logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2021
53m 51s

The Easiest Person to Fool

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode
Physicist Richard Feynman once said, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” One way we fool ourselves is by imagining we know more than we do; we think we are experts. This week on Hidden Brain, psychologist Adam Grant describes the magic that unfolds when we challenge our own deeply-held beliefs. 
Up next
Yesterday
Blowing Up Your Life
Have you ever had a flash of insight that hit you when you least expected it? How did it change your life? Psychologist Anthony Klotz studies the "jolts" that shake us out of our routines, and how these moments can help us make more intentional decisions about the people we want ... Show More
1h 26m
Aug 31
The Things We Don't Say
From childhood, we're taught that honesty is the best policy. Yet in everyday life, we hedge, soften our words, and leave things unsaid. This week, we talk with psychologist Steven Pinker about why indirect speech is such a fundamental part of human relationships. How long can yo ... Show More
50m 2s
Aug 24
What Art Does For Your Brain
Think about the last time a piece of music stopped you in your tracks, or a novel kept you up late at night. Why do these experiences feel so powerful? Psychobiologist Daisy Fancourt says engagement with the arts can help to regulate our emotions, build resilience, and support lo ... Show More
49m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2020
The Real Fortune Teller
Our brain likes to play tricks on us, so it allows us to see the things we want to see and formulate biased conclusions, accordingly. In this episode, Rawane Affara explains how, at times, a child’s behavior is misunderstood and underestimated.Listen to The Ringlet on Podeopodeo. ... Show More
7m 45s
Dec 2024
The science of manipulation
Why do we humans seem to be so easily influenced or even fooled? On one hand this can be done for entertainment, in a Las Vegas stage magic show for example, but on another it can be used for more nefarious purposes such as con artists tricking people into sharing their bank acco ... Show More
31m 17s
Mar 2023
How to Fake It Till You Make It
During my conversation with Law Roach, he said when he started out, he didn’t know what he was doing but you have to "fake it till you make it," which led me to reflect on how many people do this. But it is easier said than done, thanks to a little thing called Imposter syndrome. ... Show More
29m 12s
Feb 2021
Tackling Impostor Syndrome
Impostor syndrome: it's the voice in the back of your mind telling you that you're a fraud, and that your peers are all smarter and more creative than you. In this episode, host Diana Opong speaks with experts about how to squash that voice.See pcm.adswizz.com for information abo ... Show More
21m 11s
Nov 2020
November 19, 2020: Harry Houdini, Magician
Illusionists know: We often see what we want to see, or what we expect to see, instead of what’s really in front of us. But today’s quote identifies a group of people who might be immune to such tunnel vision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
2m 56s
Oct 2022
What is energy anyway?
Physics, while absolutely fascinating, can be impenetrable. And it isn't just cutting-edge ideas that can melt our brains, often we accept basic principles and ideas without really knowing how they work or even what they are. This week, Jonathan is joined by Sean Carroll, physi ... Show More
48m 31s
Feb 2024
The Illusion of Control, Part 1
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss our psychological tendency to overestimate our control over events, with implications for everything from gambling and paranormal beliefs to our movements through everyday life. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri ... Show More
39m 48s
Feb 2025
From the Vault: The Illusion of Control, Part 1
In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss our psychological tendency to overestimate our control over events, with implications for everything from gambling and paranormal beliefs to our movements through everyday life. (originally published 2/8/2 ... Show More
40m 31s
Sep 2023
How to believe in yourself
It's easier than you think. To learn more about finding true happiness, check out our bestselling book, NEW HAPPY: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong! Available at www.thenewhappy.com/book 
2m 28s
May 2013
Ventriloquism: The Science of Dummies
<p>Ventriloquism: The Science of Dummies: It's time to rediscover ventriloquism, the surprisingly deft art of illusion that relies on a keen sense of comic timing and obsessive technique from the performer, as well as a buy-in into the illusion from the audience member. Why do we ... Show More
30m 25s