is, and we may yet be able to find common ground. These collective illusions also foster societal mistrust, a condition that seems to be at an all-time high. If you read this, you'll understand better what's happening from a scientific perspective, and you'll find hope in the premise that none of these delusions are set in stone.
January 4, 2023
Some interesting bits, but very long-winded and repetitive.
June 2, 2022
This was an easy read and makes a lot of interesting points. From how to climb Maslow's hierarchy of self-actualization by just trusting others, to being a positive nonconformist, Rose offers a lot of antidotes for the problems of the social media era in a world with alt-right propaganda cranking up the crazy shit for your uncle on Thanksgiving. I don't know if Rose has got the magic answer but if a few people follow the advice in this book, which is not a self-help work but does have some practical suggestions, the world will probably be a better place.
February 19, 2022
This was an interesting read on a relevant topic. I liked it. I recognized some of my past and, yes, current thought patterns and behaviors in the author’s explanations of group conformity. I think it’s important to be aware of our natural proclivities and question our knee jerk responses, especially when in a group, so reading about what our pitfalls are felt edifying.
However, there were some glaring oversimplifications that, ironically, made me lose trust in him despite his urging for readers/society to be more trusting. For example, the success of the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia is not a mystery, as the author claims, nor was it set off merely by the student protest. It should not have surprised anyone who was paying attention (hello, the wall fell in November of that year). Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) created opportunities for many eastern bloc countries to challenge their oppressive communist regimes, and his choice not to back those regimes as they fell highly influenced the local governments’ capitulations to the populace.
While some of his recommendations are sound on a personal level and could likely work within a larger group, I think the solutions he seemed to be offering for society at large were too pat to be useful.
The power of the people to organize and enact change from the ground up is real and necessary, but the author implied several times that it was peoples’ complacency and willingness, or, more accurately, biological predisposition to go with the flow that was keeping us from self actualizing the change needed in the world, on both a micro and macro level. As if structural issues like racism and sexism can be done away with if only enough people stop pretending like they’re okay with them. Ummm what? Yes, people need to speak up. But there are actual advantages to the higher echelons of society (the 1%) to maintain these power structures, and that is who (increasingly) has all the wealth, and as such controls both our government and our society.
Surveillance capitalism? Environmental destruction? What are those! Let’s stop perpetuating the collective illusion that we can improve the world without addressing the oppressive forces that are also tapping into our biological predispositions, except in ways that insidiously keep us from reaching our potential.
However, there were some glaring oversimplifications that, ironically, made me lose trust in him despite his urging for readers/society to be more trusting. For example, the success of the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia is not a mystery, as the author claims, nor was it set off merely by the student protest. It should not have surprised anyone who was paying attention (hello, the wall fell in November of that year). Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) created opportunities for many eastern bloc countries to challenge their oppressive communist regimes, and his choice not to back those regimes as they fell highly influenced the local governments’ capitulations to the populace.
While some of his recommendations are sound on a personal level and could likely work within a larger group, I think the solutions he seemed to be offering for society at large were too pat to be useful.
The power of the people to organize and enact change from the ground up is real and necessary, but the author implied several times that it was peoples’ complacency and willingness, or, more accurately, biological predisposition to go with the flow that was keeping us from self actualizing the change needed in the world, on both a micro and macro level. As if structural issues like racism and sexism can be done away with if only enough people stop pretending like they’re okay with them. Ummm what? Yes, people need to speak up. But there are actual advantages to the higher echelons of society (the 1%) to maintain these power structures, and that is who (increasingly) has all the wealth, and as such controls both our government and our society.
Surveillance capitalism? Environmental destruction? What are those! Let’s stop perpetuating the collective illusion that we can improve the world without addressing the oppressive forces that are also tapping into our biological predispositions, except in ways that insidiously keep us from reaching our potential.
January 4, 2024
"Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions" by Todd Rose offers a compelling and nuanced exploration of the intricate psychological and sociological dynamics that underpin human decision-making. Rose adeptly challenges readers to reevaluate their perceptions of conformity and complicity, encouraging a deeper understanding of these complex phenomena. While the book undoubtedly offers valuable insights, there are opportunities for further development.
1. Rose's adept analysis of the psychological and sociological underpinnings of collective illusions is commendable, yet the book would benefit from a more expansive examination of the broader cultural and historical forces that shape these phenomena. By incorporating a more diverse array of real-world case studies and historical examples, the book could provide readers with a richer understanding of the multifaceted nature of collective illusions, fostering a deeper appreciation for the complexities inherent in these societal dynamics.
