Everything Is Obvious: *Once You Know the Answer by Duncan J. Watts

Everything is Obvious challenges the notion of common sense, revealing its inadequacies in today's intricate world. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the book provides a narrative exploration that sheds light on the sources of popularity, economics, and self-deception. Through insightful analysis and engaging storytelling, the author delves into the complexities of human behavior and decision-making. This thought-provoking work encourages readers to question their assumptions and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Reviews

Amazon UK · 2025-12-10

compelling 4.20

The book documents the cognitive traps our brains fall into and how we back-fit explanations to observations. It offers a compelling analysis of why things are often not as obvious as they seem.

This book is a compelling exploration of the cognitive traps that our brains fall into. The author argues that we are often too quick to fit explanations to observations, leading to a flawed understanding of the world. They provide a detailed analysis of why things are often not as obvious as they seem, and how our common sense can lead us astray. The book is well-written and thought-provoking, offering a wealth of insights that are both practical and intellectually stimulating. It challenges the reader to question their assumptions and think more critically about the world around them. The insights provided are valuable for anyone interested in understanding human behavior and decision-making.

Quick quotes

This book documents the traps that our pattern-matching brains fall into, and how we are strongly programmed to back-fit explanations onto observations.

A deep and insightful book that is a joy to read. There are new ideas on every page, and none of them is obvious!

A brilliant account of why, for every common-sense idea, there are new ideas on every page, and none of them is obvious!

Amazon · 2025-12-10

thought-provoking 3.50

The book explains why common sense reasoning and history often mislead us, making us believe we understand human behavior more than we actually do. It provides a new mindset on many taken-for-granted concepts.

This book is a deep dive into the fallacies of common sense and how it can mislead us. The author argues that our reliance on common sense often leads to a distorted understanding of the world. They explain that history and our own experiences can create a false sense of understanding, making us believe we know more than we actually do. The book is well-written and thought-provoking, offering a new way to look at many of the concepts we take for granted. It challenges the reader to question their assumptions and think more critically about the world around them. The insights provided are both practical and intellectually stimulating, making it a valuable read for anyone interested in understanding human behavior.

Quick quotes

This book explains why common sense reasoning and history mislead us into believing that we understand more about the world of human behavior than we do.

Well written, at times a bit slow.

Explains information providing a new mindset on many of the taken for granted concepts held by much of the general population.

Barnes & Noble · 2025-12-10

insightful 4.00

The book offers a fresh perspective on how common sense can fail us, providing valuable insights into human behavior and decision-making. It challenges conventional wisdom and encourages a more nuanced understanding of the world.

This book is a fascinating exploration of why our common sense often leads us astray. It delves into the cognitive traps that we fall into, explaining how our brains are wired to fit explanations to observations rather than seeing the full picture. The author argues that understanding these pitfalls can help us make better decisions and plan for the future. They highlight the importance of recognizing the limitations of our intuition and the need for a more systematic approach to understanding the world around us. The book is well-written and thought-provoking, offering a wealth of insights that are both practical and intellectually stimulating.

Quick quotes

By understanding how and when common sense fails, we can improve our understanding of the present and better plan for the future.

This book documents the traps that our pattern-matching brains fall into, and how we are strongly programmed to back-fit explanations onto observations.

It's about time a sociologist wrote an amazing and accessible book for a non-specialist audience.

Appears in Lists

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