From Sex to Money to Food - Taming Our Primal Instincts.
Why do we want - and do - so many things that are bad for us? We vow to lose those extra five pounds, put more money in the bank and mend neglected relationships, but our attempts often end in failure. Our toughest battles, it seems, are with ourselves. To understand this fundamental aspect of human nature, Terry Burnham and Jay Phelan argue, we need to stop looking to Sigmund Freud - and start looking to Charles Darwin.
Short, sassy, and bold, 'Mean Genes' reveals that our struggles for self-improvement are, in fact, battles against our own genes - genes that helped our distant ancestors to flourish, but are selfish and out of place in the modern world.
Using this evolutionary lens, the book brilliantly examines the issues that most affect our lives: body image, money, addiction, violence, and the endless search for friendship, love and fidelity. But Burnham and Phelan don't simply describe the connections between genes and behaviour. They use this knowledge to offer steps for improving the quality of our lives.
Why do we love fast food? Why is the road to romance so rocky? Must happiness always be elusive? What drives us into debt? An intrepid investigation into the biological nature of temptation and the struggle for control, 'Mean Genes' answers these and other fundamental questions about human behaviour, while giving us an edge to lead satisfying lives.