2. Todd Rose's exclusive focus on criticizing communism while selectively highlighting examples that favor capitalism may limit the depth and balance of his work. In doing so, he inadvertently becomes ensnared in the collective illusions he aims to dismantle, potentially oversimplifying complex socio-political and economic systems. This approach risks perpetuating the narrative of individual self-sufficiency without fully acknowledging the intricate realities that people navigate. Acknowledging the multifaceted nature of these systems is crucial for cultivating a more empathetic and informed understanding of societal dynamics. Therefore, a more inclusive and nuanced exploration of diverse economic and political paradigms would enrich the discussion of collective illusions, leading to a more insightful and credible analysis.
1. Rose's adept analysis of the psychological and sociological underpinnings of collective illusions is commendable, yet the book would benefit from a more expansive examination of the broader cultural and historical forces that shape these phenomena. By incorporating a more diverse array of real-world case studies and historical examples, the book could provide readers with a richer understanding of the multifaceted nature of collective illusions, fostering a deeper appreciation for the complexities inherent in these societal dynamics.
2. Todd Rose's exclusive focus on criticizing communism while selectively highlighting examples that favor capitalism may limit the depth and balance of his work. In doing so, he inadvertently becomes ensnared in the collective illusions he aims to dismantle, potentially oversimplifying complex socio-political and economic systems. This approach risks perpetuating the narrative of individual self-sufficiency without fully acknowledging the intricate realities that people navigate. Acknowledging the multifaceted nature of these systems is crucial for cultivating a more empathetic and informed understanding of societal dynamics. Therefore, a more inclusive and nuanced exploration of diverse economic and political paradigms would enrich the discussion of collective illusions, leading to a more insightful and credible analysis.
August 13, 2022
It's...fine. The concept is interesting, and Rose is obviously quite knowledgeable about the subject.
He often cites studies, which I appreciate, but he does not provide context for many of them. This alone is not problematic but because he universalizes anecdotes in a questionable way, I am left wondering how solid the research is.
The book, like many in this genre, is repetitive, offering little depth in the pages where depth ought to be. The final 30 pages are skippable.
Overall, Rose has an admirable life story and interesting insight on the topic. However, part of the book's seems to be him trying to show the reader how smart and well-read he is. I am not sure if that is the intention as he seems like a modest person (and I am sure actually is well read and smart!). But it detracts from the persuasiveness. By referencing and quoting to the extent he does, I felt as if his voice and opinions are lost: he's speaking through others rather than himself.
He often cites studies, which I appreciate, but he does not provide context for many of them. This alone is not problematic but because he universalizes anecdotes in a questionable way, I am left wondering how solid the research is.
The book, like many in this genre, is repetitive, offering little depth in the pages where depth ought to be. The final 30 pages are skippable.
Overall, Rose has an admirable life story and interesting insight on the topic. However, part of the book's seems to be him trying to show the reader how smart and well-read he is. I am not sure if that is the intention as he seems like a modest person (and I am sure actually is well read and smart!). But it detracts from the persuasiveness. By referencing and quoting to the extent he does, I felt as if his voice and opinions are lost: he's speaking through others rather than himself.
January 14, 2022
Collective Illusions by Todd Rose explores the creation and maintenance of social lies that are fuelled by false assumptions, conformity, silence, and a lack of questioning. Drawing on social psychology and neuroscience, this book shows just how skewed these norms can be from the reality of what most people actually think.
Collective illusions occur when most members of a group privately reject what appears to be the widely accepted group norm. This phenomenon has also been referred to as pluralistic ignorance, but the author explains that he prefers the term collective illusions because it’s not so much a matter of people not knowing what others think; rather, it’s an issue of being convinced that we know and being wrong.
One example that the book addresses is people’s perceptions about what constitutes success. In a study conducted by Populace, a think tank that the author co-founded, 97% of people personally considered success to be a matter of having meaning and purpose in their lives. At the same time, 92% of survey respondents thought that most other people defined success in terms of career, money, and fame. That is one massive illusion.
The book addresses various factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of collective illusions, including our brains being hardwired for conformity, which had a survival advantage for our ancestors way back in the day. The fear of ostracism is also explored as a major motivating factor, and the same part of our brains responds to both social rejection and physical pain.
The author also addresses the role social media plays in collective illusions. These platforms give people with fringe opinions the ability to quickly and easily create the perception of majority consensus in support of their positions, which can end up silencing the majority of people who actually have more moderate opinions. Bots can play an important role in further amplifying these fringe opinions and manufacturing consensus that doesn’t actually exist.
Politics was one of the areas the book addressed where collective illusions come into play. For example, candidate selection is heavily influenced by perceived electability, an illusion that can lead to the selection of candidates other than the ones people actually think would do the best job. Social media also feeds into the perception of growing political polarization, with the vocal fringe blowhards leading each side to perceive the other side as having more extreme views than the majority of people actually have.
