Social

Subtitle: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect

Author: Matthew D. Lieberman

Genre: Nonfiction, Psychology, Science

Format: Digital Purchase via Kindle

Publish Date: October 2013

Read: October 2023

Favorite Quote: As we have said from the beginning, we think people are built to maximize their own pleasure and minimize their own pain. In reality, we are actually built to overcome our own pleasure and increase our own pain in the service of following society’s norms.

Synopsis: Matthew Liberman plunges into social neuroscience and why we are fundamentally wired to be social creatures. He argues the need to reach out and connect with other people drove our evolution in the early days of humankind and today drives our behaviors. Lieberman covers everything from social media to self-control to bullying and how different experiences shape our lives.

Why does this book beguile? My hubby read this book and recommended it to me, and I truly enjoyed it. Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect is a great blend of neuroscience, psychology, and self-improvement content in an easy-to-read book.

I particularly enjoyed what Lieberman shares about self-control. He states that self-control is like a muscle: the more you engage it, the stronger it will become. However, when you “max out” your self-control, you have a diminished ability to control your impulses, leading to emotional outbursts, excessive eating, or inability to do desired things.

Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect is a great book for those interested in connecting more with others. Social will give you insights into what drives us, help you connect with introverts and extroverts, and build empathy for anyone you speak to.

Rating: 5/5

Link*: Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect by Matthew D. Lieberman

If you’re interested in this, read*: Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky