Cheating is bad — we learn this from childhood. Although we sometimes violate this principle, we generally consider ourselves honest. But do we have any basis for this?
Norwegian journalist Bor Stenvik proves that lies, manipulation and pretense are inseparable from our nature. Our brains evolved thanks to the ability to cunning — otherwise we would not have survived the evolutionary battle with enemies. Psychologists bring more and more data about the connection between the art of deception and creativity, social and emotional intelligence. Even trust in society is built on self-deception, no matter how absurd it may sound. According to one version, this is how monotheistic religions arose with their idea of an all-seeing God: we behave more honestly if we feel that someone is watching us.
Alpina Verlag, 503 p.