Reviews
It''s difficult to categorize Gallagher''s exuberant survey through so many areas of interest, but she proves her point: curiosity about and hunger for the new can certainly take you to many fascinating places., It's difficult to categorize Gallagher's exuberant survey through so many areas of interest, but she proves her point: curiosity about and hunger for the new can certainly take you to many fascinating places., "Behavioral-science specialist Gallagher (Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, 2009) explores our "unique affinity for the new or different." The term she uses, neophilia, is generally found in academic circles but comes into its own in her romp through the sciences, art, and pop culture as she shares all sorts of intriguing facts, such as that the reason babies enjoy peekaboo so much is because surprise is a key component in learning. Gallagher looks to physicist Richard Feynman (exemplifying the need for an open attitude toward new experiences), Charles Darwin, and Story Musgrave, an astronaut who has lived a dozen lives already and shows no signs of slowing down. There are discussions of economics, archaeology, and anthropology; psychologists and behaviorists are interviewed; and, in a consideration of boredom, Bleak House and "The Yellow Wallpaper," the groundbreaking short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, are mentioned. It's difficult to categorize Gallagher's exuberant survey through so many areas of interest, but she proves her point: curiosity about and hunger for the new can certainly take you to many fascinating places.", "A bright look at our fascination with the new and different. Gallagher (Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, 2009, etc.) examines how we deal with the ever-increasing amount of novelty and rate of change in our lives. Since the 18th century, when the technology of the Industrial Revolution converged with the ideas of the Enlightenment, the new and novel have played a soaring role in Western society. "We already crunch four times more data-e-mail, tweets, searches, music, video, and traditional media-that we did just 30 years ago," writes the author, "and this deluge shows no signs of slackening." Given our affinity for novelty, we are in danger of becoming so distracted by trivial yet instantly gratifying new things that we no longer focus selectively on the important things that help us adapt to change. We must learn to manage our neophilia, or affinity for novelty. Drawing on studies and interviews with social scientists and others, the author offers evidence that the brain is actually a "novelty-seeking machine" and that about 25 percent of Westerners of European descent have a gene linked to robust novelty seeking. While the author's discussion of our penchant for the gratifying novelty of the most trivial matters will be familiar to many readers, she offers many interesting observations: taking a short break during sex and other pleasurable activities allows you to re-experience the activity's novel delights, and society strongly influences whether neophilia is a vice or a virtue (with early Christianity discouraging an enquiring mind, and the Age of Reason encouraging it). The information age, begun in the 1960s, brought better, easier access to more kinds of data; the digital revolution has taken the novelty boom up a notch, leaving many chronically distracted and less able to engage in deep thought. Gallagher points to the age-old remedy of moderation and notes neophilia will undoubtedly prove valuable in a future where the only certainly is constant change. Engaging and cautionary.", An accessible, well-researched work that crosses a variety of disciplines and will satisfy scientifically curious readers. It will appeal to those who enjoy Stephen Jay Gould and Oliver Sacks., Have you ever wondered why humans, as a species, are so attracted to novel experiences? Gallagher ( House Thinking: A Room-by-Room Look at How We Live ) brings her talents to the topic of neophilia-the love of novelty. She suggests that, from an evolutionary standpoint, attention to change, interest in new experiences, and adaptability are hallmarks of our species. She also explores individual behaviors concerning novelty and risk-taking and investigates the ways that society and environment affect one's attitude toward novelty. Considering experiences that range from video games to consumer food preferences, this book is an engaging, enjoyable read. The section that treats the complex interaction of nature and nurture as related to neophilia is particularly interesting. VERDICT An accessible, well-researched work that crosses a variety of disciplines and will satisfy scientifically curious readers. It will appeal to those who enjoy Stephen Jay Gould and Oliver Sacks., A bright look at our fascination with the new and different. Gallagher (Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, 2009, etc.) examines how we deal with the ever-increasing amount of novelty and rate of change in our lives. ... Gallagher points to the age-old remedy of moderation and notes neophilia will undoubtedly prove valuable in a future where the only certainly is constant change. Engaging and cautionary.
