© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Power Of Self Deception: How We Fool Ourselves Can Be Both Harmful, Helpful

Ways To Subscribe
Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels CC0: https://bit.ly/3w4rgBV
Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels CC0: https://bit.ly/3w4rgBV
<em>Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain,</em> by Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler
Norton
Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain, by Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler

In their new book "Useful Delusions," Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler present stories of self-deception, using psychology and neuroscience to explain how the lies we tell ourselves can actually have a positive impact.

These delusions can be big or small. You can lie to yourself about your identity, job, past, or even that your child is a prodigy.

What role does self-deception play in our success and well-being? What physical affect does indulging in fantasy have on us?

Can lying to ourselves actually change our lives for the better? Is there a right or wrong way to do it?

Guest: Shankar Vedantam, host of the podcast “Hidden Brain" and co-author of "Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain"

"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.

*This interview was recorded on Thursday, April 1.

Stay Connected