It's a good book, with interesting suggestions. I didn't realize that social pain can be felt as much as physical pain, or that social skills are so crucial to our survival. Another interesting example was that doubling our income has the same effect on our happiness as does volunteering once a week! Damn, didn't see that one coming.I recommend you read the book only if you're interested in the way our brain works, the author gave a ted speech available on youtube that sums up 80% of the book in my opinion.Personal notes:- We're not just focused on our gain, we're wired to care about other people as well- We have a need to connect with other people- social bonding stimulates the pleasure circuits of the brain, whilst social rejection and isolation leads to pain that is neurologically identical to physical pain.- sharing and kindness are crackcocaine for our social brains.- active kindness to others is the secret of enduring happiness.- Our social system is critical for survival- Being social is critical to leadership- Social well being is a top predictor for happiness and well being An excellent book! I don't even remember how I stumbled across this one - but I know how I got it - a lovely gift from a friend at work! Thanks Kathleen!!! It has taken me an embarrassing 3 months to read it - because a) it is not really light bedside reading material when you are tired from a day's work and b) it's not really relaxing material for weekends... and also because I pretty much highlighted every words and section of the book!!!! It was that thought provoking and interesting!!!! So if you have heard me going on about the different sections of our brain, or why we reach out to people or why being human is ... er.... what we are programmed to be... this is the book that is the reason for all that! Highly recommend it. This is a classic example of one sentence of the book "The way the self-architecture is set up in the medial prefrontal cortex and the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, it also serves a more duplicitous purpose that we are generally unaware of in daily life." :-) I LOVE THAT!
Theories, backed up by real brain research showing that our brain is "wired" to be social.
—antonio
Great. A must read in the this new pop-science genre.
—Easterneuropean
This book will redefine what you think of as "you"
—fullparking
Interesting, but a little dry in places.
—Jiya
Lots of interesting research
—hulk691