The book explores the negative consequences of staying silent when we see problems with what appears to be the majority opinion. It can affect us as individuals, with our sense of self-worth and well-being taking a hit when we’re incongruent with our own beliefs and values. The author explains how self-censoring also feeds into collective illusions, as our conformity suggests to others that we agree with the apparent group norms, which sends the message to them to remain silent.
Throughout the book, the author emphasizes that although collective illusions can be powerful, they’re fragile because they’re based on lies, and they only exist because we all allow them to. That means that individuals can do a lot to poke holes in them. The final chapters addressed ways to do this, and the author encourages each of us to take responsibility for the part we play in sustaining these illusions. Even something as simple as asking “why?” or “why not?” can be powerful in exposing these illusions for what they are.
I found this book absolutely fascinating. It exposes a lot of things that we assume to be true as being built on nothing. I liked how the author encouraged readers to take personal responsibility for speaking up, not to the masses on the internet, but within our social groups. I thought this approach was really empowering.
I think this book would be really eye-opening for anyone who feels weighed down by social expectations, as it shows just how arbitrary many of those expectations are and how poorly they reflect what most people actually think. It offers really great insights into how our minds work and how we function in social groups, and I highly recommend it.
I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.
Collective illusions occur when most members of a group privately reject what appears to be the widely accepted group norm. This phenomenon has also been referred to as pluralistic ignorance, but the author explains that he prefers the term collective illusions because it’s not so much a matter of people not knowing what others think; rather, it’s an issue of being convinced that we know and being wrong.
One example that the book addresses is people’s perceptions about what constitutes success. In a study conducted by Populace, a think tank that the author co-founded, 97% of people personally considered success to be a matter of having meaning and purpose in their lives. At the same time, 92% of survey respondents thought that most other people defined success in terms of career, money, and fame. That is one massive illusion.
The book addresses various factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of collective illusions, including our brains being hardwired for conformity, which had a survival advantage for our ancestors way back in the day. The fear of ostracism is also explored as a major motivating factor, and the same part of our brains responds to both social rejection and physical pain.
The author also addresses the role social media plays in collective illusions. These platforms give people with fringe opinions the ability to quickly and easily create the perception of majority consensus in support of their positions, which can end up silencing the majority of people who actually have more moderate opinions. Bots can play an important role in further amplifying these fringe opinions and manufacturing consensus that doesn’t actually exist.
Politics was one of the areas the book addressed where collective illusions come into play. For example, candidate selection is heavily influenced by perceived electability, an illusion that can lead to the selection of candidates other than the ones people actually think would do the best job. Social media also feeds into the perception of growing political polarization, with the vocal fringe blowhards leading each side to perceive the other side as having more extreme views than the majority of people actually have.
The book explores the negative consequences of staying silent when we see problems with what appears to be the majority opinion. It can affect us as individuals, with our sense of self-worth and well-being taking a hit when we’re incongruent with our own beliefs and values. The author explains how self-censoring also feeds into collective illusions, as our conformity suggests to others that we agree with the apparent group norms, which sends the message to them to remain silent.
Throughout the book, the author emphasizes that although collective illusions can be powerful, they’re fragile because they’re based on lies, and they only exist because we all allow them to. That means that individuals can do a lot to poke holes in them. The final chapters addressed ways to do this, and the author encourages each of us to take responsibility for the part we play in sustaining these illusions. Even something as simple as asking “why?” or “why not?” can be powerful in exposing these illusions for what they are.
I found this book absolutely fascinating. It exposes a lot of things that we assume to be true as being built on nothing. I liked how the author encouraged readers to take personal responsibility for speaking up, not to the masses on the internet, but within our social groups. I thought this approach was really empowering.
I think this book would be really eye-opening for anyone who feels weighed down by social expectations, as it shows just how arbitrary many of those expectations are and how poorly they reflect what most people actually think. It offers really great insights into how our minds work and how we function in social groups, and I highly recommend it.
I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.
June 14, 2023
When individuals conform to what they think the group wants, they can end up doing what nobody wants. Think of the parable of the emperor with no clothes. And unfortunately, we can't trust our brains to give us an accurate read on social reality anymore. We like to believe we can discern "objective reality", but that's actually impossible.
Your brain is constantly assessing and making inferences about what to pay attention to based on previous knowledge and experience long before any conscious thought is involved. Since your brain relies so heavily on anticipating what might happen, it has a certain tendency to misinterpret reality as it happens.
Here's a chilling fact: 19 percent of interactions on social media are already between humans and bots, not humans and humans. Bots only need to represent 5 to 10 percent of the participants in a discussion to manipulate public opinion in their favor.
