The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives by Robin Hanson | Book Club

Full Title: The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life
Suggested by: Jeff G.
Pages to read: 300
ISBN: 9780197551950 (Originally listed edition)
ISBN: 9780190496012 (Edition Eugene is using)

Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)

Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)

All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)

Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Self-Help - 06/21/2025 = Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong by Steve Magness
2 - Psychology / Fiction - 07/26/2025 = The Schopenhauer Cure: A Novel by Irvin Yalom
3 - Self-Help - 08/02/2025 = Tao Te Ching: Ancient Chinese Book of the Tao by Lao Tzu
4 - Self-Help - 08/09/2025 = Why? The Purpose of the Universe by Philip Goff
5 - Self-Help - 10/18/2025 = Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre

While reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is the elephant in the brain?
•Why do people self-deceive themselves?
•What is the effect of the elephant in the brain on the allocation of resources?
•What is the effect of intra-group competitive signaling?
•Why do people consume healthcare?
•What is conspicuous consumption?
•How is social status obtained?
•What is social grooming in baboons for?
•How do babblers compete?
•Why do redwoods grow to be tall?
•What is the social brain hypothesis?
•What is the difference between dominance and prestige?
•What makes for an effective signal?
•What is culture/norms?
•What is collective enforcement?
•What is gossip?
•Who cheats?
•What is common knowledge?
•How to tell who is loyal?
•What is modularity in psychology?
•Why rationalize behavior?
•What is the purpose of a press secretary?
•What signals are sent through body language?
•Why do people laugh?
•Why do people join conversations?
•Why do people consume art?
•Why do people give to charity?
•What is the purpose of school?
•Why are people religious?
•Who are the apparatchiks?

Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.