The World's Best Book Summaries
Where does news come from? Who are the sources that provide the content? In their book Manufacturing Consent, Chomsky and Herman explain that the most common sources for the news are political and economic figures. This means that these elites can control what makes it to the news and what is suppressed. Here’s how the elites shape what the general public sees.
Why do people play mind games? How can you tell that someone is playing a mind game on you? In his 1964 classic Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne theorizes that playing mind games is a part of psychological development that all people must grow past. He divided the mind games into seven different categories: 1) pseudo-small talk, 2) couples games, 3) sex games, 4) career games, 5) criminal games, 6) therapy games, and 7) positive games. Let’s take a look at Berne’s categories of psychological mind games people play on each other.
Why is group membership so important? Where does the human need to belong stem from? One of the evolutionary traits that most influences you is the desire to be in a group. For early humans, group membership was necessary for survival. Those who left the group died, while those who stuck to the status quo survived and reproduced. Thus, your brain is genetically wired to fit in. Although the human need to belong has evolutionary value, it causes some fallacies in the way we interpret other people’s behavior. Let’s explore some fallacies resulting from our need to belong.
How do you tell if someone is trying to emotionally manipulate you? What are the signs of emotional manipulation you should watch out for? In his book Games People Play, psychiatrist Eric Berne explains how to identify when a mind game is being played on you. He provides three steps for spotting mind games and discusses how you can break that game. Here’s how to identify emotional manipulation, according to Berne.
Do you find small talk awkward and uncomfortable? What are the benefits of small talk? What makes small talk different from friendly conversations? In his book Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne analyzes human social interactions in order to better understand why people act the way they do. One subject he went into detail on was that of small talk. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of small talk.
What is pathos? How can you use pathos to strengthen a persuasive argument? In a persuasive argument, pathos is when you appeal to your audience’s emotions to make them feel a certain way about your cause. The best way to do this is to tell a vivid story. Here’s how to use pathos to persuade an audience.
What exactly is meant by the term “pseudo-profound bullsh*t”? Why do people find it so difficult to admit their ignorance? Pseudo-profound bullsh*t is a class of long-winded assertions that sound profound yet are meaningless. In his book The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli calls it the “twaddle tendency” and attributes it to group membership. Keep reading to learn about the phenomenon of pseudo-profound bullsh*t.
What is logos in the context of persuasion? How can you use logos to evaluate an argument? Logos is used in persuasive arguments to convey logic and reason. Alternatively, you can use logos to evaluate an argument. There are three aspects of a rhetorical fallacy that you should keep an eye out for: weak proof, a bad conclusion, or a proof-conclusion disconnect. Here’s how to evaluate an argument and identify faulty logic using logos.
What is social programming? Where does social programming stem from? In his book Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne says that people play different kinds of social games depending on their social programming. This programming can come from multiple sources including culture and genetics. Here’s how social programming drives social interactions.
What is ethos in the context of persuasion? How do you use ethos to evaluate a persuasive argument? Ethos is used to gain credibility and trust in a persuasive argument. However, it can be used for more than just writing a persuasive essay—you can use ethos to judge the arguments of others. The three things you need to look out for are the virtue, level of interest, and practical wisdom of the speaker. Here’s how to use ethos to judge an argument.