Cause

Praise

“This balanced consideration of cause and effect in regard to three persistent social issues (terrorism, climate change, and racism) asserts that human nature’s basic egocentrism and need to create self-absorbed narratives lead to overly simplistic, often-erroneous conclusions…. [a] compelling narrative.”—BOOKLIST

“Enjoyable, eye-opening pop science… [Smithsimon’s] book has much value as an exercise in creative thought.”—KIRKUS REVIEWS

“A very engaging, provocative, and wide ranging new look at contemporary social issues.”—Mitchell Duneier, author of Ghetto


“Plenty of behavioral economists have written popular books explaining how our confusion about money affects our wallets. But aren’t we sick of those smug jerks? Greg Smithsimon has done something much, much better. In this spirited and convincing book, he uses sociological concepts to explain why most of us are wrong about why things happen, and the political implications of that confusion for race relations, inequality, and climate change. With the playful clarity of Robert Merton and the conscience of C. Wright Mills, perhaps Smithsimon will revive the sociological tradition of making social theory accessible to the masses. We certainly need it more than ever.”—Liza Featherstone, author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation