Chapter 4

The Self and Identity

Examining how we construct our sense of self, why we protect it so fiercely, and the hidden ways it distorts our view of the world.

2 topics

Topics in this chapter

4.1

Ego Defense Mechanisms

The unconscious psychological strategies our minds deploy to shield us from anxiety, conflict, and painful truths.

9 min read
4.2

The Self-Serving Bias

Why we attribute our successes to our own brilliance and our failures to bad luck and what this costs us.

6 min read