5 Books That Will Make You Smarter Than 98% of People

About this video

• Video Title: 5 Books That Will Make You Smarter Than 98% of People
• Channel: Clark Kegley
• Speakers: Clark Kegley
• Duration: 00:16:48

Overview

This video recommends five books that the presenter, Clark Kegley, believes will significantly enhance a reader's intelligence and perspective. Kegley shares insights from each book, explaining how they can help overcome cognitive biases, understand human behavior, gain self-awareness, comprehend historical patterns, and navigate complex social and political issues. The goal is to equip viewers with knowledge that sets them apart from the majority.

Key takeaways

• "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman: This book helps readers become more objective by understanding cognitive biases such as anchoring bias, availability bias, confirmation bias, loss aversion, and sunk cost fallacy. Recognizing these biases allows for better decision-making.
• "Psychology" (Fifth Edition) by Daniel Gilbert: Recommended as a primary source for understanding neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, and behaviorism, this textbook aids in first principles thinking and offers a comprehensive view of how the mind works.
• "Stumbling on Happiness" by Dan Gilbert: This book explores how the brain can trick us, much like a magic trick, by filling in information and not being objective. It highlights how memories can be influenced by our current state and how we perceive past events.
• "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer: This book emphasizes self-awareness and the idea that "you are not your thoughts." It teaches readers to observe their inner monologue, detach from negative thought patterns, and find peace by surrendering and letting go, which can lead to greater creativity and a less stressful life.
• "The Righteous Mind" by Jonathan Haidt: This book explains why good people are divided by politics and religion by examining moral reasoning as post-hoc justification. It introduces six moral taste buds (care, liberty, fairness, loyalty, authority, sanctity) and suggests that differing priorities in these areas lead to division. It also touches upon CS Lewis's argument that morality is proof of a higher power.
• "The Lessons of History" by William and Ariel Durant: This concise book distills 5,000 years of history into 100 pages, revealing recurring trends like cycles of cooperation versus competition, and the idea that war is the norm and peace is the exception. It underscores the fragility of civilization and the importance of law and order.