Stone Age Brain

Rick Shenkman is the author of "Political Animals:  How Our Stone Age Brain Gets in the Way of Smart Politics" (Basic Books, 2016). You can sign up for Rick's blog! Just submit your email address below and you'll receive an email every time he blogs. It's free. Your email will never be sold or transferred.

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• 
  Aug 9, 2021
  

  Nothing I Learned as a Historian Over 45 Years Prepared Me for This Moment

  by Stone Age Brain

  It's disorienting to wake up and discover you don't live in the country you think you did.

  

• 
  Feb 5, 2021
  

  Why Voters Shouldn't Be Given the Chance to Re-Elect Donald Trump

  by Stone Age Brain

  We can't let a president get away with crimes against our democracy just because he commits them in the final months of his term.

  

• 
  Oct 31, 2020
  

  What Can Evolutionary Psychology Tell Us About Our Reaction to Covid?

  by Stone Age Brain

  One finding is that socieities which take a loose approach to norms and tolerate deviance from those norms are faring worst.

  

• 
  Oct 15, 2020
  

  Vaughn Davis Bornet, RIP at 102

  by Stone Age Brain

  He wrote for HNN for years.  He continued writing after he turned 100.

  

• 
  Oct 4, 2020
  

  Presidents Lie About Their Health More Than Any Other Subject

  by Stone Age Brain

  Even honest presidents have lied about their health.  So we shouldn't expect Donald Trump to tell the truth.

  

• 
  Jul 4, 2020
  

  We’re All Historians Now

  by Stone Age Brain

  Donald Trump may not like the debate we are having about history.  I welcome it. 

  

• 
  Jan 7, 2020
  

  Our GOP Problem

  by Stone Age Brain

  America needs a responsible conservative party.  The GOP isn't.

  

• 
  Jan 7, 2020
  

  Should We Be Scared of Rightwing Populism?

  by Stone Age Brain

  The answer depends on whether you think we can predict the future.  

  

• 
  Oct 9, 2019
  

  Saudi Arabia's Pearl Harbor

  by Stone Age Brain

  What a visit to a right-wing Japanese museum taught me.

  

• 
  Sep 8, 2019
  

  Should We Give Up on Democracy?

  by Stone Age Brain

  Some social scientists say we might not have a choice.

  

• 
  Apr 16, 2019
  

  I Stuck with Nixon. Here’s Why Science Says I Did It.

  by Stone Age Brain

  And what that reveals about Trump supporters.

  

• 
  Oct 3, 2018
  

  Why Can't Americans Accept the Fact that Columbus Was Not a Hero?

  by Stone Age Brain

  We should change the name of the the holiday, but don't dare. And no, it's not because Italian Americans would complain.
  

• 
  Jul 23, 2018
  

  Trump's treating his voters like chumps

  by Stone Age Brain

  Excerpts from an interview with Salon.
  

• 
  Jun 15, 2018
  

  The Psychology Behind the Trump Cult

  by Stone Age Brain

  Social psychology can explain the phenomenon.
  

• 
  Mar 30, 2018
  

  The Malcolm Gladwell Presidency

  by Stone Age Brain

  Why picking a president isn't like deciding what you want for breakfast. 

  

• 
  Mar 14, 2018
  

  Why This Was the Generation Cursed with a Donald Trump

  by Stone Age Brain

  The answer is not obvious. 
  

• 
  Feb 16, 2018
  

  Americans Have Again Ranked JFK Among the 3 Best Modern Presidents

  by Stone Age Brain

  Are they crazy?
  

• 
  Jan 31, 2018
  

  Why Stories Are so Important in Politics

  by Stone Age Brain

  Something every budding candidate for president in 2020 should keep in mind. 
  

• 
  Jan 19, 2018
  

  Is Facebook’s Decision to Downplay Politics Really a Blow to Journalism?

  by Stone Age Brain

  Facebook’s decision isn’t a big blow to the media. It’s an opportunity. All the media have to do is show the imagination to seize the moment. Carpe Diem!
  

• 
  Oct 3, 2017
  

  Country Guitarist Changes His Mind on Gun Control after Vegas: Why That's Not Surprising.

  by Stone Age Brain

  Evolution biased us to feel things we experience. In the modern world, that's a problem.