The Trouble with Thinking: The Dangerous Trip from In the Head to Out the Mouth

Lauren Powers
iUniverse, Inc. (2006)
ISBN 9780595393961
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (6/07)


"The Trouble with Thinking: The Dangerous Trip from In the Head to Out the Mouth" is a self-help book that examines the role of communication, both verbal and nonverbal, and memory in how people form opinions and biases.  This book has a broad appeal because it provides concrete examples of everyday situations with which most readers will be able to relate.  It will be especially helpful for workgroups and committees which rely on interpersonal skills to accomplish tasks.  It will also be beneficial to married people who are having trouble relating to their mates.

Lauren Powers focuses on the processes people use to form opinions.  She refers to this as the Rat Brain loop which involves automatic thinking rather than conscious thought.  This loop consists of four distinct parts.  First, the person selects information that supports what he believes.  Next, the meaning of this information is defined.  Then a label that is demeaning to one or more of the people involved is attached.  Finally, an action or reaction is elicited either to defend one self, or prove someone else wrong.  Rat Brain causes people to think negatively and expect the worst.  This process of misinterpretation is what leads to hurt feelings.  Rat Brain appears because gossip is always juicier than the truth; so, in order to eliminate it, people must learn to react with their heads instead of their hearts.

Powers also states that the memories people retain are often flawed.  People tend to remember some details, but fill in the rest of the information.  Memory loss begins quickly after an event occurs.  I thought the story of how several people can be in the same room and how no two of these people will see or experience the same things was very interesting.  This is a rather alarming concept for me when it is applied to court cases or trials.  Firsthand witness testimony is often used as a major part of the case, but if memory is that unreliable, perhaps new ways of obtaining evidence should be developed.

Powers has a very effective style of keeping the readers' attention. The use of humorous anecdotes at the beginning of each chapter was a nice touch.  It added some light-heartedness to a serious topic. She also included exercises to help change our methods for handling differences.  She provides tips for how to talk to someone who has offended us so differences can be resolved.

Everyone should read "The Trouble with Thinking” again and again.  Rat Brain will never disappear, but it can be controlled through constant reminders of its presence. Changing our thought patterns can help us lead a happier and more productive life.

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