The best thing we can do to improve society is be congruent. True to our word, trusting of ourselves and others, and willing to speak the truth to power. Positive deviance is a powerful engine of social change. It's radical to be authentic. We are created and evolved to need each other. To cooperate. To be altruistic.
People, as a whole, are trustworthy; we just operate under the collective illusion that they aren't.
Consciously reflecting on how you have acted out personal virtues that you deeply believe in--honesty, integrity, generosity, compassion, and others--improves your perception of yourself as a moral being, which makes you more likely to continue helping others. The opposite is also true--if you view yourself as, say, insincere to begin with, then you are more likely to be artificial or dishonest. The community-based chemistry of our brains drives us to prefer sincerity in our own behavior and that of others. Being honest makes us feel better than lying does. This can also mean doing our Jungian shadow work--we have to "name it to tame it" when our irrational or dark thoughts and feelings creep in. How are you moving toward your noblest self?
Just as we need to build up our immune systems by exposing ourselves to various germs, our groups can only survive and thrive by adapting to change. The greater diversity of understanding and ideas strengthens us all. This book is important and powerful wisdom. Thanks to my niece Nadia for lending it to me.
Related titles:
Better Angels of our Nature by Stephen Pinker
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Your brain is constantly assessing and making inferences about what to pay attention to based on previous knowledge and experience long before any conscious thought is involved. Since your brain relies so heavily on anticipating what might happen, it has a certain tendency to misinterpret reality as it happens.
Here's a chilling fact: 19 percent of interactions on social media are already between humans and bots, not humans and humans. Bots only need to represent 5 to 10 percent of the participants in a discussion to manipulate public opinion in their favor.
The best thing we can do to improve society is be congruent. True to our word, trusting of ourselves and others, and willing to speak the truth to power. Positive deviance is a powerful engine of social change. It's radical to be authentic. We are created and evolved to need each other. To cooperate. To be altruistic.
People, as a whole, are trustworthy; we just operate under the collective illusion that they aren't.
Consciously reflecting on how you have acted out personal virtues that you deeply believe in--honesty, integrity, generosity, compassion, and others--improves your perception of yourself as a moral being, which makes you more likely to continue helping others. The opposite is also true--if you view yourself as, say, insincere to begin with, then you are more likely to be artificial or dishonest. The community-based chemistry of our brains drives us to prefer sincerity in our own behavior and that of others. Being honest makes us feel better than lying does. This can also mean doing our Jungian shadow work--we have to "name it to tame it" when our irrational or dark thoughts and feelings creep in. How are you moving toward your noblest self?
Just as we need to build up our immune systems by exposing ourselves to various germs, our groups can only survive and thrive by adapting to change. The greater diversity of understanding and ideas strengthens us all. This book is important and powerful wisdom. Thanks to my niece Nadia for lending it to me.
Related titles:
Better Angels of our Nature by Stephen Pinker
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
November 27, 2022
COLLECTIVE ILLUSIONS: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions | Todd Rose, Hachette Go (2022), 304p.
In “The End of Average,” Todd Rose convincingly argues that there are no averages when it comes to humans. Average seat sizes, educational development tacts, food tastes and performances. He argued rightly - if not successfully - for a paradigm shift from a flawed concept of systems aimed at a mass average toward systems that accommodate individual differences.
If the world had shifted and adopted his scientific findings, it would be a better place today.
In Collective Illusions, Rose tackles the human impulse to fit in. To illustrate his thesis, he cherry-picks a series of examples from kidney recipient decisions to “cancel culture.” While his selections of anecdotes betray a bias, the precise facts of our non-rational tribal impulse remain a central tenant of our fallibility.
One of the reasons you can see a community change opinion so quickly is that most people will adopt a perceived majoritarian viewpoint to fit in. Scores of studies and examples back this up. This allows for a small - vocal - sometimes even a minority viewpoint, to sway or lead to an acting majority.
In situations where most people submit their viewpoint to the perception of a majority stance contrary to their own beliefs, Rose terms “collective illusions.” He notes, “We humans are so profoundly social that just our awareness of others can shift our behavior.”
Rose makes a compelling case that we are hardwired beyond our likely self-awareness. Hence, the ancients’ understanding of our infinite ignorance. These cognitive blindspots are likely greater amongst those with less neural diversity in their bubble - aka those in higher ed, contained sub-cult(ures) - and the intellectual rigor to break free is nearly unavailable to them.
Rose's chief downfall is the rampant prejudices of his own mind. He picks examples unequally from one side of the ideological spectrum, ironically limiting the likely salience of his thesis.
His solution is, of course, at the individual level. Live with more skepticism of your thoughts, challenging yourself to live in truth and not conformity. A worthy challenge that, even imperfectly met, leads to better.
