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bootman's review against another edition
5.0
2nd read:
When I had the internet come after me in 2019 and had thousands of strangers attacking me and threatening my family, I wanted to understand what was going on. I started reading every book I could about group psychology and tribalism, and fortunately, this book from Sarah came out later that year. I loved it when I first read it and decided to give it another read because since surviving that experience, I still see tribalism everywhere, so I wanted to see what the book was like looking at it through a new lens. I can definitely say that this book is just as good, if not better, than the first time I read it.
Sarah Rose Cavanaugh does an incredible job building upon various topics to give you a full scope of why we’re so groups. She discusses biology, evolutionary psychology, and much more. I love the various studies she covers and how she challenges some conventional wisdom about tribalism to give a fresh perspective. I’ve read dozens of books on this topic since 2019, and this book is still unique, which is great because a lot of books repeat the same studies and information. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, this book is absolutely worth the read, and I can’t wait for Sarah’s next book.
1st read:
I can not recommend this book enough. I’ve been really loving books on social psychology and why we behave differently in groups, and this was the best book I’ve read so far. The author spent years researching this subject, and it shows.
When I had the internet come after me in 2019 and had thousands of strangers attacking me and threatening my family, I wanted to understand what was going on. I started reading every book I could about group psychology and tribalism, and fortunately, this book from Sarah came out later that year. I loved it when I first read it and decided to give it another read because since surviving that experience, I still see tribalism everywhere, so I wanted to see what the book was like looking at it through a new lens. I can definitely say that this book is just as good, if not better, than the first time I read it.
Sarah Rose Cavanaugh does an incredible job building upon various topics to give you a full scope of why we’re so groups. She discusses biology, evolutionary psychology, and much more. I love the various studies she covers and how she challenges some conventional wisdom about tribalism to give a fresh perspective. I’ve read dozens of books on this topic since 2019, and this book is still unique, which is great because a lot of books repeat the same studies and information. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, this book is absolutely worth the read, and I can’t wait for Sarah’s next book.
1st read:
I can not recommend this book enough. I’ve been really loving books on social psychology and why we behave differently in groups, and this was the best book I’ve read so far. The author spent years researching this subject, and it shows.
mandler_'s review against another edition
4.0
An incredibly interesting book rife with so many good and pertinent topics and research. It discusses several topics/theories of communication, sociology, and psychology with the end result being 7 different recommendations on how to live in our modern world.
1. Use social media for connection: Enhance, Don’t Eclipse. Dian down the outrage, dial up the empathy, and create room for mistakes.
2. Embrace the power of the collective but temper it with dissent and innovation
3. Take the antidote: Regulate Your Emotions
4. Build more inclusive in groups.
5. Remember, you’re not the Da Vinci Code guy
6. Listen to People’s Stories, Real and Fictional
7. Build and support architectures of serendipity
Overall, a strong book that I would love to read again and explore more of its concepts.d
Quotes:
"Even worse, as group consensus builds, people stop feeling comfortable expressing a more nuanced or complex take on the issue. People with weaker or opposing opinions sense the leanings of the group and opt for silence rather than risk censure or damage to their reputations. This silence convinces the group at large that there are no opposing beliefs, and everyone moves closer to the loudly vocal opinion through the processes of conformity."
1. Use social media for connection: Enhance, Don’t Eclipse. Dian down the outrage, dial up the empathy, and create room for mistakes.
2. Embrace the power of the collective but temper it with dissent and innovation
3. Take the antidote: Regulate Your Emotions
4. Build more inclusive in groups.
5. Remember, you’re not the Da Vinci Code guy
6. Listen to People’s Stories, Real and Fictional
7. Build and support architectures of serendipity
Overall, a strong book that I would love to read again and explore more of its concepts.d
Quotes:
"Even worse, as group consensus builds, people stop feeling comfortable expressing a more nuanced or complex take on the issue. People with weaker or opposing opinions sense the leanings of the group and opt for silence rather than risk censure or damage to their reputations. This silence convinces the group at large that there are no opposing beliefs, and everyone moves closer to the loudly vocal opinion through the processes of conformity."
karencosta's review against another edition
5.0
There's so much here. It really is a book for our times. Sticks with you after you stop reading, which for me, is the mark of a great book.
servantboy's review against another edition
3.0
A fascinating look into why we are the way that we are now, and how to (hopefully) come back from the terrifying tribalism that dominates almost every aspect of the internet and continues to seep more and more into daily life. It's very accessible to non-psychologist audiences, and Cavanagh's prose is surprisingly well-written for a non-fiction author. I almost wish this had been written with a bit more of a scientific edge, as sometimes to me it felt like the main message of the passage got lost somewhere on the way. This also might just be my personal preference talking though, so take this with a grain of salt. Regardless, it's an insightful way to examine what makes us different, but more important, what makes us the same and how we need to use that to our advantage.
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