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A review by kristianthamum
The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time by Maria Konnikova
As a writer, I try to read books that will help me delve into the human brain to try and understand behavior. With this knowledge, I hope to write more believable characters. The Confidence Game was written by an author who truly understands story. Konnikova laid out her book into somewhat of a page-turner itself. Learning the stages of the con made me feel prepared to withstand the threat should it rear its ugly head. Though reading how many people from all walks of life, from the poor to the elite, fall for the con, I'm less sure than ever that I'd manage to resist.
The part that helped me the most was learning that the con is all about the story. Putting the mark into the middle of the story lowers their defenses. We all want to be part of a good story, it makes us feel special. In reading this book, it was so clear that human nature works with the con to make it all the more successful. No one wants to be embarrassed when a nice-looking guy claiming to be one of your former coworkers from 20 years ago re-enters your life. That momentary need to feel liked and included keeps you from double checking if that person checks out. We literally can't help it, we're wired to trust.
When writing characters, the more I understand about human nature, and more specifically how it can work against us in certain situations, the more my characters can come to life on the page. As a human, I am hopeful that my skepticism due to reading this book doesn't prohibit me from making real connections with actual former colleagues. But in the meantime, I'll be mining this book for all the gems it has in it to make me a better writer.
The part that helped me the most was learning that the con is all about the story. Putting the mark into the middle of the story lowers their defenses. We all want to be part of a good story, it makes us feel special. In reading this book, it was so clear that human nature works with the con to make it all the more successful. No one wants to be embarrassed when a nice-looking guy claiming to be one of your former coworkers from 20 years ago re-enters your life. That momentary need to feel liked and included keeps you from double checking if that person checks out. We literally can't help it, we're wired to trust.
When writing characters, the more I understand about human nature, and more specifically how it can work against us in certain situations, the more my characters can come to life on the page. As a human, I am hopeful that my skepticism due to reading this book doesn't prohibit me from making real connections with actual former colleagues. But in the meantime, I'll be mining this book for all the gems it has in it to make me a better writer.