Reference:: R: Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
The main conclusion of the research concerning human behavior and decision-making is that we are largely irrational. What's worse, we tend to be oblivious to this fact, thinking that we are indeed rational.
The general reason for that is that our bodies weren't designed for the world we currently live in. What changed is the amount of data we need to process in order to make sound decisions.
We can't compute the Extremistan R: The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb
In the past, our instincts and visceral reactions to the environment almost always brought desirable results (because that's why they evolved). Nowadays, these natural reactions fool us into believing we're right, when in reality confuse confidence with the truth.
Furthermore, todays world exploits many of our instincts, especially in advertising, which further fools us. [1-2 more sentences]
One of the proofs of our irrationality is that we have more than a hundred classified cognitive biases, which are our mind's shortcuts that cause illogical behavior.
But let's get a little more specific and see some examples of our irrationality from the book.
A positive note on that is that when we acknowledge the limitations, we can force ourselves to think differently about our decisions or use technology to overcome our inherent shortcomings.
Therefore, wisdom comes from humility. It comes from stopping and asking yourself "am I acting rationally?" "what biases are at work here?" "what am I missing?" and changing you behavior in accordance to
Relevant notes (PN: )/questions (Q:):
tk P: Lazy brain: why we choose ease over truth.
We are inherently irrational although we think we're not. This causes us to confuse confidence with truth, which produces errors in our decision-making.
Further, we have a false belief that we understand how we and the world works. We are driven so heavily by instincts and by the subconscious.
P: You're not as rational as you think P: Maslow's Pyramid of Needs P: Is everything really revolving around procreation? All biases basically
P: You're not as rational as you think: it's scary how much happens without our awareness.