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Wilful Blindness

Why We Ignore the Obvious
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( 1,728 ratings, 193 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Wilful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan explores the human tendency to ignore uncomfortable truths and the consequences of such behaviour. Through various case studies and real-world examples, Heffernan examines how this pervasive blindness affects organisations and individuals, often leading to missed opportunities and avoidable failures. The book encourages readers to confront their biases and create environments where the truth can be acknowledged and addressed.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by how people often ignore uncomfortable truths and the impact this can have both personally and professionally. It explores psychological mechanisms and societal influences that lead to turning a blind eye, offering insights into cultivating awareness and change. This could be particularly appealing if you're interested in themes of self-awareness, decision-making, and embracing challenging perspectives.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

An engaging and anecdotal examination of how and why as individuals and as a society we choose to turn a blind eye to the uncomfortable truth

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Fully revised and updated since its first publication in 2011 to encompass further appalling instances of wilful blindness: Grenfell Tower, Carillion, Harvey Weinstein, Windrush and many more.

Why, after every major accident and blunder, do we look back and ask, how could we have been so blind? Why do some people see what others don't? And how can we change?

Drawing on studies by psychologists and neuroscientists, and from interviews with business leaders, whistleblowers and white collar criminals, distinguished businesswoman and writer Margaret Heffernan examines the phenomenon of wilful blindness, exploring the reasons that individuals and groups are blind to impending personal tragedies, corporate collapses, engineering failuresβ€”even crimes against humanity.

We turn a blind eye in order to feel safe, to avoid conflict, to reduce anxiety and to protect prestige. It makes us feel good at first, with consequences we don’t see. But greater understanding leads to solutions, and Heffernan shows howβ€”by challenging our biases, encouraging debate, discouraging conformity, and not backing away from difficult or complicated problemsβ€”we can be more mindful of what's going on around us and be proactive instead of reactive.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781471180804

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 April 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Edition: Reissue

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 27.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, chief executive, and author. She was born in Texas, raised in Holland, and educated at Cambridge University. She worked for the BBC and developed interactive multimedia products with Peter Lynch, Tom Peters, Standard & Poors, and The Learning Company. She has served as Chief Executive Officer for InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation, and iCAST Corporation. The author ofΒ Beyond Measure,Β Willful Blindness, andΒ A Bigger Prize, among others, she blogs for HuffPost,Β CBS Moneywatch, and Inc.com.

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