The ideas that rule us
"A well-researched, thought-provoking reconsideration of society’s sacred cows."
Our Verdict: GET IT
KIRKUS Reviews
In this book, Nathan J. Murphy takes you through the whole remit of ideas: what they are, where they come from, and where they take us. We look at the ideas that we hold, consciously and subconsciously, and how they form who we are and what we become. We examine how to break down these ideas and how to free ourselves from the grip of ideas contrary to our, or our societies’ interests.
By necessity, he digs into the fields of behavioural and evolutionary biology, anthropology, sociology, neuroscience, history, and philosophy. Using this aggregation of billions of hours of scientific research, we examine the building blocks of human morality and how these impact everything from our relationships to our societies.
The book finishes with a set of practical considerations that connect everything into useful and actionable points to help us live our lives with more freedom and a greater ability to determine our own future.
The Ideas That Rule Us is essential reading for:
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People who want to understand how the ideas of their social environment have impacted who they are and the decisions they make (and what they can do about it).
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Activists and campaigners who want to better grasp how to approach changing the ideas of their society.
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Political actors who want to understand what underlies political expression and how they can leverage it.
Book information:
Title: The Ideas That Rule Us
Author: Nathan J Murphy
ISBN (Print): 978-1-0686110-0-1
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-0686110-1-8
Pages: 306
Published by: Prepolitica
OUR LIVES ARE propelled BY IDEAS WE NEVER HAD
Ideas define who we are and what we become. These ideas, held consciously and subconsciously, affect every aspect of our lives. Because of this, we better understand what they are, how they work, and how to change them.
Using ideas and ideology as a lens, this book takes a multidisciplinary, science-first, approach toward making sense of our lives and the societies in which we live.
We examine:
The Profound Impact of Ideas
How other people's ideas affect everything from our preferences to genetic expression—and why change is possible.
The Ideas That
Rule Us
The ideas deeply affect our lives, where they came from, and what can we do about it.
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Impossible but Practical Realities
How our ideas can create the evidence that appears to support them—making us hold onto bad ideas.
The Nature of Change
How long do ideas take to die? And how we can we develop better strategies for deep change within our societies?
Innate Ideas that Drive Moral Bias
A scientific examination of human moral leanings using the lens of ideas and ideology.
Political Force & Freedom
What lies behind the use of force (of all kinds) in our systems, and what principles can deliver freer societies?
A New Political Spectrum
A new approach to understanding what underlies our politics—and the inherent problems of the right & the left
Bureaucracy & Abstract Rule
The problems with abstract governance and what it means for those involved—from politician to citizen.
Reality and Perception
Our relationship with reality and how it relates to our—and our society's—behavioural outcomes.
The Legal-Social Reality Gap
What happens when changes to the law, or moral-attitudes, outpace people's ability to change deep-set ideas?
Calcification of the Abstract
What happens when we spend too much of our lives in the abstract—in abstractions of work, life, sociality—everything?
How To Use It To Live A Better Life
How to apply everything covered in this book to our lives with a focus on simplicity and practicality.
EIGHT years in the making
This well-referenced book delves into the human dichotomy of the abstract and the emotional and unearths insights that can help us all live better lives.
"At its heart, this book is an exploration of our relationship between the abstract and the emotional. This relationship plays a dominant role in the human condition—impacting every aspect of our lives."
N. J. Murphy
Author
"Aspects of this book have changed how I think about politics. "
Simon Gentry
Senior Public Affairs Specialist
Strategic Communications Counsel
Atticus Partners