The Surprising Psychology Behind Your Urge to Break the Rules | Paul Bloom | TED

Summary

In this thought-provoking talk, the speaker explores the concept of perversity, drawing on historical and contemporary examples. They recount St. Augustine's pear theft and delve into the psychological 'need for chaos' scale. The speaker shares anecdotes from the Perversity Project, illustrating how people are sometimes driven to act wrongly for the sake of it. They also discuss the role of perversity in art, comedy, and power dynamics, suggesting that while it can be destructive, it can also be a source of creativity and joy. The talk concludes with insights on the importance of understanding perversity in human behavior and its potential to make life more interesting.

Takeaways

• 😈 St. Augustine in 'The Confessions' describes his youthful sins, focusing on an incident where he stole pears for the sake of doing wrong, highlighting the concept of sinning for the pleasure of sin itself.
• 😅 The speaker, a psychologist, started 'The Perversity Project' to collect real-life stories of people doing things because they knew they were wrong, exploring the psychology behind these actions.
• 🔥 Some people have a 'need for chaos,' enjoying actions that cause disruption or destruction, often for no rational reason other than the desire to see things go wrong.
• 🎭 Many forms of art, such as Marcel Duchamp's urinal exhibit or Banksy's shredded painting, involve acts of perversity to challenge norms and provoke thought, illustrating how destruction can also be creative.
• 😂 Perversity is a central element in comedy, where breaking social rules or behaving irrationally often creates humor and joy.
• 🤯 Perversity can make people more unpredictable and therefore more powerful, as irrational actions are harder to anticipate or counteract.
• 🔗 The speaker argues that perversity often has underlying motivations, such as a desire for autonomy, freedom, or rebellion against constraints, which drive people to act irrationally or immorally.
• 🙅‍♂️ Psychological reactance describes how people often respond to restrictions on their freedom by doing exactly what they were told not to, as seen in cases like the Tide Pod challenge or reactions to binge-drinking ads.
• 😬 Understanding the role of perversity in human behavior can help in various contexts, such as politics or interpersonal relationships, by recognizing that people may act against their own interests or rationality.
• 🌍 While much of human perversity can be harmful or destructive, the speaker suggests that a small dose of it can make life more interesting, creative, and sometimes even improve the world.

Q & A

What is the main theme of St. Augustine's 'The Confessions'?

The main theme of 'The Confessions' is St. Augustine's journey from a life of sin to his conversion to Christianity.

What surprising sin does St. Augustine recount in 'The Confessions'?

St. Augustine recounts the sin of stealing pears with his friends, not out of hunger or animosity towards the orchard owner, but seemingly for the sake of doing wrong.

What is the Perversity Project mentioned in the script?

The Perversity Project is an initiative by the speaker where people were invited to send in stories about perverse actions they have taken, defined as doing something wrong at least partly because it's wrong.

How does the speaker relate the concept of perversity to everyday life?

The speaker suggests that perversity is a part of everyday life, noting that everyone at some point may have a desire to act in ways that are socially unacceptable or wrong.

What is the 'need for chaos' scale in psychology?

The 'need for chaos' scale is a psychological tool that measures an individual's desire for disorder and destruction, often associated with a tendency to engage in disruptive or violent behavior.

Can you provide an example of a benign act of perversity from the script?

One example of a benign act of perversity is when someone sticks their finger into a friend's ice cream not because they want to taste it, but because they find the idea of doing something wrong amusing.

How does the speaker connect perversity to the world of art?

The speaker connects perversity to art by citing examples such as Marcel Duchamp's 'Fountain' and Banksy's self-destructing artwork 'Girl with Balloon', which both created controversy and became significant moments in modern art.

What role does perversity play in comedy according to the script?

Perversity is a key element in comedy, as humor often arises from characters engaging in irrational or immoral acts.

What does the speaker suggest about the power of irrational people?

The speaker suggests that irrational people can be more powerful than rational ones because their unpredictability makes them harder to control or 'hack', and their threats are more convincing.

What psychological concept is described when people react against perceived threats to their freedom?

The psychological concept described is 'reactance', which is the feeling that arises when one's sense of autonomy or freedom is threatened, leading them to act in a way that reasserts that freedom.

What are the two lessons about perversity that the speaker suggests?

The two lessons are: 1) To appreciate the role of perversity in everyday life and understand that people may act perversely to assert their autonomy or freedom. 2) To recognize that while much perversity is harmful, it can also be a source of humor, creativity, and even lead to positive outcomes in some cases.