Blind Spots: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things (Paperback)

by Madeleine L. Van Hecke (Author)
Key Phrases: voodoo science, New York, United States, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Clinical psychologist Van Hecke has compiled a list of 10 mental glitches that have infiltrated contemporary society, afflicting even the smartest among us, limiting thought, success and relationships. Van Hecke devotes a chapter to each blind spot, including "Not stopping to think," "Not noticing," "Jumping to conclusions" and "Missing the big picture." Examining each in detail, Van Hecke details the root causes of these unconscious habits ("information overload," "our tendency to habituate") and tactics for overcoming them, using humorous anecdotes and other real-life examples to drive her points; the key is remaining open to new ideas and taking a step back from our busy lives in order to process information, situations and people. Filling in "the big picture" herself, Van Hecke demonstrates how embracing and understanding our weaknesses can not only improve personal and professional relationships, but also entire communities; this self-help is a welcome, highly readable first step.
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Review
"I have no reservations about wholeheartedly recommending this book. Behind each stupid mistake, each wrongheaded viewpoint, is a person every bit as rational as we think ourselves to be. This book allows us to see ourselves more clearly, and assess others more tolerantly." -- Wendy Northcutt, best-selling author of the Darwin Awards and creator of www.DarwinAwards.com

"If we don't understand blind spots, we don't understand human nature. Madeleine Van Hecke does a beautiful job of opening our eyes to this fascinating--and troubling--aspect of personality." -- Eric Maisel, PhD, author of Ten Zen Seconds

"This delightful romp through the maze of human fallibility should be sent to every CEO of the Fortune 500 companies, along with all of the members of Congress. Van Hecke's engaging writing style, personal anecdotes, and real-world examples of the numerous blind spots that all of us have--including and especially intelligent and educated people--brings to a wide audience decades of scientific research on cognitive fallacies and critical thinking. A fun read!" -- Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist for Scientific American, and author of Why People Believe Weird Things

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Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; 1 edition (April 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591025095
• ISBN-13: 978-1591025092
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,249 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too much common sense & too little insight, June 4, 2008

By	Donald Bailey (Provo, UT) - See all my reviews

I must start by saying I only read the first 65 or so pages (about 1/3rd of the book) before the author lost my attention. She filled the first several pages with a shallow discussion of commom tenets your parents or teachers probably already shared with you. I paraphrase: 'Stop and think before you act'; 'What you don't know CAN hurt you'; 'Don't miss the forest for the trees.'

In the subsequent chapters, she attempted to dive more deeply into the reasons these tenets ring true. As I read through the discussion, I came away with the distinct impression that I was stuck in an entry level class on human behavior at a community college. Her analysis lacked depth; her analogies were flat or did not fit. She offered little insight into an intriguing topic.

Based on the reviews I read before purchasing the book, I expected more rigor and critical analysis than I found. The book's concept has promise. Unfortunately, the author did not deliver.

Because I was intrigued by the topic, I've continued to look for books that could better help me understand common blind spots. Although narrowly focused on the idea of self-deception, I thought "Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)" gave a thorough analysis of a common blind spot many of us experience.

I also found meaningful insights about the physiology of the brain that creates some of our blind spots in "On Being Certain." The author's statements were supported by conclusions drawn from peer-reviewed studies - the type of rigor I expected but did not find in 'Blind Spots.'

45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get ...and stay...Smart!, March 29, 2008

By	Carolyn Thornlow "Concinnity Services" (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If every person in a position of responsibility read this book, perhaps there would be fewer catastrophes! Granted, there are so many things at play in complex situations, a mere human may not be able to change entire outcomes. However, there are so many stupid decisions that contribute to ruin ... and that can be changed. That's why this book is so important.

Van Hecke presents 10 Blind Spots:
1. Not Stopping to Think
2. What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
3. Not Noticing
4. Not Seeing Yourself
5. My-side Bias
6. Trapped by Categories
7. Jumping to Conclusions
8. Fuzzy Evidence
9. Missing Hidden Causes
10. Missing the Big Picture

While listing the chapters may seem like the Cliff Notes, it would be a mistake to conclude that the list is the whole story. The author does a complete, substantiated and entertaing job of describing each blind spot and shows how prevalent (sadly) they are. This book is a great way to keep you grounded when the smart people around you are doing dumb things, and, of course, to prevent you from making the same mistakes.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great gift for someone recovering from a misstep, May 14, 2007

By	Orick Peterson (Plainfield, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is engaging, smart, and playful, even though it deals with stuff we really ought to know. Van Hecke points out some mysteries we haven't noticed, and makes the mysterious feel manageable. She starts with the conviction that the more we understand about our thinking, the more likely we are to produce results that satisfy us in the long term. Van Hecke's witty and insightful daytrip through some of the knobbier kinds of thinking is lots of fun. I discovered plenty of surprises and quite a few points that proved things I had almost thought of myself. Blind Spots includes just enough unforgettable examples. They keep coming to mind as I catch myself doing some of my own favorite dumb things. Highly recommended to anyone wanting to think about thinking--students, teachers, armchair philosophers, and all the rest of us who wonder how things happen. Nice gift for someone recovering from doing a dumb thing. That's probably anyone: as Ven Hecke points out, it comes with having a brain built like ours.