Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit summary
John V. Petrocelli
Harnessing Critical Thinking Habits to Combat False Information
24 mins
Brief summary
'The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit' by John V. Petrocelli uncovers the science behind how people believe and spread false information. It explores the importance of critical thinking and provides tools to detect fake news.
Table of Contents
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit
Summary of 8 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 8
Bullshitting and lying aren’t the same.
In 2017, NBA superstar Kyrie Irving declared in a podcast that the earth was flat. He’d been taught the scientific view, of course, but he still declared that it just couldn’t be right. Why? Because, he said, there’s no concrete information other than what they’re telling us; meanwhile, what he called “the truth” was right in front of us.
He’s not alone in his belief. It may seem hard to fathom, but a survey of US adults found that 1 in 50 people believe the earth is flat. That’s six and a half million people – more than twice the population of Chicago.
If there were evidence of a worldwide conspiracy to create fake scientific findings, then, perhaps, it would make sense to believe in a flat earth. But there isn’t any. For flat-earthers, though, none of that matters. They actively disregard the truth and basic facts. In other words: they bullshit.
The key message here is: Bullshitting and lying aren’t the same.
Kyrie asked listeners to “do some research.” But plenty of it has already been conducted by professional scientists – people who know what they’re doing.
First among them was the Greek astronomer Eratosthenes. Two thousand years ago, he determined the shape of the earth by observing two sticks in the ground. One of them, in Syene, cast a shadow at midday on June 21. The other, 500 miles north in Alexandria, didn’t. This clearly demonstrated the curvature of the earth.
And yet, two millennia later, the basketball superstar ignored compelling scientific evidence and implied that the truth lies elsewhere. That was bullshit.
Bullshitting isn’t the same as lying, even though a liar and a bullshitter may say the exact same thing. The liar cares about the truth but wishes to hide it. The bullshitter, on the other hand, doesn’t care about what is or isn’t true.
Some bullshit is harmless; in other cases, it can be bad or even downright dangerous.
Former US president Donald Trump claimed the rain stopped immediately as he began his inauguration speech. It didn’t – but that kind of bullshit is pretty innocuous.
Trump also suggested that injecting disinfectant might help cure COVID-19. This was bullshit – and, as far as harm goes, it sits right at the other end of the spectrum. Some medical experts believe that it actually led to the deaths of people who followed Trump’s suggestion.
In the following blinks, we’ll examine some examples of everyday bullshit, how it may benefit the bullshitter to the detriment of everyone else, and how bullshitting works.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit?
Key ideas in The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit about?
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit (2021) uses real-world examples to help you build critical thinking habits – which will enable you to recognize and resist all the false information that pervades society.
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit Review
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit (2020) is a thought-provoking book that explores the art of identifying and navigating through deception. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Delivers insightful strategies and practical tools to help readers recognize and dismantle falsehoods in various aspects of life.
- Offers engaging case studies and real-world examples to illustrate the techniques, enhancing understanding and applicability.
- Its intellectually stimulating approach to critical thinking and skepticism ensures that readers are captivated, while empowering them to make informed decisions.
Who should read The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit?
- Bullshit detectors who want to hone their skills
- People who think they’re immune to bullshitting
- Anyone who yearns for a bullshit-free world
Categories with The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit
Book summaries like The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit FAQs
What is the main message of The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit?
We live in a world full of deception. The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit teaches us how to spot and navigate through it.
How long does it take to read The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit?
The reading time for The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit varies. However, you can read the Blinkist summary in just a few minutes.
Is The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit is worth reading because it equips us with invaluable tools to sift through the noise and make better decisions.
Who is the author of The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit?
The author of The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit is John V. Petrocelli.
What to read after The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Creative Schools by Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica
- Secrets of Dynamic Communication by Ken Davis
- How to be Heard by Julian Treasure
- Pitch Perfect by Bill McGowan and Alisa Bowman
- Superagency by Reid Hoffman
- Shift by Ethan Kross
- Quiet by Susan Cain
- The Ageless Brain by Dale E. Bredesen
- The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
- Critical Thinking by Richard Paul