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Scarcity Brain
- Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough
- Narrated by: Michael Easter
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
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Scarcity Brain
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Summary
An in-depth exploration of why humans are built to crave, from the author of The Comfort Crisis
Are we hardwired to crave more? From food and stuff to information and influence, why can't we ever get enough?
Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis and one of the world's leading experts on behaviour change, shows that the problem isn't you. The problem is your scarcity mindset, left over from our ancient ancestors. They had to constantly seek and consume to survive because vital survival tools like food, material goods, information, and power were scarce and hard to find. But with our modern ability to easily fulfil our ancient desire for more, our hardwired "scarcity brain" is now backfiring. And new technology and institutions - from dating and entertainment apps to our food and economic systems - are exploiting our scarcity brain. They're bombarding us with subversive "scarcity cues," subtle triggers that lead us into low-reward cravings that hurt us in the long run. Scarcity cues can be direct and all-encompassing, like a sagging economy. Or they can be subtle and slight, like our neighbour buying a shiny new car.
Easter traveled the world to consult with remarkable innovators and leading scientists who are finding surprising solutions for our scarcity brain. He discovered simple tactics that can move us towards an abundance mindset, cement healthy habits, and allow us to live our lives to the fullest and appreciate what we have, including how to:
- Detect hidden scarcity cues to stop cravings before they start, from a brilliant slot machine designer in a Las Vegas casino laboratory
- Turn alone time into the ultimate happiness hack, from artisanal coffee-making Benedictine monks Reignite your exploration gene for a more exciting and fulfilling life, from an astronaut onboard the International Space Station
- Reframe how we think about and fix addiction and bad habits, from Iraq's chief psychiatrist
- Recognize when you have enough, from a woman who left a million-dollar career path to adventure the world
Our world is overloaded with everything we're built to crave. The fix for scarcity brain isn't to blindly aim for less. It's to understand why we crave more in the first place, shake our worst habits, and use what we already have better. Then we can experience life in a new way - a more satisfying way.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mr. P. J. Sheppard
- 14-12-23
Brain changing game changer
Brilliant book which shows why you get hooked on certain things and what you can do about it. Very inspiring and a great follow up to Comfort Crisis.
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1 person found this helpful
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- LMN
- 11-10-23
Outstanding - Surprisingly Wide Ranging!
Brilliant and fascinating - and much, much more wide-ranging than I’d anticipated. Very, very thorough and researched book with countless experts in many different fields pulled together to form the skeleton and bones of this unique book. Thought provoking and highly enjoyable.
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- Chris B
- 06-10-23
Simply a MUST READ for any modern human 🧠🫀
I genuinely think this topic should be part of educational curriculum at high schools.
Michael does an epic job educating the reader whilst also inspiring them to dig deeper into how this topic is relevant within their own lives.
The information is presented in a way which sets context and makes the topic easily digestible.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- GT
- 13-10-23
Really comes into its own in the second half
Really interesting book, especially the 2nd half when the author moves beyond slot machines and gambling to how scarcity brain impacts aspects of our life
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Cazzy 588
- 12-11-23
This made me feel stressed and anxious
I really wanted to learn something but I don’t know why it made me feel very stressed and anxious - I just think the topic was wrong for me .
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1 person found this helpful
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- LMC
- 01-03-24
Why we want more
Michael Easter's writing might seem like 'stunt' journalism (he goes to out-of-the-way places to talk to unusual people), but all of the chapters support his central thesis – that our brains are wired for 'scarcity' that no longer exists in modern society. The book is excellent, entertaining and enthusiastically narrated by the author.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-11-24
Voice is deeply unpleasant.
Really dislike the authors voice. It was a mistake to have him read it. Like listening to Kermit.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-02-24
Glorified self-help article that should've never been a book
This book, penned by a journalist rather than a neuroscientist or psychologist, unfortunately exhibits the shortcomings often associated with journalistic writing rather than academic rigor.
It's replete with unnecessary digressions, trivial facts, and aimless chatter, notably exemplified by an irrelevant detour into the Iraq conflict. Such content fails to enhance the book's value, epitomizing the author's frequent, misguided attempts to draw interest through personal anecdotes rather than relevant insights.
Beyond the introductory chapter, the text offers little of substance on brain functionality, a realization that underscores my misplaced expectations for a scientifically enlightening read. I acknowledge my oversight in not researching the author and the book's focus more thoroughly.
For those intrigued by the concept of the 'scarcity loop,' I recommend exploring Easter's discussions in his podcast appearances for a more concise and focused exploration of the topic. Meanwhile, individuals seeking an audiobook that effectively combines storytelling with journalistic flair for entertainment during physical activities might want to consider alternative titles.
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4 people found this helpful