In “The End of Average,” Todd Rose convincingly argues that there are no averages when it comes to humans. Average seat sizes, educational development tacts, food tastes and performances. He argued rightly - if not successfully - for a paradigm shift from a flawed concept of systems aimed at a mass average toward systems that accommodate individual differences.
If the world had shifted and adopted his scientific findings, it would be a better place today.
In Collective Illusions, Rose tackles the human impulse to fit in. To illustrate his thesis, he cherry-picks a series of examples from kidney recipient decisions to “cancel culture.” While his selections of anecdotes betray a bias, the precise facts of our non-rational tribal impulse remain a central tenant of our fallibility.
One of the reasons you can see a community change opinion so quickly is that most people will adopt a perceived majoritarian viewpoint to fit in. Scores of studies and examples back this up. This allows for a small - vocal - sometimes even a minority viewpoint, to sway or lead to an acting majority.
In situations where most people submit their viewpoint to the perception of a majority stance contrary to their own beliefs, Rose terms “collective illusions.” He notes, “We humans are so profoundly social that just our awareness of others can shift our behavior.”
Rose makes a compelling case that we are hardwired beyond our likely self-awareness. Hence, the ancients’ understanding of our infinite ignorance. These cognitive blindspots are likely greater amongst those with less neural diversity in their bubble - aka those in higher ed, contained sub-cult(ures) - and the intellectual rigor to break free is nearly unavailable to them.
Rose's chief downfall is the rampant prejudices of his own mind. He picks examples unequally from one side of the ideological spectrum, ironically limiting the likely salience of his thesis.
His solution is, of course, at the individual level. Live with more skepticism of your thoughts, challenging yourself to live in truth and not conformity. A worthy challenge that, even imperfectly met, leads to better.
September 3, 2023
I agree with the main point of this book that we need to break the cycle and change things for the better. The current system especially in the US is not geared to make people live a happy life with dignity and a true sense of accomplishment and it needs to change. We, the people, need to change it.
However, I do not agree with Todd Rose's assessment of Taylorism as the main culprit for our current predicament. Taylor's original motivation for his approach (based on the assumption of natural laziness of people) is not why his system or variations of it have worked so brilliantly. At least in its current shape it's to make sure production is efficient and products are what they claim to be.
To understand my point, imagine an iPhone factory at which every worker does his work based on his or her intuition and experience. No two iPhones will be equal and similar. Quality will be random. Every customer will have to pray that what she buys is going to do what it says on the label.
Now picture a rocket that's supposed to take people to space made without a blueprint, processes, quality control and assessment mechanism.
A kit car is a good example. Actually no, not really. A car made of scrap parts is a good example of such a system.
Dr. Rose's claim reminds me of a quote from Ratatouille, the animated movie. "Everybody can cook" which doesn't mean everybody can be a chef or should try to be a chef and write recipes. It means to be a chef you don't have to belong to a certain class or have to have gone to a certain school or college. You could potentially be a good chef regardless of your background. Now remember that most people, including me, should just follow a recipe and try not to change it at all. It doesn't mean they are stupid, or untrustworthy. It just means that they don't have the talent or the training. This doesn't make them less human. It just makes them human.
To say we're all capable of making the right decisions all the time is naive at the very best. I certainly would not trust myself to make the right decision when it comes to fixing the electrical system in my house or doing a surgery on someone.
Change depends on us trying to trust the experts again and the on the experts trying to fulfill their fiduciaire duty to people who trust them. I think Dr Rose too would agree with that.
However, I do not agree with Todd Rose's assessment of Taylorism as the main culprit for our current predicament. Taylor's original motivation for his approach (based on the assumption of natural laziness of people) is not why his system or variations of it have worked so brilliantly. At least in its current shape it's to make sure production is efficient and products are what they claim to be.
To understand my point, imagine an iPhone factory at which every worker does his work based on his or her intuition and experience. No two iPhones will be equal and similar. Quality will be random. Every customer will have to pray that what she buys is going to do what it says on the label.
Now picture a rocket that's supposed to take people to space made without a blueprint, processes, quality control and assessment mechanism.
A kit car is a good example. Actually no, not really. A car made of scrap parts is a good example of such a system.
Dr. Rose's claim reminds me of a quote from Ratatouille, the animated movie. "Everybody can cook" which doesn't mean everybody can be a chef or should try to be a chef and write recipes. It means to be a chef you don't have to belong to a certain class or have to have gone to a certain school or college. You could potentially be a good chef regardless of your background. Now remember that most people, including me, should just follow a recipe and try not to change it at all. It doesn't mean they are stupid, or untrustworthy. It just means that they don't have the talent or the training. This doesn't make them less human. It just makes them human.
To say we're all capable of making the right decisions all the time is naive at the very best. I certainly would not trust myself to make the right decision when it comes to fixing the electrical system in my house or doing a surgery on someone.
