Why We Think What We Think
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Why We Think What We Think
An eye-opening journey through the secret forces shaping our opinions, this book reveals why we think what we think - and why disagreement matters.
This book is always fascinating but frequently mind-blowing
Marina Hyde, Guardian columnist and co-host of The Rest Is Entertainment
Fizzing with insights and ideas... I loved it
Jenny Kleeman, author of The Price of Life
Intriguing... Munthe explains why robust debate is essential for a creative and healthy society
Timothy Garton Ash, author of Free Speech and Guardian columnist
An eye-opening journey through the secret forces shaping our opinions, this book reveals why we think what we think - and why disagreement matters.
Our opinions - whether we believe in God or in ghosts, our views on sex or animal rights or immigration, our basic sense of what's good or fair - are shaped by a breathtaking web of hidden forces. The age-old idea that our views are forged by reason and evidence alone is wrong; we are influenced by everything from the quirks of distant history, through the geology of where we grew up, to the lines of our genetic code.
This astounding book takes us through culture, biology, geography, history, psychology and much more to uncover the hidden DNA of our opinions. It reveals:
- why the descendants of rice farmers have different values to the descendants of grain farmers
- how our physical appearance shapes the way we see the world - and why conventionally attractive people tend to support the free market
- why liberals think pineapple should go on pizza, and why conservatives prefer smooth peanut butter to crunchy
- why hot and humid countries favour authoritarian leaders, and drought-prone ones prefer authoritarian gods
Packed with extraordinary stories and counterintuitive discoveries, Why We Think What We Think asks a fundamental question of ourselves. If we are predisposed to our beliefs, how can we escape the bounds of our own perspective? The answer lies in disagreement. Argument is how we reason, how we think our way to a better world. To thrive, as individuals and societies, we need the other side.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781529153859
Publisher: Cornerstone
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 14 May 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Hutchinson Heinemann
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 40.0mm
Width: 153.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 700g
Pages: 320
About the Author
Turi Munthe is a journalist and policy analyst turned media entrepreneur, who has written for the Economist, the Guardian and the TLS and appeared on the BBC, CNN and Fox News. He founded Demotix, the largest network of photojournalists in the world, and Parlia, an encyclopaedia of opinion. He lives in Milan.
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