Anyone with a passing familiarity with Buddhism will know that “delusion” is rarely, if ever, mentioned in a positive way. In fact, the Buddha included delusion (aka: confusion about the way things really are) on his list of “the three poisons.” The whole point of meditation, per the Buddha, is to uproot delusion -- along with greed and hatred. Only then can you be enlightened. My guest today is here to valiantly make the case that delusion -- or self-deception -- has an upside. Many upsides, in fact. While he concedes that self-deception can, of course, be massively harmful, he argues that it also plays a vital role in our success and wellbeing, and that it holds together friendships, marriages, and nations. Understanding this, he says, can make you happier, more effective, and -- crucially -- more empathetic with people with whom you disagree. Shankar Vedantam is the host of the popular podcast and radio show <a href="http://www.hiddenbrain.org/">Hidden Brain</a>. His latest book is called Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain. In this episode we talk about: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> the many ways our brains filter and alter our perception of reality </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> why we evolved for a robust capacity to lie to ourselves </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> and how his research on delusions has colored his view of the chaos and confusion of our modern world.  </li> </ul>   Join Dan’s online community <a href= "http://www.danharris.com/">here</a> Follow Dan on social: <a href= "https://bit.ly/3tGigG5">Instagram</a>, <a href= "https://bit.ly/3FOA84J">TikTok</a> Subscribe to our <a href= "https://bit.ly/3FybRzD">YouTube Channel</a>   To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit <a href= "https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris">https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris</a>   SPONSORS:  Bumble: Thinking about dating again? Take this as your sign and start your love story on <a href= "http://bumble.com/">Bumble</a>.    AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit <a href= "http://att.com/guarantee">att.com/guarantee</a> for details. Odoo: Discover how you can take your business to the next level by visiting <a href= "http://odoo.com/">odoo.com</a>. Modern management made simple.

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How Lying To Yourself (A Little) Can Improve Your Relationships and Make the World Feel Less Insane | Shankar Vedantam

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