Change depends on us trying to trust the experts again and the on the experts trying to fulfill their fiduciaire duty to people who trust them. I think Dr Rose too would agree with that.
August 16, 2022
Read it slow to mull over the implications of our incurably social minds on a mass scale in society. If you've ever worried about hyperpolarization, the use of social media today, or wondered what the hell the "other" party is thinking, if everyone has gone crazy in the US the past several years, I would enourage you to read and reflect. We're all closer to the middle than we think. Wish it was required reading for all. Recommend for psycology, sociology nerds, everyone.
Big Take Aways:
We're wired to be social, care about the opinion of the group, conform.
Collective Illusion = the majority of a group holds a dissenting opinion but, believing everyone else to agree and fearing the social/financial/etc. cost of ostracism, assumes they are alone. Therefore, in silence, a group can perpetuate a social norm/belief/support a law/etc. most dislike.
A very small, but vocal minority can easily start a "collective illusion" - sometimes intentionally
^^social media amplifies this effect
We tend to assume others have superior information and follow their lead
^^ often this is a good strategy (Ex - when you see others running, you might want to run too)
^^ other times, not.
Social norms = mental shortcuts that save significant energy in deciding how to behave
Deviating from perceived social norms/beliefs literally trips the "error" circuit in our brains; evolutionarily speaking the group offers much greater chances of survival. Sticking with your "group" is strongly neurologically rewarded. Seeing the "other" group loose is also strongly rewarded.
Our personal sense of identity is strongly tied to the groups we belong to.
Being in the majority (conforming) relives stress, diffuses personal responsibility for our decisions, and makes it easier to bear mistakes.
Sharing a contrary view is an excellent way to discover what a group ACTUALLY thinks, rather than assuming + most people want to share their views.
Best way to affect change :
Step #1 - identify LOCAL leaders with leverage/reach in community
Step #2 - locals MUST be involved with brainstorming/execution
Big Take Aways:
We're wired to be social, care about the opinion of the group, conform.
Collective Illusion = the majority of a group holds a dissenting opinion but, believing everyone else to agree and fearing the social/financial/etc. cost of ostracism, assumes they are alone. Therefore, in silence, a group can perpetuate a social norm/belief/support a law/etc. most dislike.
A very small, but vocal minority can easily start a "collective illusion" - sometimes intentionally
^^social media amplifies this effect
We tend to assume others have superior information and follow their lead
^^ often this is a good strategy (Ex - when you see others running, you might want to run too)
^^ other times, not.
Social norms = mental shortcuts that save significant energy in deciding how to behave
Deviating from perceived social norms/beliefs literally trips the "error" circuit in our brains; evolutionarily speaking the group offers much greater chances of survival. Sticking with your "group" is strongly neurologically rewarded. Seeing the "other" group loose is also strongly rewarded.
Our personal sense of identity is strongly tied to the groups we belong to.
Being in the majority (conforming) relives stress, diffuses personal responsibility for our decisions, and makes it easier to bear mistakes.
Sharing a contrary view is an excellent way to discover what a group ACTUALLY thinks, rather than assuming + most people want to share their views.
Best way to affect change :
Step #1 - identify LOCAL leaders with leverage/reach in community
Step #2 - locals MUST be involved with brainstorming/execution
April 14, 2023
Collective Illusions by Todd Rose is a look at how our social natures sometimes drive us to make bad decisions based on group think.
Research has shown repeatedly that a person's personal beliefs may be completely different than beliefs they represent in public. Many people feel the need to “go along with the crowd” to maintain their social standing. This can happen in several ways:
Us Vs. Them: “When we feel connected to others, our brains release oxytocin, the bonding hormone that increases feelings of love for those in our community, beginning with our families. Oxytocin also pushes ups to prioritize our groups’ interests over our own and, if necessary to defend our in-groups against threats from others…In other words, oxytocin increases our likelihood of complying with or temporarily supporting a position we may personally dislike.”
Fake it ‘Till You Make It: If we fake beliefs long enough (to conform in a group) we might actually start to believe our own lies. In the end, though, reinforcing certain narratives has long-term consequences.
Spiral of Silence: The creation of social media and stochastic terrorism has made it more difficult to speak out for fear that the “masses” will come after you. According to Rose, “Regardless of when you hit your tipping point for speaking up, it’s important to remember how each time you decide to keep quiet about your view, you feed the spiral of silence.
Social Norms: Evolutionary social behavior has led us to want to copy what others are doing. The brain naturally reacts to the breaking of social norms with revulsion.
Cognitive Dissonance is created when something we believe is out of line with our actions or behavior. The need to rationalize this can lead us down a slippery slope of unethical behavior that we once would not have contemplated.
