Human Irrationality

Book Review

Title: The Upside of Irrationality

Author: Dan Ariely

Publisher: Thorsons – HarperCollins, London, 2010

Pages: 334

Ever since my youth, I have questioned the definition of human as a rational being. If humans were rational, the world would have been a kind of utopia. Just imagine everyone thinking rationally. There would be no crimes simply because crime is the most irrational deed one can do. The only drawback of that sort of a world would be that it might be a bit boring.

It is since irrationality has fascinated me forever that I bought this book, The Upside of Irrationality, by Dan Ariely. I wanted to learn more interesting facts about human irrationality. But, unfortunately, this book has little to offer. It tells us what we already know.

The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 deals with irrationality at our workplaces and part 2 with irrationality at home. Workplace and home are the two places where we spend most of our time. Our irrationality will be most visible there, no doubt. However, we don’t need an international bestselling author on psychology to tell us that our work will be a burden unless we are able to discover a meaning and purpose in it [chapter 2] or that we tend to overvalue what we make ourselves [chapters 3 & 4]. An entire chapter [5] is devoted to tell us how an apology can ease most painful situations and prevent the engendering of vindictive feelings in others.

The most banal counsel provided by the author, I think, comes in chapter 6 where he teaches us about human adaptation. Humans adapt all too easily to any situation, even to our pay levels – high or low. Even to our homes. The initial delight over the tiles and built-in furniture as well as the annoyance with the unpleasant kitchen settings will all give way to casual acceptance and getting on. The worst is when the author tells us how to adapt when the financial going gets bad: cut down on your expenses, especially alcohol. You don’t need an international bestseller to tell you that, do you?

What if the mate you are looking for is not as handsome/beautiful as you had dreamt of? Which option will you choose?

1.     alter your perception of aesthetics – I like bald men [you hated them so far]

2.     reconsider the rank of attribution – I don’t like bald men, but I look at other things.

3.     don’t adapt – I’ll never like bald men.

If you don’t know which option is right, you will find this book useful.

This is not to say that the book is not worth reading. Maybe, I have read too much of this type and there is little new to add. Psychology hasn’t grown much beyond what your grandmother taught you with her accumulated wisdom.

I liked the last chapter [11] which speaks about the lessons from our irrationalities. “If we learn to question ourselves and test our beliefs, we might actually discover when and how we are wrong and improve the ways we love, live, work, innovate, manage, and govern.” Amen to that.