Two psychologists argue that everyone's mind contains a liar, a cheat, and a sinner. But there is always a saint, too.
The dichotomy of good and evil is as old as the story of the world, and
timeless in its relevance to just about everything we do in life, from
our political and spiritual views to our taste in music, art, and
literature to how we think about our simple dietary choices. But while
most of us recognize that these concepts of good and bad aren't always
black-and-white categories, we never cease to be surprised when someone
or something we've perceived as "good" does or becomes something we
perceive as "bad," from an esteemed politician's transgression to a
beloved celebrity's slip into addiction or Scientology or otherwise
socially undesirable behavior.
In Out of Character: Surprising Truths About the Liar, Cheat, Sinner (and Saint) Lurking in All of Us, researchers David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo explore this curious disconnect through the rigorous lens of science. Drawing on their research at the Social Emotions Lab at Northeastern University, the authors offer a fascinating yet highly readable perspective on the psychology of the hero/villain spectrum of human character, inviting us to reconceive personality, both our own and that of others, with a more balanced moral view that reflects the fluidity of human psychology.
