Ever wonder how people you know can hold political beliefs so contrary to reason? Or how people can hold onto political ideas diverging so clearly from currently known facts? Or why political races seem more like personality contests?
In "Political Animals: How Our Stone-Age Brain Gets in the Way of Smart Politics," author Rick Shenkman shows how these irrational responses to politics stem from our "Paleo" brains - brains which evolved for us to function in small groups.
Our cheater-detection mechanism functions in face-to-face interactions, not televised campaigns. Author Rick Shenkman convincingly demonstrates our emotional and subjective bias when it comes to politics.
Shenkman looks at the many hidden forces behind our less-than-logical choices. Examining historical voting records, he shows how local shark attacks led voters to vote against the incumbents. Droughts caused similar effects. Logically voters must know that politicians don't control the weather or incite shark attacks. He shows how once people have made up their minds they are almost immune to new contradictory information. His own reluctance to admit Richard Nixon had lied after overwhelming evidence is one example. He shows genetics account for a certain degree of our political leanings, and we prefer the body odor of people who share our views.
With all these irrational influences, how are we to make political decisions? The solution Shenkman proposes is knowing when we are engaging in system 1 thinking - which is quick, intuitive and emotional - versus system 2 thinking - which is slower, more deliberate and more logical. He says that system 1 thinking just doesn't work for politics and learn how to resist our instincts.
While Shenkman uses examples from both major U.S. parties, one can discern some biases. Nonetheless, the material in this book will prove useful to political viewpoints of all persuasions. And while the focus is on politics, the insights can certainly be applied to other aspects of life. If you have enjoyed books by Malcolm Gladwell or other bestselling books that explain scientific research in layperson's terms, you should check out this book.
Qhyrrae Michaelieu is the adult services manager at the Missouri River Regional Library.