The Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography, and Gift Giving Reveal About Human Nature
"What's your guilty pleasure? Junk food? Fast cars? Champagne? To shop until you drop? What makes consumers tick? Psychologist Gad Saad writes of the innate needs, preferences, and drives that spur many of our most treasured appetites and behaviors—all soft-wired into the human brain in deep history for purposes of survival and reproduction. We are natural born consumers. And as Saad elegantly examines our daily rituals and tastes (and he gives us troves of fascinating data from around the world), he brings our common human heritage to life. I'll never look at my high-heeled shoes or a buffet the same way again. It'sa smart read for all who sell, all who buy, and all who really want to understand others and themselves. You may even come away thinking: I consume, therefore I am." --Helen Fisher, PhD, Biological Anthropologist, Rutgers University and author ofWhy Him? Why Her?"I urge you to consumeThe Consuming Instinct! Using cogent examples from popular culture deftly mixed with an expert's grasp of modern evolutionary biology, Dr. Saad shows how our biology underlies our consumer choices.Like nothing else on the market today, it will help you understand why we purchase and pay attention as we do. Indeed, never has science for the lay-person been presented more cogently or accessibly when it comes to our daily economic activities." --David P. Barash, professor of psychology, University of Washington and co-author ofPayback: Why We Retaliate, Redirect Aggression and Take Revenge"Juicy burgers, Ferraris, pornography, and gift giving are the stuff of human nature. Evolutionary psychologist Gad Saad tells us just how and why, and much more, inThe Consuming Instinct. Withwit, charm, and crystal clarity, Saad lays bare the evolutionary underpinnings of consumerism." --Todd K. Shackelford, Ph.D., professor and Chair of Psychology, Oakland University, editor,Evolutionary Psychology(epjournal.net)"What the jacket does not say is just howentertaining, enlightening and informativethis book is as Saad reveals the reasons behind consumers' preferences  for fat burgers, fancy cars and the trendiest fashionsâ€¦By putting  forward the idea of evolutionary economics, Saad opens up new concepts  in marketing as well as a much clearer understanding of why we respond  to certain products the way we doâ€¦For those curious about the reasons  people spend their hard-earned money on the things they do, presented in  an understandable format then look no further." --Monsters and Critics