Synopsis
Why are we attuned to the latest headline, diet craze, smartphone, fashion statement? Why do we relish a change of scene, eye attractive strangers, develop new interests? How did Homo sapiens survive near-extinction during an environmental crisis eighty thousand years ago, while close cousins very like us have died out? Why is your characteristic reaction to novelty and change the key to your whole personality? Why do we enjoy inexpensive pleasures, like fresh flowers or great chocolate, more than costly comforts, like cars or appliances/ How can a species genetically geared to engage with novelty cope in a world that increasingly bombards us with it? Follow a crawling baby around and you'll see that right from the beginning, nothing excites us more than something new and different. Our unique human brains are biologically primed to engage with and even generate novelty, from our ancestors' first bow and arrow to the latest tablet computer. This 'neophilia' has enabled us to thrive in a world of cataclysmic change, but now we confront an unprecedented deluge of new things-from products to information-which has quadrupled in the past thirty years and shows no sign of slowing. To prevent our great strength from becoming a weakness in today's fast-paced world, we must reconnect with neophilia's grand evolutionary purpose- to help us learn, create, and adapt to new things that have real value and dismiss the rest as distractions. In New- Understanding Our Need for Novelty and Change , Winifred Gallagher, acclaimed behavioral science writer and author of Rapt , takes us to the cutting-edge laboratories and ancient archeological sites where scientists explore our special affinity for novelty and change. Although no other species can rival our capacity to explore and experiment with the new, we individuals vary in how we balance the conflicting needs to avoid risk and approach rewards. Most of us are moderate 'neophiles'; but some 15 percent of us are die hard 'neophiliacs'; who have an innate passion for new experiences, and another 15 percent are cautious 'neophobes,' who try to steer clear of them-a 1-5-1 ratio that benefits the group's well-being. Wherever you sit on the continuum, New shows you how to use this special human gift to navigate more skilfully through our rapidly changing world by focusing on the new things that really matter., "Why are we attuned to the latest headline, diet craze, smartphone, fashion statement? Why do we relish a change of scene, eye attractive strangers, develop new interests? """"How did Homo sapiens survive near-extinction during an environmental crisis 80,000 years ago, while close cousins very like us have died out? """"Why is your characteristic reaction to novelty and change the key to your whole personality? """"Why do we enjoy inexpensive pleasures, like fresh flowers or great chocolate, more than costly comforts, like cars or appliances? """"How can a species genetically geared to engage with novelty cope in a world that increasingly bombards us with it? """"" Follow a crawling baby around and you ll see that right from the beginning, nothing excites us more than something new and different. Our unique human brains are biologically primed to engage with and even generate novelty, from our ancestors first bow and arrow to the latest tablet computer. This neophilia has enabled us to thrive in a world of cataclysmic change, but now, we confront an unprecedented deluge of new things, from products to information, which has quadrupled in the past 30 years and shows no sign of slowing. To prevent our great strength from becoming a weakness in today s fast-paced world, we must re-connect with neophilia s grand evolutionary purpose: to help us learn, create, and adapt to new things that have real value and dismiss the rest as distractions. In "New: Understanding Our Need for Novelty and Change," Winifred Gallagher, acclaimed behavioral science writer and author of Rapt, takes us to the cutting-edge laboratories and ancient archeological sites where scientists explore our special affinity for novelty and change. Although no other species can rival our capacity to explore and experiment with the new, we individuals vary in how we balance the conflicting needs to avoid risk and approach rewards. Most of us are moderate neophiles, but some 15 per cent of us are die-hard neophiliacs, who have an innate passion for new experiences, and another 15 per cent are cautious neophobes, who try to steer clear of them a 1-5-1 ratio that benefits the group s well-being. Wherever you sit on the continuum, "New" shows you how to use this special human gift to navigate more skillfully through our rapidly changing world by focusing on the new things that really matter."
