Kristy's Pick

Why We Lie: The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind

by David Livingstone Smith

BF 637 .D42 S65 2004

The author of the book says, "In our own species, natural selection has favored the evolution of a knack for inauthenticity; we are able to simulate friendship, guilt, sympathy, and other interpersonal attitudes to self-servingly manipulate the behaviors of others. Starting with the commonplace examples of clothing, makeup, and coiffures to disguise our appearance, progressing to the small deceptions of social life known as "tact," and moving on through cosmetic surgery to infidelity, criminal fraud, and political propaganda, it is evident that our social lives are drenched with deceit. We do not need science to tell us that we are natural-born liars, but we need it to help us understand what drives our ubiquitous dishonesty, including our puzzling tendency to lie to ourselves." So, not only do we lie, but we do so to our own selves on a regular basis; indeed, it is a survival skill- the most skilled liars are the most likely to survive and/or thrive... This is a fascinating read for those who dare to delve in... Enjoy!