The Upside of Irrationality

Have you noticed that human beings do not always behave rationally, whether in private or professional life? Dan Ariely disassembles the mechanisms that explain this apparent absence of logic, through subjects which are not always original, but always topical, such as the “not invented here” syndrome, the impact of bonuses on performance, or people’s need to find meaning in their work.

One of the most original contributions of the book resides in the study of the phenomena of adaptation and resistance to unpleasant experiences. The author’s personal experience in this area is indeed remarkable. His descriptions of having been burned to the third degree on 70 % of his body following a childhood accident, and later contracting hepatitis C, are sometimes difficult to bear; but the author has certainly had plenty of opportunity to verify how the human mind reacts in such circumstances. The conclusions that he draws apply to less extreme situations as well, of course, and are very useful in suggesting how the absence of rationality, rather than being a handicap, can aid us in the pursuit of happiness.