Did you know: You can be bought off with as little as 10p. That sounds absurd, but it's true! Something as small as finding 10p on the floor is enough to convince you that you're generally happy with life - even if you didn't feel like it the moment before. Or how about this one: That craving for Thai food isn't just your tastebuds screaming out for satisfaction; it's a combo of your DNA and the microbes in your gut telling you to order what they want.
From the moment we are conceived to the day we die, our thoughts, actions, moods and decisions are shaped and manipulated by a whole array of factors, most of which we don't pay any attention to. And these influences and impulses that guide us are inescapable; from culture and language, to the forces of technology and marketing, to our tastes and desires, it's clear that we aren't the ones pulling the strings.
But the good news is this: by better understanding the forces at work - through neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, philosophy, biology and anthropology - we can minimise their impact on our lives. By drawing on the latest, most rigorous interdisciplinary research and the extraordinary stories that bring them to life, this book will enable you to truly start thinking for yourself.