In summary, collective social norms are affecting us in ways we may not realize. While I’m not sure exactly how I will enact change based on this book, I WILL pay more attention to how I may be influenced by societal and cultural norms. I recommend this book to anyone interested in psychology or making changes.
Research has shown repeatedly that a person's personal beliefs may be completely different than beliefs they represent in public. Many people feel the need to “go along with the crowd” to maintain their social standing. This can happen in several ways:
Us Vs. Them: “When we feel connected to others, our brains release oxytocin, the bonding hormone that increases feelings of love for those in our community, beginning with our families. Oxytocin also pushes ups to prioritize our groups’ interests over our own and, if necessary to defend our in-groups against threats from others…In other words, oxytocin increases our likelihood of complying with or temporarily supporting a position we may personally dislike.”
Fake it ‘Till You Make It: If we fake beliefs long enough (to conform in a group) we might actually start to believe our own lies. In the end, though, reinforcing certain narratives has long-term consequences.
Spiral of Silence: The creation of social media and stochastic terrorism has made it more difficult to speak out for fear that the “masses” will come after you. According to Rose, “Regardless of when you hit your tipping point for speaking up, it’s important to remember how each time you decide to keep quiet about your view, you feed the spiral of silence.
Social Norms: Evolutionary social behavior has led us to want to copy what others are doing. The brain naturally reacts to the breaking of social norms with revulsion.
Cognitive Dissonance is created when something we believe is out of line with our actions or behavior. The need to rationalize this can lead us down a slippery slope of unethical behavior that we once would not have contemplated.
In summary, collective social norms are affecting us in ways we may not realize. While I’m not sure exactly how I will enact change based on this book, I WILL pay more attention to how I may be influenced by societal and cultural norms. I recommend this book to anyone interested in psychology or making changes.
May 21, 2023
While it's not an earth shattering assessment of the modern era, this is a book with more solutions than outlines. We live in a time where the Internet and the Web and Social Media should have, it would have once seemed, helped to foster a sense of shared values across a global community. But that's not the world we got from this eruption of handheld technology. Instead, we live in a time where most of us see ourselves as tuned to the truth of every matter, as if we have a lock of understanding on every issue, coupled with a clear answer to every issue, believing that anyone outside of ourselves or our groups is a potential threat. We think of ourselves as good people and assume the majority of others are not, or that they are laced with malintent. What Rose does, in this book, is to draw a loose line between who we think we are and the fact that most people think the same way of themselves. He encourages us to broaden the groups with which we associate, to ask questions of the things for which we often rush to conclusions, and to consider trust over suspicion. It reads a little bit like a self-help book, which isn't my preference, but it also reads like a book in which the author sees something better for people, for the nation, and for our community than the version of those people, that nation, and our communities often feel to us.
January 26, 2022
I absolutely love reading about sociology and psychology. I’m actually looking into research jobs in behavioral science so this is right up my alley. This book is all about the assumptions we make that lead us down some weird and sometimes harmful paths. I found it very interesting, especially the first few chapters and the last two. The middle made my eyes gloss over a little bit but that could just be my brain getting overwhelmed by all the facts.
These facts and concepts seem very well researched with copious resources available. I think this book is very important for our society to see all this information compiled in one place. I’ll sum it up with some of my favorite concepts
-People are generally trustworthy
-You might agree with others more than you think you do
-You should question something if the description is “we’ve always done it that way”
-If you assume, you make an A.S.S. out if U and ME
Thanks to the publisher for sending me this free review copy in exchange for my honest review.
These facts and concepts seem very well researched with copious resources available. I think this book is very important for our society to see all this information compiled in one place. I’ll sum it up with some of my favorite concepts
-People are generally trustworthy
-You might agree with others more than you think you do
-You should question something if the description is “we’ve always done it that way”
-If you assume, you make an A.S.S. out if U and ME
Thanks to the publisher for sending me this free review copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 15, 2022
I found this book "collective illusions" to be extremely interesting to read, and a bit of an eye-opener as to how people perceive each other in every day situations (and some not-so-everyday situation as well).
I first came across Dr. Rose on a YouTube video published by Big Think (https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink/about), in which he spoke about the various illusions that humans are susceptible to in every day life. His video is actually one of many published by this organization, all of which are quite illuminating.
The fact that humans are suffering (and that's virtually the only word you can use to accurately describe what we're facing) collective illusions in pretty much all aspects of every day life makes this book an indispensable resource on how to navigate what we experience daily.
The book is clearly written, and very informative. I would highly recommend it to anybody who is interested in the way the world works, or who is a participant in all the various social media platforms that are currently invading our life.
