Dan Ariely is a professor of psychology and behavioral economics. In his book, “Misbelief,” Ariely informs us that various individuals have denounced him for such offenses as siding with government officials who supported mask mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic. The author analyzes some of the psychological and emotional factors that foster a culture of “misbelief.” People who embrace this culture promulgate conspiracy theories and disparage elected leaders and others with whom they disagree.

Although Ariely has written lively and thought-provoking works of non-fiction in the past, this book is slow-going, jargon-filled, and repetitious. The material he presents could have been summarized in an essay. Ariely cites numerous studies that will not mean much to the average reader. The professor suggests that such factors as stress, dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances, a need for control, and a suspicion that our leaders are out to harm us contribute to people’s hostile attitudes.

Most of us know that it is difficult to have a rational conversation with misbelievers. Ariely urges us not to ostracize them, because doing so will push them farther down into what he calls the “funnel of misbelief.” On the contrary, I think that it is pointless to reason with relatives and acquaintances who make outlandish statements. It is healthier to stay away from them or resolve (if possible) to avoid provocative issues that will lead to heated arguments.

This was an interesting book that looks into why people end up believing in conspiracy theories as well as more mundane misbeliefs. Ariely started the research and writing for this book after he became the target of COVID-19 conspiracy theorists - something that upended his life. Although the book gets into a bit too much detail for me, most of the chapters were enlightening and also made me reflect on some of my own beliefs and how they were formed.

I was interested in this book initially because I have heard Dr. Ariely speak in the past and found him to be a compelling storyteller. This book begins with his own discovery that he was being targeted by conspiracy theorists as an architect of Covid-19 fraud with a goal of reducing the world's population. After getting past the initial shock of these allegations he began to investigate people he refers to as "Misbelievers" to understand how they fall into a "funnel of misbelief." He identifies factors such as stress, and cognitive, personality and social elements that all contribute to an overall feeling of mistrust amongst Misbelievers. He also provides helpful advice for dealing with any friend/family member who appears to be falling into this world of misbelief. Overall, an interesting read about something I've been noticing in the past few years.