Julia Galef

One of the few books that I believe is fundamental for everyone to read. It's good to know how we function psychologically, but research rarely tells us how to make practical use of it. Julia Galef's book is one of those that fills the gap. There are ways of viewing the world, from the unyielding zealot to the delusional "my reality," but rarely engaging with reality as it is. Making the best decisions and having the clearest perceptions requires a certain mindset that doesn't just come naturally to us, so it must be cultivated. The Scout Mindset gives its readers overarching tools and approaches to clearer thinking.… (más)

Mixed thoughts about this book. I really liked the central idea, about some people having more of a “scout” mindset with others having more of a “soldier” mindset, and a lot of the elaborations made sense to me as well. But I wish the book had dug a little “deeper” into various psychological, social, political, historical, evolutionary, and philosophical issues. The book seemed a little “thin” and also a bit simplistic and repetitive. I hope Galef or someone else comes up with a deeper, more thoughtful treatment of these important ideas. That said, I really identify with the “scout” concept and it was nice to have that recognized as valuable.… (más)