Free shipping on orders over $99
Survival of the Nicest

Survival of the Nicest

how altruism made us human, and why it pays to get along

by Stefan Klein
Paperback
Publication Date: 25/06/2014

Share This Book:

 
$29.99
The phrase 'survival of the fittest' conjures an image of the most cutthroat individuals rising to the top. But Stefan Klein, author of the international bestseller The Science of Happiness, makes the startling assertion that the key to achieving lasting personal and societal success lies in helping others. Klein argues, altruism is in fact our defining characteristic- natural selection favoured those early humans who cooperated in groups. With survival more assured, our altruistic ancestors were free to devote brainpower to developing intelligence, language, and culture - our very humanity. As Klein puts it, 'We humans became first the friendliest and then the most intelligent apes.' To build his persuasive case for how altruistic behaviour made us human - and why it pays to get along - Klein brings together an extraordinary array of material- current research on genetics and the brain, economics, social psychology, behavioural and anthropological experiments, history, and modern culture. Ultimately, his groundbreaking findings lead him to a vexing question- if we're really hard-wired to act for one another's benefit, why aren't we all getting along? Klein believes we've learned a mistrust our generous instincts because success is so often attributed to selfish ambition. In Survival of the Nicest, he invites us to rethink what it means to be the 'fittest' as he shows how caring for others can protect us from loneliness and depression, make us happier and healthier, reward us economically, and even extend our lives. 'This eloquent and persuasive book shows why in life, like in the movies, the nice guy always wins.' Stephen Cave, author of Immortality 'A scholarly tour de force about why generosity makes good sense, Survival of the Nicest is also compulsively readable.' Elizabeth Svoboda, author of What Makes a Hero?
ISBN:
9781922247629
9781922247629
Category:
Popular science
Format:
Paperback
Publication Date:
25-06-2014
Publisher:
Scribe Publications
Country of origin:
Australia
Pages:
272
Dimensions (mm):
234x153x20mm
Weight:
0.36kg

Click 'Notify Me' to get an email alert when this item becomes available

Reviews

Be the first to review Survival of the Nicest.