I first came across Dr. Rose on a YouTube video published by Big Think (https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink/about), in which he spoke about the various illusions that humans are susceptible to in every day life. His video is actually one of many published by this organization, all of which are quite illuminating.
The fact that humans are suffering (and that's virtually the only word you can use to accurately describe what we're facing) collective illusions in pretty much all aspects of every day life makes this book an indispensable resource on how to navigate what we experience daily.
The book is clearly written, and very informative. I would highly recommend it to anybody who is interested in the way the world works, or who is a participant in all the various social media platforms that are currently invading our life.
February 4, 2023
“The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you can alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can alter the world.” -James Baldwin
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” -Carl Gustav Jung
Overall, Todd Rose did a good job exposing the many ways our brain and biology are wired to be prone to personal cognitive dissonance and collective illusions (i.e., groupthink). The first step in changing a culture is having the personal courage to see the world as it really is, recognize where the lies / mistaken beliefs are, and strive to make it better by living sincerely and with authenticity. Exposing those personal and collective beliefs that filter reality is challenging, but it’s a worthwhile pursuit. The real life stories Rose shared throughout brought to life his points in a salient way. I would recommend reading this book, especially if you’re exposure to these scientific concepts is limited.
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” -Carl Gustav Jung
Overall, Todd Rose did a good job exposing the many ways our brain and biology are wired to be prone to personal cognitive dissonance and collective illusions (i.e., groupthink). The first step in changing a culture is having the personal courage to see the world as it really is, recognize where the lies / mistaken beliefs are, and strive to make it better by living sincerely and with authenticity. Exposing those personal and collective beliefs that filter reality is challenging, but it’s a worthwhile pursuit. The real life stories Rose shared throughout brought to life his points in a salient way. I would recommend reading this book, especially if you’re exposure to these scientific concepts is limited.
August 17, 2023
This book explains how prevalent collective illusions are in our society. Collective illusions are ideologies that we think the majority of people believe in. Because we think the majority believes in that ideology, we pretend to support it; not realizing that the majority of people don't actually believe in it. One of my favorite experiments that was used to explain this theory is about the collective illusion that we think most people are untrustworthy. An experiment was conducted that wanted to find out how likely a person would return a stranger's lost wallet. They gave "lost" wallets with clear identification in them and varying amounts of money to recipients. In mostly every country where this experiment was conducted, the recipients tried to return the wallet. And wallets with the most amount of money had the highest return rates. I found this book highly interesting and enjoyed all of the experiments that were provided to show how collective illusions pervade everyday life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2021
Thank you to @HachetteBooks @HachetteGo for a gifted ARC.
I’ve always been fascinated by the field of social psychology so I was excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of this book. This is a thought provoking read that draws on social psychology research as well as personal anecdotes to explore why we often act in ways at odds with our own values. This book encourages readers to examine our own decisions and our perceptions of what others believe. From something as inconsequential as picking snacks at movie theater to events as important as national elections and global warming, we tend to discount external factors influencing us. I especially enjoyed the section exploring the interplay between social media and human behavior. If you enjoy reading nonfiction and have an interest in better understanding what influences decisions, I highly recommend Collective Illusions.
I’ve always been fascinated by the field of social psychology so I was excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of this book. This is a thought provoking read that draws on social psychology research as well as personal anecdotes to explore why we often act in ways at odds with our own values. This book encourages readers to examine our own decisions and our perceptions of what others believe. From something as inconsequential as picking snacks at movie theater to events as important as national elections and global warming, we tend to discount external factors influencing us. I especially enjoyed the section exploring the interplay between social media and human behavior. If you enjoy reading nonfiction and have an interest in better understanding what influences decisions, I highly recommend Collective Illusions.
October 4, 2022
This book lived up to the hype and challenged my thinking in so many ways. The concept of collective illusion is POWERFUL, and I believe that this book is a gold mine. It is so well-researched and practical, and I think everyone needs to read it.
Every now and then, we need to confront our beliefs with something as poignant and provocative as Rose’s work. How we think as a society is deeply impactful, and this study on why we make the decisions we make will hopefully spread far and wide.
Written specifically for an American audience, I hope that this work becomes a household regular and that we can together shatter the illusions that have shaped our thinking for so long. This book is nonpartisan in nature and is positioned specifically to unify us around our common values.
If you’re thinking about reading this one, I fully recommend it.
Every now and then, we need to confront our beliefs with something as poignant and provocative as Rose’s work. How we think as a society is deeply impactful, and this study on why we make the decisions we make will hopefully spread far and wide.
Written specifically for an American audience, I hope that this work becomes a household regular and that we can together shatter the illusions that have shaped our thinking for so long. This book is nonpartisan in nature and is positioned specifically to unify us around our common values.
If you’re thinking about reading this one, I fully recommend it.
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